Developments and trends, 2023

In 2023, the General Assembly adopted its biennial resolution on youth, disarmament and non-proliferation (resolution 78/31), reaffirming the important and positive contribution that young people could make to the promotion and attainment of sustainable peace and security.

Meanwhile, the Office for Disarmament Affairs launched a new and innovative programme called the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons”, offering 100 scholarships to young people from 63 countries. In December, those participants set out on a journey designed to hone their knowledge, skills and networks as nuclear disarmament advocates, through online courses on nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, as well as practical skills training. The scholarship programme focused on lessons that the hibakusha—survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—have long shared with the world about the unimaginable suffering that nuclear weapons caused.

Figure 8.1.
Empowering global youth: disarmament outreach by the United Nations in numbers

For the forty-seventh consecutive year since 1976, the Office for Disarmament Affairs published the United Nations Disarmament Yearbook, a comprehensive source of information on global disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control efforts. A new, graphically enhanced preview edition was made available in July, while a comprehensive account of developments and issues in the field of disarmament was issued later in the year. For the first time, the Yearbook was made available in its entirety in website form. Moreover, the Office launched the revamped Disarmament Resolutions and Decisions Database, a user-friendly online tool with disarmament resolutions, decisions and voting patterns of the General Assembly. Likewise, the latest details on current disarmament treaties and agreements were made available in the redesigned Disarmament Treaties Database.

Seeking to strengthen the sustainability and impact of its disarmament education efforts, the Office held a global launch of its first formal Disarmament Education Strategy, in March. In line with the Strategy, the Office prioritized partnerships in its educational activities throughout the year, working with diverse United Nations entities, civil society partners and think tanks to conduct outreach and education activities. For example, the Office organized interactive exhibitions and movie screenings at various moments of the year to showcase disarmament and its linkages to human rights and development. Specifically, it held events marking the occasions of the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (25 June), the Disarmament Week (24–30 October) and the International Human Rights Day (10 December). In addition, the Office’s Disarmament Education Dashboard, featuring self-paced short courses on salient disarmament issues, achieved an all-time high of 25,774 registered users.

Figure 8.2.
Charting progress: the global reach of online disarmament education

The Office also produced a new edition of its Civil Society and Disarmament collection, entitled The Historical Impact of Parliamentary Diplomacy on Disarmament. In the publication, the authors examined the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs, in particular its influence in the field of disarmament. They also outlined good practices and effective strategies with respect to parliamentary diplomacy, concluding with a set of specific policy recommendations.

In 2023, the Office redesigned the yearly publication Programmes Financed from Voluntary Contributions, with the 2022–2023 edition published in December as a web-only publication with an improved, easy-to-read format. The report showcased concrete results of its partnerships with donors and underscored the essential role of extrabudgetary support in attaining important disarmament goals.

Over the course of the year, the Office produced three titles under its Occasional Papers series. The first, The Global Reported Arms Trade: Transparency in Armaments Through the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms – A Guide to Assist National Points of Contact in Submitting Their National Reports (No. 39), was released in April on the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. The next Occasional Paper, The United Nations and Disarmament amid COVID-19: Adaptation and Continuity (No. 40), explored how the COVID-19 outbreak posed an unprecedented challenge to intergovernmental disarmament institutions and processes. In December, the Office published Occasional Paper No. 41, Celebrating 45 Years of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters: Creative, Inclusive, and Cooperative Diplomacy at Work, highlighting the Board’s contributions to advancing multilateral disarmament, its distinctive features and strengths, and its potential role in addressing the pressing challenges of today’s world.

A range of other practical disarmament publications were also launched, including the Report of the Scientific Advisory Group on the Status and Developments Regarding Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapon Risks, the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Disarmament and Related Issues, presented by the Advisory Group at the second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The main website of the Office for Disarmament Affairs recorded over 634,000 unique visits in 2023. During the year, the Office upgraded the website to help improve its security, performance and reliability. Meanwhile, the Office launched its new Meetings Place portal, which provides a one-stop shop for documents and statements for multilateral disarmament meetings.

