A/75/134

United Nations

General AssemblyDistr.: General
1 July 2020
Original: English

Seventy-fifth session
Item 105 of the preliminary list*
Review of the implementation of the recommendations anddecisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenthspecial session

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
Note by the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General hereby transmits to the General Assembly the report of
the Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) on
the activities of the Institute for the period from January to December 2019 and the
proposed programme of work and financial plan for 2020 and 2021.
The Board of Trustees of UNIDIR reviewed the report and approved theprogramme of work and financial plans at the seventy-fourth session of the Advisory
Board on Disarmament Matters, held on 24 June 2020 in a virtual session.
The Board welcomed the report of the Director, which provided acomprehensive account of the Institute’s increased scope of activity across a range ofdiverse disarmament topics. While noting that the coronavirus disease (COVID -19)
pandemic had significantly impacted the activities of UNIDIR in 2020, the B oard wasof the view that continued research outputs and virtual activities demonstrated theInstitute’s increased capacity and resilience.
The Board noted that the fortieth anniversary of UNIDIR in 2020 provided an
important opportunity for the General Assembly to consider the Institute’s work andimpact over four decades and to explore ways of enhancing its long -termsustainability. The Board expressed concern at the introduction of rental charges for
UNIDIR in the Palais des Nations and recommended the continuation of the Institute’s
40-year rent-free accommodation arrangement. The Board reiterated its long-standing
recommendation that the Institute’s subvention be increased proportionate to its
contemporary requirements and in line with the recommendations of the SecretaryGeneral in his report of July 2018 (A/73/284).

* A/75/50.

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Report of the Director of the United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research on the activities of the Institute forthe period from January to December 2019 and the
proposed programme of work and financial plan for 2020
and 2021
Summary
The present report covers the activities and financial status of the United Nations
Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) for the period from January to
December 2019, and the proposed programme of work and financial plan for 2020 and
2021. It was prepared in accordance with General Assembly resolution 39/148 H, inwhich the Assembly invited the Director of UNIDIR to report annually to it.
UNIDIR is an autonomous institution within the United Nations that conducts
independent research on disarmament and related problems, particularly international
security issues. For 40 years, the Institute has provided evidence -based research andpolicy options to support Member States, United Nations entities and expert, industry
and civil society stakeholders in advancing practical measures that contribute to a morestable, secure and sustainable world. It is a key implementing partner of the initiativeof the Secretary-General, Securing Our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament.
The Institute’s current research agenda, endorsed by its Board of Trustees, isaimed at identifying pathways to reinvigorate multilateral arms control anddisarmament in the face of a challenging international political and security
environment. In 2019, it initiated several new work streams to explore linkages
between disarmament, crisis prevention and sustainable development, and to assess
the implications, positive and negative, of new technologies on weapons governance.
The Institute achieved a significant impact in translating ideas into policy action innational, United Nations and multilateral disarmament processes. Support for the workof UNIDIR was reflected in the voluntary support provided by an expanded anddiverse group of States, which enabled the growth of its programmes, activities andpersonnel in 2019. Continued strengthening of the Institute’s structure and its
operating and financial models underpinned the expansion, although significant steps
remain to establish a more stable and sustainable foundation for the Institute, all themore so in the light of the coronavirus disease (COVID -19) pandemic.

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I. Introduction
1.
The year 2019 provided ample evidence of the relevance of the call by
Secretary-General to put disarmament and non-proliferation at the centre of the workof the United Nations. Global military expenditure saw its largest annual increase ina decade, reaching a total of $1,917 billion in 2019. 1 Renewed competition between
nuclear-armed States was boosted by new, unregulated technological capabilities andthe further breakdown of bilateral arms control arrangements between the RussianFederation and the United States of America. Geostrategic tensions imperilled efforts
to tackle regional proliferation challenges in Asia and the Middle East. Meanwhilepoorly regulated or illicit small arms and ammunition continued to wreak death anddestruction among communities around the world.
2.
Yet in the face of, and partly because of, these immense challenges, progress inarms regulation was limited in 2019. With the notable exception of continued
initiatives around humanitarian disarmament and export control risk assessments,
multilateral action on either established or new weapons issues remained stymied.
Dialogue within the United Nations disarmament machinery further stalled.
3.
In this polarized and mistrustful environment, the need for evidence -based
analysis and impartial policy options has never been so great, or so challenging toundertake. It is one of the reasons why the United Nations Institute for Disarmament
Research (UNIDIR) continues to play a vital role in multilateral disarmament.
Established by collective action 40 years ago, the Institute has engaged consistently
on the questions at the heart of international order: the means and methods by which
States and people war. It has helped develop knowledge on long -standing issues while
generating new ideas for the effective regulation of weapons. UNIDIR has provided
sustained, often discreet, technical support to States and multilateral bodies while
facilitating the inclusive, transparent dialogue among disarmament stakeholders,State and non-State, that is essential to progress in formal settings.
4.
Over the past two years, against a backdrop of eroding arms control, the scale
and impact of UNIDIR research and activities have grown considerably. Enabled byvoluntary funding from States, the Institute’s expansion reflects the relevance of andappetite for innovative thinking and collaborative, multi-stakeholder engagement intackling some of the most urgent problems of our turbulent world.

II. Programme of work
A.

Performance and status of implementation of activities in 20191.

Research agenda and programmes
5.
In 2019, UNIDIR continued to implement the strategic research agenda
endorsed by its Board of Trustees (see A/74/247). The agenda is aimed at providing
proactive and responsive policy research on diverse disarmament issues to support
Member States, United Nations entities, regional organizations, and research andindustry stakeholders in taking practical action to strengthen international peace andsecurity and the governance of weapons of all types. It reflects the priorities set out
in the initiative of the Secretary-General, Securing Our Common Future: An Agenda
for Disarmament, in which UNIDIR is a key implementing partner. A core objectiveof the strategic research agenda is to contribute to efforts to integrate disarmamentacross the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to ensure that__________________
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knowledge, ideas and dialogue on disarmament are accessible to a global audience,
including young people and policymakers.
6.
In establishing a multi-year agenda, UNIDIR has sought to build in-depth
expertise and sustained engagement on a number of disarmament issues underconsideration by Member States so as to provide intellectual leadership andstrengthen the policy impact of its work. Multi-year scalable programmes also enable
the Institute to reflect the disarmament priorities of a diverse international community
and to ensure that a focus on one issue does not lead to neglect of other critical areasof work. In 2019, UNIDIR completed the establishment of four cross-cutting
programmes: conventional arms, weapons of mass destruction and other strategic
weapons, security and technology, and gender and disarmament, as well as a special
regional project exploring past efforts and prospects for a Middle East zone free of
weapons of mass destruction.
7.
The upscaling of UNIDIR research was reflected in the Institute’s outputs andimpact in 2019. Annual publications increased from 22 in 2018 to 42 (see annex I)
and the Institute has sought to sustain research quality and impact by engaging its
diverse network of global experts, fellows and visiting researchers in its internal andexternal peer review processes. Key policy impacts in 2019 are set out below.
Conventional arms
8.
The largest UNIDIR programme addresses the links between conventional arms
control and sustainable peace and development through three research streams:(a) strengthening policy and practice on weapons and ammunition management;(b) integrating conventional arms control into multilateral and national conflict
prevention; and (c) exploring how arms control tools can adapt to, and help mitigate,
the impact of the urbanization of violence. A feature of the programme is its appliedfield focus, contributing to national, regional and United Nations operations andinitiatives and to the work of multilateral disarmament bodies.
9.
In 2019, UNIDIR provided in-country support to a number of West African
States, carrying out baseline country assessments and supporting national authorities
in developing national road maps for improved weapons and ammunition
management in Ghana and Sierra Leone. The work has taken on new urgency formany countries in the region as they seek to respond to burgeoning trafficking ofillicit arms and terrorist activity. A total of 11 such assessments have been completed
in countries in Africa and the Middle East, and they provide a rich source of
information and perspectives for planned regional exchanges on weapons andammunition management lessons and best practices with the Economic Communityof West African States and African Union partners in 2020.
10. In preparation for the establishment of a group of governmental experts onprocesses pertinent to conventional ammunition management in 2020, UNIDIR
generated a series of reports outlining key issues and ideas that could inform the workof the group that were among the most frequently downloaded publications from the
UNIDIR website.
11. UNIDIR also explored ways in which States might better mitigate the risk ofdiversion in arms transfers, work that contributed to the decision by the Fifth
Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty to elaborate a voluntary guideon end use documentation. In 2020, the Institute will examine, with ConflictArmament Research, Small Arms Survey and the Stimson Center, the impact of theArms Trade Treaty in addressing arms transfer diversions and will identify options tostrengthen the role of the Treaty in supporting State partie s to address diversion risks.