Regarding media outreach, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs participated in press briefings and more than 30 interviews with international television, radio and print reporters. She also featured in a new Netflix documentary, Unknown: Killer Robots, on lethal autonomous weapons systems. The show explored the potential impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on the future of warfare and spotlights potential measures that could be taken to mitigate crucial risks to international peace and security.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs continued efforts to facilitate the diverse and inclusive engagement of young people in the disarmament and non-proliferation field through its #Youth4Disarmament outreach initiative. The Office launched the Leaders to the Future workshop series, empowering 55 young advocates to explore how disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control were linked with other topics related to the maintenance of international peace and security. Meanwhile, young people around the world participated in the annual #StepUp4Disarmament youth campaign by completing a distance of 8.29 km, a symbolic number that corresponds with the date of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, on 29 August.

On 14 September, Michael Douglas, United Nations Messenger of Peace, delivered remarks at the youth event for the International Day of Peace. Celebrating his twenty-fifth anniversary as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, he shared his personal motivation for supporting the United Nations’ work on nuclear disarmament.

The United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament trained diplomats and other officials from 24 States.^[1] Additionally, the United Nations–Singapore Cyber Fellowship was held again in 2023 to equip national authorities working on cyber strategy, policy, technology and operations, with practical knowledge and skills drawing upon the United Nations-developed normative framework.

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), an autonomous research institute within the United Nations, undertook research activities under five multi-year programmes, on conventional arms and ammunition; weapons of mass destruction; gender and disarmament; security and technology; and space security. It produced a total of 96 publications. UNIDIR also deployed a redesigned website during the year, further boosting the reach and impact of its work, as well as expanding its offering of digital confidence-building tools through the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Portal, the Space Security Portal, the Lexicon for Outer Space Security and the Biological Weapons Convention National Implementation Measures Database. Furthermore, UNIDIR pursued its bridge-building function by engaging in and facilitating dialogue between disarmament stakeholders through 148 conferences, workshops and events, which attracted over 11,000 participants.

Disarmament Information Programme

The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook remained the flagship publication of the Office for Disarmament Affairs. In July 2023, the Office published the 2022 Yearbook in a new, graphically enhanced preview edition, developed with a collection of explanatory graphics and charts to share key findings from the previous year in a concise and accessible format. In October, the Yearbook was, for the first time, made available in its entirety as a website (https://yearbook.unoda.org), allowing diplomats, technical experts, journalists and other readers to effortlessly navigate the comprehensive overview of developments and trends from 2022 in the area of multilateral disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

In December, the Office issued the 2022–2023 edition of Programmes Financed from Voluntary Contributions, showcasing concrete results of its partnerships with donors and underscoring the essential role of extrabudgetary support in attaining important disarmament goals. Issued in a new web-only format, the publication featured activities that included supporting the development of the Secretary-General’s policy brief A New Agenda for Peace; engaging 55 young advocates in discussions on disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control through the newly launched Leaders to the Future workshop series; and equipping the next generation of AI practitioners with the tools and understanding needed to engage in responsible innovation and ensure that the use of civilian AI remains peaceful.

For the 2023 edition of the Civil Society and Disarmament series, the Office published The Historical Impact of Parliamentary Diplomacy on Disarmament. In the paper, the authors examined the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs, focusing specifically on its influence in the field of disarmament, and analysed ways for parliamentarians to effectively contribute to debates in that area. Furthermore, they offered specific policy recommendations and highlighted resources available to strengthen the capacity of parliaments and other stakeholders to enhance and expand their influence in promoting effective disarmament agreements at the international level.

In April, the Office issued Occasional Paper No. 39, entitled The Global Reported Arms Trade: Transparency in Armaments Through the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. Intended to support participation by Member States, the paper contained an overview of the Register, along with original material to guide national points of contact in preparing and submitting reports. The paper also included the report of the 2022 Group of Governmental Experts on the continuing operation of the Register.

In July, the Office for Disarmament Affairs launched its second Occasional Paper for the year, The United Nations and Disarmament amid COVID-19: Adaptation and Continuity, examining the unprecedented challenge that the COVID-19 outbreak had posed to intergovernmental disarmament institutions and processes. After exploring relevant developments at the United Nations—particularly in the General Assembly and the Security Council, as well as in the disarmament machinery and other disarmament bodies and processes—the author considered whether the outbreak should serve as a catalyst for rethinking and changing multilateral working methods or rules of procedure.

Occasional Paper No. 41, Celebrating 45 Years of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters: Creative, Inclusive, and Cooperative Diplomacy at Work, became available in December. Drawing on the insights and experiences of current and former Advisory Board members, the publication highlighted the Board’s contributions to advancing multilateral disarmament, its distinctive features and strengths, and its potential role in addressing the pressing challenges of today’s world.

In addition, the Office for Disarmament Affairs released five stand-alone publications during the year. They included Resolution 1540 and the African Continental Free Trade Area, published in July in collaboration with the South African Institute of International Affairs to examine the interplay between Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) and the 2018 Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area. Highlighting the importance of ensuring that the benefits from removing barriers to trade are not overshadowed by the risk of illicit transfers of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and related materials by and to non-State actors, the publication identifies a range of opportunities for ensuring that export and border control measures required by the resolution contribute to setting a reliable, secure and predictable regional trading system.

In August, the Office issued the Guide to Implementing the Biological Weapons Convention, developed with the support of the European Union and Norway. It provided States parties with an overview of the national implementation process and obligations stemming from the Convention. Also in August, the Office published Scientific and Technological Developments: Benefits and Risks for the Biological Weapons Convention, which recorded the discussions during the International Science and Technology Conference held in preparation for the ninth Review Conference of the Convention. It provided expert insights on the evolving science and technology landscape in the context of the Convention, including in the fields of synthetic biology, public health responses, neurotechnology and digitalization.

In November, the Office issued an enhanced version of the Report of the Scientific Advisory Group on the Status and Developments Regarding Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Weapon Risks, the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Disarmament and Related Issues, with maps and infographics not published in the parliamentary version (TPNW/MSP/2023/8).

In December, the Office issued Supporting the Full and Effective Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) in Africa, highlighting the activities it undertook in 2023 to support African States in implementing resolution 1540 (2004).

In 2023, the Office also published two issues of the Newsletter for Nominated Experts and Analytical Laboratories for the Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons: No. 5 (February 2023) and No. 6 (September 2023). The biannual newsletter contained updates for the nominated experts and laboratories relating to recent or planned activities and provided an informal forum for sharing experiences and knowledge related to the Mechanism.

Throughout the year, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to produce the “UNODA Update”, an online of events and activities of the Office and various disarmament forums. In 2023, the Office posted 66 updates, collated by quarter.

For a list of the Office’s 2023 publications, including those of its regional centres, see the annex to the present Yearbook.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to utilize its websites as the key medium for communication with delegates, civil society, staff members and the public. Its main website (https://disarmament.unoda.org) recorded over 634,000 unique visits in 2023 and remained the Office’s main source for sharing updates, speeches, remarks and news on multilateral disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. The Office regularly updated the website’s “Spotlight”, “Updates” and “Statements and press releases” sections, which featured the latest statements, articles, stories and events. As in previous years, the Office made every possible effort to offer content in all six official languages of the United Nations.

In 2023, the Office achieved further progress in a significant upgrade of the main website. By transitioning to a more modern content management system and realigning content with the current organizational structure, the Office continued to improve the website’s security, performance and responsiveness in line with best practices for change management.

The Office also continued to enhance its Meetings Place website, building on improvements initiated in 2022 to allow faster and more efficient data entry, as well as more standardized metadata for meetings and documents. The revamped, database-driven system fulfilled its intended use as a streamlined platform for organizers and internal users to share information with the public, including through a simplified process for creating meeting entries. In addition, the Office added a feature to the website for generating document and statement pages automatically, with certain configurable options. Users can upload new documents and statements using a simple form, and revisions of existing documents can be reflected online with ease. The website also offers advanced analytics and visualization tools, providing valuable insights into meetings and documentation.

For the first time, the Office published the complete United Nations Disarmament Yearbook as a website (https://yearbook.unoda.org). That change not only enhanced the publication’s interactivity and visual appeal, but also allowed easier use of browser-based tools for automatic translation of its contents. The intuitive design allowed users to seamlessly navigate chapters and explore highlights through a visual timeline and integrated graphics.