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12. The Institute launched a new initiative in 2019 to explore how conventionalarms control assessments and tools could support and be better integrated into United
Nations prevention strategies and activities in peace mission and non-mission
settings. The cross-system work engages multiple United Nations partners and builds,
inter alia, on advice provided by the Institute to inform the recommendations ofSecurity Council-mandated technical assessments of arms embargoes in th e Central
African Republic and Somalia in 2018 and 2019.
13. As part of its research on the risks and impacts of armed violence in urban
environments, UNIDIR produced a major report and facilitated military -to-military
dialogue in Europe and Africa on good practices and opportunities to reduce civilian
harm from explosive weapons. The findings of that work were cited by a number ofMember States in official statements and working papers in the context ofconsultations to elaborate a political declaration on explosive weapons in populatedareas, which were initiated in 2019.
14. At the request of the General Assembly (see resolution 73/67), UNIDIR
developed a self-assessment tool for States to strengthen their prevention andpreparedness against the threat of improvised explosive devices and successfully
piloted the tool in collaboration with over 20 United Nations, State, industry andexpert partners. The tool will be integrated into the work of the system-wide United
Nations coordination task force on improvised explosive devices and made available
to all interested States and parties.
Weapons of mass destruction and other strategic weapons
15. In the current strained international environment for strategic arms control anddisarmament, the UNIDIR weapons of mass destruction and other strategic weapons
programme focuses on identifying ways to: (a) improve predictability; (b) preserveand strengthen existing agreements and regimes; and (c) explore new approaches andoptions for effective weapons of mass destruction arms control and disarmament.
16. A major component of the work is identifying measures to reduce the risk of theuse of nuclear weapons in a year when experts, policymakers and civil soc iety groups
around the world warned that the risk of detonation of a nuclear weapon was at its
highest since the tensest episodes of the Cold War. In 2019, UNIDIR mapped existing
issues and approaches around reducing the risk of nuclear weapons and develop ed ananalytical framework to explore identified risk pathways. The work was presented at
the third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 Review Conference of
the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and received
positive feedback from Member States, including in official statements.
Organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization used the work of UNIDIR on nuclear risk reduction indeveloping their internal thinking and several of the Institute’s recommendations
were taken up by nuclear policy actors, including the Nuclear Threat Initiative. In
2020, the work will explore concrete steps to reduce those risks assessed to be highest
at the current moment, namely crisis escalation or misperception between adversaries
that results in the detonation of a nuclear weapon.
17. Verification of nuclear disarmament is another area of established UNIDIR
expertise. In 2019, the Institute issued an important study settin g out a new approachthat would allow nuclear-armed States to verifiably dispose of fissile materials nolonger required for military purposes or to dismantle and eliminate nuclear weapons.
Those ideas were taken up in multilateral forums, including the high-level fissile
material cut-off treaty expert preparatory group, and were cited in several policy andresearch publications. As debates on the future of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action and post-Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty arrangements illustrate,
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nuclear arms control and disarmament processes must overcome difficult practicalchallenges and thus interest in the ideas set forth by UNIDIR remains high. In 2020,
work in that area will explore the applicability of new verification approach es to thedenuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
18. The prevention of an arms race in outer space is one of the Institute’s long standing areas of work that has taken on new urgency in the context of increased
inter-State competition, new space actors and technological capabilities. UNIDIR
explored options for enhanced transparency and confidence-building measures, someof which were taken up by delegates to the Conference on Disarmament, while its
study on ways of verifying space security arrangements was one of the mostdownloaded reports from the UNIDIR website in 2019. In 2020, the Institute will
examine practical incremental steps to improve space security and the increasing
challenge posed by missile defence technology and systems.
19. The destabilizing potential of new technologies in a degraded political andsecurity environment was the focus of a joint report in 2019 with the United Nations
Office for Disarmament Affairs on the challenges and opportunities of hypersonic
weapons for arms control. The scale of Member State and media interest in the topic
led to several Institute events and speaker invitations, including a side meeting of theMissile Technology Control Regime. In 2020, UNIDIR will focus on the future of
weapons of mass destruction-related arms control and disarmament and how sucharrangements could help create a more predictable security environment in the faceof rapid technological change.
20. Strengthening the compliance and enforcement of existing weapons of mass
destruction-related regimes is a critical part of that effort. Work initiated in 2019
explores lessons learned from across nuclear, chemical and biological weapons
regimes and is already generating cross-cutting research and recommendations.
Findings presented to the 2019 meeting of experts to the Convention on theProhibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological(Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction received positive feedback
from Member States and fed into the Chair’s summary report. In 2020 and in thecontext of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, work will focus on options
to strengthen review and implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention
ahead of its review in 2021.
Project on a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East
21. The goal of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East has
never appeared so distant or so urgent. Long-standing divisions on the issue, as wellas rivalries and deep mistrust among States of the region have further diminishedpolicy research and attention on cooperative initiatives to reduce proliferation
challenges. Yet absent them, the prospects for conflict and instability within theregion and beyond grow.
22. Against that challenging background and with the support of the European
Union, in August 2019, UNIDIR launched a new three-year project to examine thepast, perspectives and prospects for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the
Middle East. The goals of the work stream are to: (a) produce a factual narrative ofefforts to establish a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East andidentify lessons for future efforts; (b) build analytic capacity to support new thinking
on regional security issues and a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the
Middle East; and (c) collate ideas and develop new proposals on how to move forward
on the issue.
23. An important part of the project is to foster inclusive dialogue and solicit
regional perspectives on an issue that has, at times, been explored more outside than
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inside the region, including through engaging relevant officials and experts in a series
of workshops and fact-finding dialogues in countries of the Middle East. The project
was formally launched at a side event at the First Committee of the General Assemblyin October 2019, and interviews carried out, inter alia, in the margins of the first
Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons andOther Weapons of Mass Destruction, held at United Nations Headquarters inNovember 2019. Early indications point to a high level of interest in the work stream
within the region and beyond, not only in the context of the Review Conference of
the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons but also in thecontext of challenges confronting the Middle East, including the severe impact of
COVID-19 on the region.
Security and technology
24. While technological developments have been integral to UNIDIR research overfour decades, the scale and speed of current innovations in science and technology,
and their implications for international peace, security and development led to theestablishment of a dedicated Security and Technology Programme in 2019. Its
objectives are to explore: (a) the benefits and risks that technological developments
present for arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament; (b) support for
multilateral knowledge as well as dialogue on key issues to be addressed, including
how the arms control toolbox can support the governance of new technologies; and(c) assistance in the development and implementation of multilateral norms on
responsible and safe policy and practice.
25. Cyberstability is one of the new programme’s areas of focus, which builds on
the Institute’s long-standing work on cybersecurity. In 2019, UNIDIR launched the
Cyber Policy Portal, an online tool containing concise cyberpo licy profiles of all
Member States, as well as regional and international organizations. The Portal isreceiving over 4,400 monthly page views from 180 States and territories and has beenreferenced and endorsed by a number of Member States in the Open -ended Working
Group on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in theContext of International Security established by the General Assembly. The Portal
was selected for presentation at the Paris Peace Forum, held in November 2019, as a
notable contribution to the achievement of cybersafety and cyberstability. Work in
2020 will focus on measures to operationalize existing norms, including on supply
chain security, as well as options for strengthening cybercrisis management
mechanisms.
26. A second line of investigation is the implications of the increasing use of
autonomy and artificial intelligence in weapons systems and other military
applications. The work is focused on contributing knowledge and ideas to multilateral
discussions on the governance of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems,
including in the Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the
Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems. As part of that effort, the Instituteconvened a series of expert workshops on possible options for artificial intelligence“arms control” and produced a study on the role of data in algorithmic decision making. Work in 2020 will focus on the role of human control in decisions around theuse of force.
27. Exploring the positive benefits of innovations in science and technology is an
important element of the programme, an early example of which, in 2019, was the
exploration of how distributed ledger technologies applications can support andstrengthen conventional arms control. The work will be expanded in 2020 to support
Member States and multilateral disarmament forums in assessing the challenges andopportunities of innovations in the life sciences for arms control, non -proliferationand disarmament.
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Gender and disarmament
28. UNIDIR seeks to assist policymakers and researchers in bridging gender anddisarmament frameworks with the goals of: (a) achieving gender equality inmultilateral disarmament forums, in line with the goals set out in the Agenda for
Disarmament (actions 36 and 37); and (b) supporting the incorporation of gender
perspectives and analyses into arms control and disarmament processes. An importantvehicle for the pursuit of those policy objectives is the International GenderChampions Disarmament Impact Group, co-chaired by UNIDIR, Canada, Ireland,
Namibia and the Philippines to promote dialogue, share knowledge and advancegender-responsive action in multilateral disarmament forums.
29. In 2019, a comprehensive UNIDIR study, “Still behind the curve”, pro vided anauthoritative baseline analysis of current gender balance in arms control anddisarmament diplomacy. Data presented in the report was cited by a number ofMember States in the First Committee as well as the Preparatory Committee for the2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons, and UNIDIR experts were invited to deliver presentations on the
topic in forums around the world. On the basis of the research, a number of countries
established a fellowship to sponsor and support training for women diplomats
participating in United Nations cybersecurity deliberations. UNIDIR cross programme research on the sex- and gender-specific effects of biological andchemical weapons, presented in “Missing links: understanding sex- and genderrelated impacts of chemical and biological weapons”, led to the first side events
addressing gender in the Biological Weapons Convention and the Convention on theProhibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical
Weapons and on Their Destruction.
30. Together with the International Gender Champions Disarmament Impact Group,
UNIDIR produced a gender and disarmament resource pack for multilateralpractitioners, containing information and concrete ideas to support diplomats inapplying a gender lens to their work. It has been distributed to the chairs andpresidents of disarmament bodies and all members of the Conference on
Disarmament. The Group also prepared fact sheets with practical options tostrengthen gender equality in the Arms Trade Treaty and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban
Convention, some of which were formally adopted by those forums. A record numberof 79 Member States joined the statement of the First Committee on gender anddisarmament machinery, which also welcomed the work of the Disarmament Group.
31. The year 2020 marks two decades since the adoption of the landmark Security
Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women and peace and security. In recognition,
UNIDIR will undertake new research on the links between the women and peace andsecurity agenda and disarmament processes, including in the area of conventionalarms control and cybersecurity.
2.