In 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs achieved a significant milestone in upgrading its databases, a project aimed at integrating each of them into a unified portal that would serve as a comprehensive repository of disarmament-related data. The year saw the deployment of the following systems:

• The Documents Library database, a specialized archive of United Nations disarmament-related documents, providing access to disarmament documents in tandem with the Office’s Meetings Place website.
• The Treaties Database, a redesigned platform housing information on disarmament-related treaties, as well as their parties and signatories; new features include a list of the latest treaty actions on the home page with a filter by date range, a compilation of key information on the treaties in one page, and search boxes.
• The Disarmament Resolutions and Decisions Database, which was also redesigned in 2023 to introduce improvements such as search and filter capabilities, summary cards featuring voting summaries and other key information, and a page to view voting and sponsorship by State across treaties; the database will be continually updated to cover ultimately every disarmament-related resolution adopted by the General Assembly since its fifty-second session.

Meanwhile, three additional databases remained under development with planned launches in 2024:

• The Gender Database will support the equal, full and effective participation of women in discussions and decision-making concerning disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, through access to sex-disaggregated data on delegates, heads of delegations and speaking roles in multilateral disarmament forums.
• The Military Expenditures Database, cataloguing the national military expenditure reports received from Member States, has been undergoing a two-phase upgrade. First, the development of a new reporting tool that will enable Member States to easily transmit information on their military expenditure. The second phase, also slated for completion in 2024, will culminate in the launch of the revamped database.
• The United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, an interactive platform presenting data provided by Member States on their arms transfers within several categories of weapons, has also been undergoing a two-phase upgrade (development of a new reporting tool, and database deployment); they are scheduled to conclude in 2024.

The world marked the first International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness on 5 March, three months after the General Assembly proclaimed the new annual observance by its resolution 77/51. In the resolution, which was adopted without a vote, the Assembly observed that “the need has never been greater for disarmament and non-proliferation education, especially regarding weapons of mass destruction”. In that connection, it invited United Nations entities, civil society, academic institutions, the media and individuals to commemorate the new International Day through “all means of educational and public awareness-raising activities”.

In a statement for the International Day, the Secretary-General stressed the importance of awareness-raising activities in efforts to counter threats from nuclear, chemical, biological and unpredictable autonomous and other indiscriminate weapon systems: “On this important day, I call on all partners—from Governments and academia, to media, civil society groups, industry, and young people—to turn up the volume on this collective emergency and raise awareness about the critical importance of disarmament and non-proliferation to humanity’s future.”

In addition, Kyrgyzstan and the Office for Disarmament Affairs co-hosted a virtual launch event in celebration of the International Day, which attracted more than 190 representatives of Member States, the United Nations, civil society organizations and youth groups. The moderator, Aida Kasymalieva (Permanent Representative of Kyrgyzstan to the United Nations), opened the event by expressing hope that the new International Day would deepen the global public’s understanding of how disarmament efforts enhanced peace and security, prevented and ended armed conflicts, and reduced human suffering caused by weapons. Three high-level keynote speakers—Zheenbek Kulubaev (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan), Csaba Kőrösi (President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly) and Izumi Nakamitsu (High Representative for Disarmament Affairs)—each stressed the importance of educating the public on disarmament, as well as the need for continued efforts towards disarmament and non-proliferation. They also highlighted the central role of the United Nations, Governments, civil society, the media and academia in achieving concrete progress. Their remarks were followed by a substantive panel discussion and a question-and-answer session with the audience on a range of issues relating to disarmament education.

In the lead-up to the new International Day, the Office coordinated a global social media campaign that generated engagement from Member States, United Nations bodies, academia and civil society, including through the support of United Nations Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas. Furthermore, under the #Youth4Disarmament initiative, the Office launched the #ClickDISARM campaign, highlighting the various ways for young people to help raise awareness in support of disarmament.