Knowledge and advisory support
32. Demand for the Institute’s information, technical analysis and expert support
doubled in 2019, and the Institute expanded collaboration with United Nations
partners and regional organizations. Support to the United Nations disarmamentmachinery remained at the core of that engagement. To mark 40 years of theConference on Disarmament, UNIDIR issued a study on the body’s mandate andworking methods and convened a high-level panel to discuss options to strengthen
the functioning of the Conference in February. Staff continued to provide expert
briefings to the body on core agenda items at the request of the respective presidents.
In support of the scheduled consideration of space security issues by the DisarmamentCommission, UNIDIR produced background papers, conv ened a workshop for

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delegates in New York and briefed informal consultations of the Commission in April.
The Director briefed the Security Council at informal consultations on uncrewed
aerial vehicles in July. The Institute organized five side events at th e seventy-fourth
session of the General Assembly to provide ideas and insights on issues on the agendaof the First Committee.
33. In 2019, UNIDIR served as technical consultant to the Group of Governmental
Experts to consider the role of verification in advancing nuclear disarmament and theGroup of Governmental Experts on Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of
an Arms Race in Outer Space. In August, it established a team of international experts
to provide technical support to parallel processes established by the General
Assembly, the aforementioned Open-Ended Working Group and the Group ofGovernmental Experts on Advancing Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace in
the Context of International Security (see General Assembly resolutions 73/27 and73/266). The provision of United Nations regular budget resources for group of
governmental experts consultancies is the only source of dedicated finan cial support
for such knowledge and advisory services.
34. The Institute continued to expand collaboration with United Nations partners,
including by providing technical advice to the Security Council Committee pursuant
to resolution 751 (1992) concerning Somalia. It provided expertise and briefings andundertook collaborative initiatives on relevant issues, including conflict prevention,
women and peace and security, mitigating civilian harm caused by e xplosive weaponsuse, digital technology threats and opportunities with the Departments of Peace
Operations and Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Office for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Righ ts, theUnited Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Entity for Gender
Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the World HealthOrganization.
35. Collaboration with the Commission of the Economic Community of West
African States in the area of conventional arms continued in 2019, and cooperation
with the African Union expanded with the initiation of a lessons learned exercise on
the weapons and ammunition management experiences of African States in 2020. The
Institute will continue its engagement with the Organization of American States oncybersecurity issues in 2020, and it has begun a dialogue with the League of ArabStates on potential collaboration to raise awareness of the implications of newtechnologies for disarmament.
36. In August 2019, UNIDIR took an important step to strengthen its contribution
to disarmament education by launching, in collaboration with the Office for
Disarmament Affairs, a disarmament orientation course for new diplomats in Geneva.
Over the course of one week, 35 delegates from around the world were briefed on
relevant disarmament bodies and agendas by a range of experts and representatives.
The enthusiastic response by participants and permanent missions has encouraged theInstitute and the Office for Disarmament Affairs to repeat the exercise annually,
subject to funding. UNIDIR staff continued to lecture at and participate in a wide
range of training events around the world and provided regular briefings to visiting
scholars, government officials and student groups in Geneva.
3.