The International Day against Nuclear Tests,^[2] on 29 August, was observed at a high-level plenary session of the General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters, in New York. The commemorative event included statements from 26 Member States, six of which were delivered on behalf of regional organizations or groups of States. The meeting also included statements from two observer entities^[3] and one civil society organization.^[4]

In his opening remarks to the session, the President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly stated the following: “The [Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty] is a key part of the international disarmament structure. It has created a powerful norm against nuclear testing. Yet, its failure to enter into force—27 years after its adoption—is a serious loophole in our global framework. A stark reminder that we have unfinished business. I call on the remaining Annex 2 countries to finally sign and ratify the [Treaty]. To follow the lead of the 34 Annex 2 nations that have already done so. To join the overwhelming majority supporting the [Treaty]. It is our duty to ensure that the ban on nuclear testing is legally binding for all States.”

The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs also addressed the meeting, quoting a written message in which the Secretary-General warned of an alarming rise in global mistrust and division. The High Representative added, “The rising tide of nuclear risk threatens to engulf the hard-won gains in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation achieved over the last three decades. This includes the gains made against any testing of nuclear weapons”.

Those concerns were echoed in remarks by the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, Robert Floyd, who urged nuclear-weapon possessor States to “clearly and publicly” recommit to their moratoriums against testing. While he welcomed the ratification of the Treaty by eight States since 2022, he urged the eight remaining Annex 2 States^[5] to also ratify the agreement, establishing the conditions for its entry into force.

The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons^[6] was marked on 26 September at a high-level plenary meeting convened by the President of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly, Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago). The commemorative event included statements from 72 Member States,^[7] four observers^[8] and two civil society organizations.^[9]

In his opening remarks to the meeting, the President of the General Assembly expressed dismay that “the threat of nuclear force is once again being implied, to our collective shock and horror”. He continued: “This is not just concerning; it is downright terrifying. There is a domino effect to a nuclear-armed multipolar world, and the more agitated people and nations become, the higher the risk of stumbling mistakenly into a nuclear nightmare.”

The Secretary-General delivered a message in which he called on nuclear-weapon States to meet their disarmament obligations and to commit to never using nuclear weapons under any circumstances; underscored the need to reinforce and recommit to the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime; and urged States to redeploy the tools of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and end the nuclear threat. He continued: “This dialogue must extend to all categories of nuclear weapons, and it must address the increasing interplay between strategic and conventional weapons and the nexus between nuclear weapons and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence. Humans must always be in control of and responsible for any decision to use nuclear weapons … Disarmament and conflict prevention are at the heart of the recently launched policy brief on a ‘New Agenda for Peace’. The Agenda represents a fresh opportunity for the world to usher in a world free of nuclear weapons.”

On 6 and 9 August, the international community marked the seventy-eighth anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In messages during the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and the Nagasaki Peace Memorial ceremonies, the Secretary-General paid tribute to the hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombings, for sharing their stories and working for peace and disarmament throughout their lives.

In remarks delivered on his behalf by the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the Secretary-General stated: “We will not sit idly by as nuclear-armed States race to create even more dangerous weapons. That’s why disarmament is at the heart of the recently launched policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace. The Agenda calls on Member States to urgently recommit to pursuing a world free of nuclear weapons and to reinforce the global norms against their use and proliferation. Pending their total elimination, States possessing nuclear weapons must commit to never use them. The only way to eliminate the nuclear risk is to eliminate nuclear weapons. The United Nations will continue working with global leaders to strengthen the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime, including through the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.”

In 2023, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs promoted disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control via international television, radio and print outlets, conducting dozens of interviews and participating in several press conferences and media briefings.

For example, in the lead-up to the G7 Hiroshima Summit in Japan, which took place in May, the High Representative spoke to Economist Impact about the opportunity for that meeting to gather global momentum towards a world without nuclear weapons. In an increasingly complicated international security picture, she argued that the risk of nuclear weapons being used was at its highest level since the depth of the cold war, calling for countermeasures to reduce nuclear risks and ensure that those destructive weapons would never be used again.

In August, the High Representative was featured in a special edition article for Foreign Policy Analytics on the responsibilities of the United Nations in the digital age. In the article, she outlined the challenges posed by malicious cyber activity to international peace and security, as well as steps that the United Nations was taking to adapt to the evolving nature of conflict in the digital age.

The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs also appeared in a new Netflix documentary on lethal autonomous weapons systems, Unknown: Killer Robots, launched in July. Part of a series, the documentary explores the potential impacts of AI on the future of warfare, spotlighting potential measures that could be taken to prevent crucial risks for international peace and security.

Additionally, other officials of the Office for Disarmament Affairs participated in a briefing on disarmament-related matters for young international media representatives and journalists participating in the Reham Al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship.

The Office also issued eight press releases in 2023 to communicate about key issues and activities.

On the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Vienna Office of the Office for Disarmament Affairs held several public exhibitions on the linkages between disarmament and human rights. On 5 and 6 June, the Vienna Office showcased disarmament at the Open Air Human Rights Fair, convened in Vienna in connection with the thirtieth anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. During Disarmament Week, in October, it organized an interactive exhibition at the Vienna International Centre—home to various international organizations relevant to the Office’s work—examining how disarmament relates to broader global issues, such as sustainable development. Furthermore, to mark Human Rights Day, on 10 December, the Vienna Office participated in an infoscreen campaign, featuring quizzes, facts and figures on the linkages between disarmament and human rights, in a series of digital screen displays developed for Austrian public buses and subways.

Youth and disarmament

In 2023, Member States continued their efforts with United Nations entities, relevant specialized agencies and regional and subregional organizations to promote the meaningful and inclusive participation and empowerment of youth in disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, as the General Assembly had encouraged since 2019 in its biennial resolution entitled “Youth, disarmament and non-proliferation”. The Assembly adopted a new iteration of the resolution on 4 December 2023 (resolution 78/31). (See also figure 8.1 for statistics on the Office’s youth leadership programmes and the Youth4Disarmament website.)

Throughout 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to achieve significant headway in engaging with, educating and empowering young people in the disarmament and non-proliferation field through its #Youth4Disarmament outreach programme.

Under the programme’s Advocates in Motion (AIM) campaign, five young leaders participated in a panel discussion held by the Conference on Disarmament relating to the agenda items on the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, as well as the prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters.

The Office also launched the Leaders to the Future series. Under this programme, a cohort of 55 young advocates previously involved in the Office’s youth engagement and empowerment efforts took part in nine training sessions to explore how disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control are linked with other topics related to maintaining international peace and security.

As part of the training sessions, the participants formed working groups in which they developed recommendations to advance progress across the different issues explored. Sixteen selected representatives of the cohort later presented perspectives and insights from the group to Member States and other stakeholders in briefings held in Vienna on the margins of the meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), as well as the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly, First Committee, at United Nations Headquarters, in New York. In addition, those 16 youth leaders—from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America—attended a series of informative briefings with experts from think tanks, civil society organizations and the diplomatic field, held at United Nations Headquarters and the United Nations Office at Vienna.

In October, the Office for Disarmament Affairs opened a call for applications to the second iteration of the Youth Champions for Disarmament training programme, an innovative learning initiative to empower youth to work for disarmament in their communities. The Office planned to bring together a group of 15 geographically diverse young disarmament advocates to share and discuss their specific regional perspectives and connect them to global conversations on disarmament.

Meanwhile, young people around the world participated in the annual #StepUp4Disarmament youth campaign by completing a distance of 8.29 km, a symbolic number that corresponds with the date of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, on 29 August. As part of the 2023 campaign, several high-level officials from the United Nations—most notably the President of the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi—joined representatives of Member States and civil society to participate in a symbolic walk at United Nations Headquarters to raise awareness about the campaign and the devastating impact of nuclear testing.

The Office also carried out an array of activities to highlight opportunities for young people of diverse interests, knowledge and backgrounds to contribute to disarmament efforts, including through storytelling and peer-to-peer engagement. Those outreach initiatives included the following:

• #ClickDISARM, a campaign highlighting unique activities and information featured in the #Youth4Disarmament website to encourage young people to participate in and contribute to disarmament efforts and awareness-raising initiatives; the campaign was held in commemoration of the first International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, on 5 March.
• “The power of storytelling: voices of youth for disarmament”, a virtual round-table discussion held on 20 March in celebration of World Storytelling Day and the International Day of Happiness, during which contributors to the Office’s B Flat, B Sharp, Be Inspired: Voices of Youth publication highlighted the importance of storytelling as an avenue to engage with and empower young people, enabling them to contribute to disarmament efforts.
• #YouthInAction for Disarmament 2023 campaign, in which 13 young advocates reflected on their experiences with diverse disarmament education initiatives and the impact of the training programmes on their lives and career paths, in celebration of the fourth anniversary of the biennial General Assembly resolution on youth, disarmament and non-proliferation (resolution 74/64).