Dialogue and convening activities
37. One of the unique features of UNIDIR as an autonomous institution within theframework of the United Nations is its convening function. In 2019, the Instituteconvened over 30 events around the world that drew together State representatives
and research, civil society and industry experts for frank and informal discussions on
a wide range of disarmament issues. The multi-stakeholder dialogues included focus

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groups to review and discuss emerging research or policy tools, such as: theengagement of industry actors to review the Institute’s counter-improvised explosive
device assessment tool; scenario-based exercises with disarmament diplomats to
explore a particular technology and its possible implications for international security,for example, hypersonic weapons; the hosting of research partners and visiting
experts to present new work; and more traditional panel-based discussions. In late2019, the Institute launched a dialogue series to support States in their preparations
for the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons, which included the commissioning of papers reflecting different
perspectives on key issues under review. A “tech breakfast” series was also initiatedto facilitate regular multi-stakeholder dialogue on emerging technologies that may
not yet feature on formal agendas of disarmament bodies.
38. Following a General Assembly request (see resolution 73/32), UNIDIR
inaugurated the Innovations Dialogue in August 2019 to explore the role of scienceand technology in the context of international security and disarmament. Almost 150
participants and speakers from 11 countries examined new digital innovations, which
led to the publication of a report and new research partnership initiatives.
39. The Innovations Dialogue joins the UNIDIR space security and cyberstability
conferences as one of its annual flagship events with 130 to 150 participants. To
facilitate inclusive and diverse engagement from around the world, the Institute has
initiated live-streaming of the events and mobilized resources for sponsoredparticipation. It has also explored opening portions of the meetings to the generalpublic and, in 2019, it organized a photo exhibit and film screen ing to accompany the
space security conference. With a view to enhancing linkages between the Geneva
and New York disarmament communities, it convened the 2019 cyberstability
conference at United Nations Headquarters.
4.

Strengthening of the Institute
40. UNIDIR made further progress in implementing the recommendations
contained in the first report of the Secretary-General on the Institute to be issued inover 15 years (A/73/284), with a view to establishing a sustainable and stable funding
structure and operating model.
Staffing and operations
41. Attracting and retaining diverse research expertise remained a priority in 2019.
UNIDIR engaged the United Nations Office for Project Services as a service p rovider
with a view to offering more attractive and flexible consultant modalities throughindividual contractor agreements. Over the course of the year, the number of full -time
personnel grew from 19 to 28, an increase of 47 per cent, and included, for th e firsttime, field-based personnel. The Institute also initiated a visiting researcher
programme, focused on mid-career experts from around the world, and established anon-resident fellowship scheme to benefit from the perspectives of authoritativeinternational voices on disarmament. In 2020, UNIDIR will launch a graduate
professional programme that will provide a modest stipend to enable young scholars
to gain practical experience in a multilateral policy environment.
42. The Institute’s location at the Palais des Nations enables it to interact regularly
with disarmament processes and stakeholders and to maintain its active convening
role. In December 2019, the Institute and the United Nations Office at Geneva
established a memorandum of understanding on costed administrative support
services that includes, for the first time, rental charges. The United Nations Office at
Geneva anticipates accommodation charges to progressively triple over the next three
to five years. As the current cost structure of UNIDIR will not be able to absorb the

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charges, the Institute will undertake a review of alternative accommodation optionsin 2020.
43. As part of its efforts to strengthen operations, the Institute introduced aprogramme planning and review process that includes programme development, work
planning and quarterly implementation reviews, as well as impact monitoring andreporting. Staff received training in results-based management. In 2020, the Institutewill focus on strengthening its budget, finance and grant management processes.
Communications and outreach
44. UNIDIR continued to prioritize increased visibility and engagement with global
audiences on disarmament. In addition to the online streaming of select events,
UNIDIR prioritized the translation of key reports, initially into French and Spanish.
In October, it relaunched the UNIDIR website, making publications more accessible
and offering new commentary and analyses, leading to a 126 per cent increase inweekly website visits. New multimedia content, including 53 short explanatory
videos and animations, helped to expand the Institute’s social media presence to over
150 countries, with a 48 per cent increase in followers on the Twitter platform.
45. Investments in online communications are also enabling UNIDIR to better
monitor the impact of its work, including by tracking engagement, publication
downloads and academic citations. That information complements the participant
feedback and evaluations that the Institute now employs for events.
Partnerships
46. To strengthen its engagement with a wider range of stakeholders, UNIDIR
continued to pursue effective partnerships with the United Nations and regional andnational partners. Institute staff briefed regional groups and continued to provide
executive briefings in Geneva on UNIDIR research and activities. A new initiative in2019 was the convening of meetings in the margins of sessions of the Board of Trustees
in New York and Geneva to enable Board members to contribute their expertise andinsights to disarmament debates. UNIDIR also initiated a donor forum, which meets
every six months, to provide a platform for updates and dialogue on the work of theInstitute and its finances.
47. The Institute continued to collaborate with a wide range of research institutes andscholars around the world on specific activities. Strategic partnership with the Office for
Disarmament Affairs continued, and UNIDIR participated in United Nations
inter-agency processes on mine action, improvised explosive devices, small arms andlight weapons, cyberissues and gender equality. New partnerships were established with
the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions and the United Nations Global
Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact, as well the Global Forum on Cyber
Expertise.
Resource mobilization
48. The number and diversity of Member States that contributed generous financial
support to UNIDIR increased in 2019 (see annex III, table 2). A subset of the Institute’s
donors committed multi-year funding for programmatic activities in line with therecommendations of the Secretary-General (see A/73/284). Such funding is critical as itenables investment in a sustained area of work and increases the potential for policy
impact. It also enables UNIDIR to respond flexibly to developments in the international
security environment and to explore new or emerging themes in a timely manner.
49. That notwithstanding, the broader trend of increased ear marking of financial
contributions presented a growing challenge for the Institute’s core operating budget.
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Although they represented less than 25 per cent of total expenses, operating costs in2019 rose as a practical consequence of the increase in UNIDIR programmes,
personnel and outreach activities, as well as the introduction of accommodation
charges. Of the voluntary funds received in 2019, 11 per cent were unearmarked or
directed toward supporting core operations.
50. Given the relatively limited voluntary funding for arms control, non-proliferationand disarmament and in the light of the Institute’s mandate and work on sustainable
development issues in partnership with recipient countries, UNIDIR successfully
obtained eligibility for Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
development assistance funding in 2019.
5.

Resources and expenditure
51. As a trust fund of the United Nations, UNIDIR is financed through voluntary
contributions and a small subvention from the regular budget of t he United Nations
towards the cost of the Director and staff. With the generous support of 28 donors,
total revenue in 2019 amounted to $4,992,241. Actual revenue for the first quarter of2020 is also shown in annex III, table 1. Variances between projecte d (see A/74/180,
annex III) and actual voluntary contributions reflect the non -realization of two
financing agreements that were under discussion in early 2019. The revenue recorded
in 2019 also reflects the signature of four multi-year funding agreements with donor
partners. Some 89 per cent of total voluntary contributions received in 2019 was
earmarked for specific programmes or activities. The subvention received from theUnited Nations regular budget was $275,000 (see annex III, table 2). This figure
constituted 6 per cent of the Institute’s total income in 2019.
52. Total expenditure in 2019 was $4,732,647 (see annex III, table 1). Actual
expenses for the first quarter of 2020 are also shown. Total expend iture in 2019 wasin line with the Institute’s projections (see A/74/180, annex II). Variances in specificexpense lines between projected and actual expenditure in 2019 can be attributed tothe organization of UNIDIR personnel expenses. To simplify and provide greatertransparency on UNIDIR personnel costs, the Institute’s research personnel expenses
were reclassified from “grants and other transfers” to “other expert contracts andfees”. “Other expert contracts and fees” cover individual contractors and individual
consultants administered by the Institute’s service providers, the United Nations
Office at Geneva and the United Nations Office for Project Services. The increase intravel and other operating expenses in 2019 is directly proportional to the expansionof UNIDIR programmes, staff and activities over the course of the year. This growth
is reflected in the 50 per cent variation in actual expenses between 2018 and 2019.

III. Programme of work and financial plan for 2020
53. The programme of work for 2020, endorsed by the Board of Trustees at its meetingin Geneva on 28 January 2020, reflects the workplans of the Institute’s research
programmes and is guided by three cross-cutting priorities: (a) strengthening multilateraldisarmament processes, including with a view to addressing the implications of newtechnologies; (b) continued implementation of the Agenda for Disarmament, with afocus on efforts to reduce the impact of arms-related violence on civilians; and(c) expanding the Institute’s engagement in different regions of the world. In pursuit
thereof, the Institute initiated plans for a range of regional workshops and activities inpartnership with national and regional partners. It also began preparations to establish asmall liaison presence at United Nations Headquarters to facilitate engagement with andreinforce linkages between disarmament-related processes and activities in Geneva and
New York. As part of its fortieth anniversary celebrations, the Institute’s 2020 plans

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included a series of public and targeted events, including a Model United Nations debate
to encourage youth engagement on disarmament.
54. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected those plans and the UNIDIR
programme of work. The Institute quickly activated business continuity arrangements
to enable the maintenance of research, publications, communications and administrative
activities. It established a risk assessment framework to guide the resumption ofactivities and remains in close contact with donor partners regarding theimplementation and extension of agreements.
55. However, travel and events have been significantly affected and will continue tobe affected for at least the remainder of 2020 and much of 2021. Where feasible,
UNIDIR has moved events, such as the launch of reports on nuclear risk reduction andhuman control in the use of force, as well as dialogues with African and Latin American
partners, to online platforms. It has also initiated webinar series on space security andthe implementation of norms for cybersecurity. It continues to support thosemultilateral and plurilateral disarmament processes that have transitioned to virtual
activities. Finally, UNIDIR is exploring the potential security implications of thepandemic and has published analyses on differentiated gender impacts and patterns ofurban violence, as well as initiating a study on how the COVID-19 pandemic will affectconsiderations concerning the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of
the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin
Weapons and on Their Destruction ahead of its review by States parties in 2021.
56. In previous years, UNIDIR made its annual financial projections by averaging
revenue and expenses for the five previous years and adding a 1 per cent growth
calculation. That approach was divorced from the Institute’s substantive work programme
and plans. In 2020, building on the programme structure and planning process put inplace over the period 2018–2019, UNIDIR revised its projections methodology.
57. Revenue and expenses for 2020 and 2021 are based on estimated voluntary
contributions and an assessment of the institutional costs required to implement theagreed work programme and planned activities in 2020 and 2021. The projections
take into account established multi-year funding agreements for which disbursement
is expected in 2020 and 2021, as well as discussions that are under way with donors
in the first quarter of 2020. On that basis, the financial expenditure to support the2020 programme of work is projected to be $5,648,000, as shown in annex IV.
58. While resource mobilization efforts will continue over the course of 2020,
including to broaden the Institute’s donor base, the implications of the global
COVID-19 pandemic for the financial resources of Member States and private
foundations are already severe. UNIDIR anticipates a significant decline in revenue
in 2021 and is taking steps to reduce expenditure by that date, as shown in annex V.
The figures in annex V assume no further increase in rental charges will be introduced
in 2020.

IV. Conclusion
59. On the eve of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, the need forrenewed, as well as new, forms of international cooperation to address global challenges
has never been so evident. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the scale of global
interdependence, as well as the fragility and shortcomings of its current governance. The
need for arms regulation drove the establishment of the multilateral system following
the Second World War. A central question now is whether existing frameworks canaddress the simultaneous threats of nuclear competition and proliferation, new weapons
technologies and the undiminished spread of conventional weapons.

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60. UNIDIR illustrates that nimble, collaborative policy actors, working in supportof States and multilateral processes, can make a tangible contribution to international
peace, security and development through impartial, evidence-based ideas andpractical tools and options. In so doing, the Institute is facilitating the inclusion of
new and more diverse voices that can help adapt the multilateral system to better
address the unprecedented existential challenges we now face.
61. UNIDIR marks its fortieth year in an unprecedented moment of growth. That it
is doing so reflects the interest in and commitment of many States to forging pathways
to overcome the current difficult environment and find new, effective ways to advancedisarmament. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores that urgency and is likely tooffer lessons for enhancing efforts against biological weapons. At the same time, thepandemic will drastically affect the voluntary funding environment, on which
UNIDIR depends almost entirely. The Institute’s fortieth anniversary is an occasion
to reflect on its achievements but perhaps more important, to equip it to contributesustainably to the renewal of a truly global system of collective security.

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Annex I*
Publications 2019
Conventional arms
• A Menu of Options to Enhance the Common Understanding of End Use/r
Control Systems to Strengthen their Role in Preventing Diversion• Conventional Ammunition Management: A Gap Analysis (also available inFrench and Spanish)• Enhancing the Understanding of Roles and Responsibilities of Industry andStates to Prevent Diversion: An Issue Brief• Key Issues and Processes Pertinent to the Management of Conventional
Ammunition: Report of the First Seminar (also available in French and Spanish)• Key Issues and Processes Pertinent to the Management of Conventional
Ammunition: Report of the Second Seminar (also available in French)• Key Issues and Processes Pertinent to the Management of Conventional
Ammunition: Report of the Third Seminar (also available in French)• Opportunities to Strengthen Military Policies and Practices to Reduce Civilian
Harm from Explosive Weapons: A Food for Thought Paper ( also available inFrench)• Opportunities to Improve Military Policy and Practice to Reduce Civi lian Harmfrom Explosive Weapons in Urban Conflicts: An Options Paper ( also available
in French)• Preventing Diversion in Conventional Arms Transfers: Exploring Contributionsof Industry and Private Sector Actors• Utilizing the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines in ConflictAffected and Low-Capacity Environments
Weapons of mass destruction and other strategic weapons• Compliance and Enforcement in the Biological Weapons Regime• Compliance and Enforcement in WMD-related Treaties• Compliance and Enforcement: Lessons from across WMD-related regimes• Compliance Management under the Chemical Weapons Convention• Electronic and Cyber Warfare in Outer Space• Eyes on the Sky: Rethinking Verification in Space• Hypersonic Weapons: A Challenge and Opportunity for Strategic Arms Control(with Office for Disarmament Affairs)• IAEA Mechanisms to Ensure Compliance with NPT Safeguards• Mandate and Working Methods in the Conference on Disarmament• Monitoring, Verification, and Compliance Resolution in United States-Russian
Arms Control* Annex I is being issued without formal editing and in the language of submission only. This list
excludes commentary pieces and shorter analysis pieces available on the UNIDIR website atwww.unidir.org.
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A/75/134• Nuclear Risk Reduction: A Framework for Analysis• Nuclear Risk Reduction: The State of Ideas• Reversing the Slide: Intensified Great Power Competition and the Breakdownof the Arms Control Endeavour• Shared Risks: An Examination of Universal Space Security Challenges• The Implications of Hypersonic Weapons for International Stability and Arms
Control: Report on a UNIDIR-Office for Disarmament Affairs Turn-based Exercise• The Role of Weapon and Ammunition Management in Preventing Conflict andSupporting Security Transitions• UNIDIR Space Security Conference Report 2019
• Watch Them Go: Simplifying the Elimination of Fissile Materials and Nuclear
Weapons
Security and technology• Cyber Stability Conference 2019: Strengthening Global Engagement• Innovations Dialogue Report 2019
• Stemming the Exploitation of ICT Threats and Vulnerabilities (also available inFrench)• The Role of Data in Algorithmic Decision-Making• The Role of Regional Organizations in Strengthening Cybersecurity and Stability
Gender and disarmament• Fact Sheet on Gender in Cyber Diplomacy• Fact sheet on Gender in the ATT• Gender & Disarmament Resource Pack
• Missing Links: Understanding Sex- and Gender-Related Impacts of Chemical
and Biological Weapons• Still Behind the Curve: Gender Balance in Arms Control, Non -Proliferation andDisarmament Diplomacy

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Annex II
Explanatory note to financial annexes
Figures shown in annex II are based on the statement of financial performance of theUnited Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) for the year 2019. The
statement was prepared in accordance with the International Public Sector AccountingStandards (IPSAS). Voluntary contributions and other transfers are recognized as revenue
at the time the supporting legal agreement becomes binding. In most cases, this is uponsignature by both parties. Under these standards, the total amount of contributions,
including those with multiple instalments and/or with implementation periods greaterthan 12 months, is recognized as revenue in the year when the supporting legal agreement
is signed. For further information on IPSAS, as well as the basis for the preparation of
UNIDIR financial statements, see A/71/162, annex I, and A/72/154, annex I.
Details regarding terms used in the financial statement are provided below. The
details are drawn from information circular ST/IC/2013/36. Text in italics further
details the application of these lines to UNIDIR.
Revenue
Voluntary contributions

Voluntary contributions, in cash and goods in kind
Contributions from non-Member States
Refunds to donors

Other transfers andallocations

Allocations from other funds
Subvention from the United Nations regular budget
Allocations from United Nations common system entities

Investment revenue

Investment revenue
Coupons and gains
Bank balance interest
Realized market gain (loss)
Unrealized market gain (loss)
Net of investment expenses

Other/miscellaneous
revenue

Revenue from rental of premises
Foreign exchange gains
Other miscellaneous income
Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets
Internal transfers of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets
Tax equalization – staff assessment income

Expenses
Employee salaries,
allowances and benefits

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Staff contracts administered by the United Nations Secretariat
Staff salaries and wages, allowances, including taxes andeducation grant home leave, family visit, rest and recuperation andeducation grant travel

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Expenses for long-term and post-employment employee benefit
liabilities, termination benefits, net actuarial gains (losses),
contribution to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Actuarial pension contribution corrections (e.g. owing to changes
in demographic factors)
General temporary assistance compensation and allowances
Travel on appointment
Other expert contracts and Individual contractors and individual consultants administered byfees
the United Nations Secretariat, and the United Nations Office for
Project Services
Travel for this category of expert personnel
Non-military personnel compensation and allowances
United Nations Volunteers
Interpreters and translators (non-staff)
Ad hoc experts
Grants and other transfers

Outright grants and other transfers to implementing agencies andpartners and other entities (United Nations Office for Project
Services, United Nations Fund for International Partnerships,
Central Emergency Response Fund, etc.)
Quick-impact projects

Supplies and consumables

Cost of inventory used
Expenses for supplies

TravelTravel of staff
Travel of representatives (Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions, meeting participants, delegates, etc.)

Other operating expenses

Rent, utilities
Contracted services
Doubtful debt expenses
Net foreign exchange losses
Maintenance expenses
Insurance, etc.
Recruitment expenses
Training, travel on training and travel on transfer
Expenses related to financing activities
Bank charges
Credits to Member States for staff assessments
Loss on sale of property, plant and equipment, intangible assets
Foreign exchange losses

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Annex III
Table 1
Actual revenue and expenses for 2019 and first quarter of 2020
(Thousands of United States dollars)
Description

2019

First quarter 2020 a

Revenue
Voluntary contributions

4 445

71

Other transfers and allocations

371

103

Investment revenue

173

5

3

34

4 992

213

Employee salaries, allowances and benefits b

1 638

387

Other expert contracts and fees c

1 805

156

275

0

Other revenue
Total revenue
Expenses

Grants and other transfers
Supplies and consumables

10Travel d

343

135

Other operating expenses

414

62

Programme support expenses

256

66

4 732

806

260

(593)

Total expenses
Surplus/(deficit) for the year eaPosition as of 8 April 2020.
This represents staff contracts administered by the United Nations Secretariat.
cThis encompasses consultants and individual contracts administered by the United Nations
Secretariat and the United Nations Office for Project Services. This expense line also covers
travel for this category of other expert personnel.
dThis represents the travel of staff, as well as of meeting participants attending events of theUnited Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.
e
These funds include multi-year pledges signed in 2018 and 2019 and are earmarked per
financing agreements with donors. The amount at yea r-end is determined by the date at which
contribution agreements are signed as well as programme and project implementation
periods, which do not systematically cover a calendar year.
b

Table 2
Voluntary contributions for 2019
(United States dollars)
Description

AmountA. Voluntary contributions aAustralia

38 541China

20 000European Union
Finland a

Holy See
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1 250 714
331 319

FranceGermanya,b

182 002a

637 837
10 00019/22

A/75/134
Description

AmountIndia

30 000

Iraq

2 000

Ireland

222 222Japan

33 226

Luxembourg

11 111

Mexico

10 000Netherlands a

235 294

New Zealand

36 726

Pakistan

3 731

Qatar

30 000

Republic of Korea

20 000Russian Federation

100 000

Spain

10 941

Sweden314 961

Switzerland a

722 895

United Arab Emirates

10 000

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

128 700

Fondation pour la recherche stratégique

22 447

Simons Foundation Canada

10 000Refund to donors(37 109) c

Present value adjustments

57 625 d

Subtotal, voluntary contributions

4 445 183

B. Other transfers and allocations
Subvention from the United Nations regular budget
Office for Disarmament Affairse

275 000
105 900

Refund to the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting
Cooperation on Arms Regulation(9 458) f

Subtotal, other transfers and allocations

371 442Total

4 816 625a

These donors provide multi-year contributions. The United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research acknowledges the multi-year contribution from Norway, which wasrecorded in 2018.
b
Contribution considered conditional as per International Public Sector Accounting Standards(IPSAS) 23. Revenue is recognized during the course of the project as specific goods orservices are provided per the terms of the agreement.
cOf this amount, 75 per cent is for activities that concluded in 2018 and the first quarter of
2019. Refunds in 2019 were 63 per cent lower than in 2018.
d
IPSAS-based adjustment for future cash receipts (pledges for future years) per U nited
Nations Policy Framework for IPSAS, para. 18.4.4.
eEarmarked funding for, inter alia, advisory services to support groups of governmental
experts.
f
Implementation of the project ended on 31 March 2019.

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Annex IV
Projected revenue and expenses for 2020
(Thousands of United States dollars)
Description

Pledged contributions receivable in 2020

2020

1 605

Revenue
Voluntary contributions a

4 220

Other transfers and allocations

372

Investment income

107

Other revenue

34

Total revenue

6 338

Expenses
Direct expenditure
Employee salaries, allowances and benefits

1 972

Other expert contracts and fees

2 063

Grants and other transfers

783

Supplies and consumables

1

Travel250

Other operating expenses

579

Total expenses

5 648

Surplus/(deficit) for the yeara20-08781

690

Includes a contribution of $800,463 from the European Union that is considered asconditional per International Public Sector Accounting Standards 23. The inclusion of thiscontribution assumes implementation by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament
Research of activities per signed agreement terms.

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Annex V
Projected revenue and expenses for 2021
(Thousands of United States dollars)
Description

2021

Pledged contributions receivable in 2021

619

Revenue
Voluntary contributions a

4 467

Other transfers and allocations

340

Investment income

90

Other revenue

22

Total revenue

5 538

Expenses
Direct expenditure
Employee salaries, allowances and benefits

1 562

Other expert contracts and fees

1 851

Grants and other transfers

889

Supplies and consumables

1

Travel309

Other operating expenses

592

Total expenses

5 204

Surplus/(deficit) for the year
a

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334

Includes a contribution of $1,118,391 from the European Union that is considered asconditional per International Public Sector Accounting Standards 23. The inclusion of thiscontribution assumes implementation by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament
Research of activities per signed agreement terms.

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