In 2022, at the tenth NPT Review Conference, the Prime Minister of Japan announced the establishment of a fund for the United Nations to support educational and youth outreach activities promoting a world without nuclear weapons. The Office for Disarmament Affairs, in collaboration with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, developed a programme structure that was finalized in March 2023. The programme, called the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons, aims to bring youth leaders to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to learn the lessons of nuclear weapons use, empowering them to take those lessons to the world. The activities would engage and develop the capacities of a diverse cross section of future leaders from both nuclear-weapon and non-nuclear-weapon States—representing sectors such as government, civil society, academia, the media and industry—to advocate for a world without nuclear weapons, thus continuing the lifelong work of the hibakusha. The programme was scheduled for implementation from 2023 to 2030 in four phases of two years each, during which participants would deepen their understanding of nuclear disarmament issues, expand their professional networks and develop skills for addressing those issues.

In the programme’s inaugural year, the Office received over 2,200 applications from young people in 155 countries, including every nuclear-weapon State. A rigorous evaluation process involving both internal and external reviewers led to the selection of a diverse first cohort of 100 youth leaders from over 60 countries worldwide and representing different academic and professional backgrounds.

The 100 youth participants began the programme’s online learning component in December. Its curriculum included self-paced courses on a wide range of substantive issues relating to nuclear weapons and other relevant topics; live webinars with diverse experts on policymaking and advocacy in the field; practical skills-building workshops focused on leadership, negotiation, problem-solving, ideation and creativity, conducted in partnership with the United Nations System Staff College; and ongoing interactive exchange through online forums.

In 2024, 50 selected participants will take part in a study tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to be delivered in partnership with the Hiroshima office of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Their study tour will culminate in a youth-led conference, after which alumni are expected to participate in regional activities, mentorship opportunities and other initiatives designed to expand their impact as advocates for nuclear disarmament.

Strategic priorities and Vienna Office education hub

Throughout 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to implement its 2022 Disarmament Education Strategy through a range of initiatives that further strengthened the sustainability and impact of its disarmament education work. At a global launch event held for the Strategy on 30 March, speakers reiterated the need for authoritative, far-reaching and inclusive disarmament education amid an increasingly challenging disarmament and international security landscape. In line with the Strategy, the Office prioritized partnerships in its educational activities throughout the year, pursuing collaborative outreach and educational initiatives with diverse United Nations entities, civil society partners and think tanks.

In addition to fulfilling its liaison responsibilities, the Vienna Office continued acting as the Office’s disarmament education hub, providing support for the strategic prioritization, development and execution of educational efforts throughout the year.

In 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs conducted outreach activities worldwide to enhance understanding of its work, promote broad and active engagement in disarmament efforts, and bolster recognition of the ways such efforts support other global agendas.

In Vienna, the recurring Vienna Conversation Series provided a platform for fruitful and inclusive discussions on timely issues among various stakeholders. An event entitled “Advancements in science and technology: Leveraging disarmament education towards greater diversity and inclusion” took place in the context of the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, on 5 March, bringing together speakers from Governments, academia, civil society organizations and the private sector. Another exchange, which focused on the role of networks in advancing inclusive disarmament processes, took place in conjunction with the Vienna study visit of the Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament. In 2023, the Office built on the success of its Vienna Conversation Series by launching a comparable initiative at its Geneva branch. Topics of the events under the new Geneva Disarmament Conversation Series included coordination in addressing biorisks, the New Agenda for Peace, human-centred disarmament and developments in AI.

Moreover, the Office facilitated in-person and online visits by high school and university student groups, among others, introducing them to its mandate and activities. In Vienna, for example, the Office took part in the United Nations Shadowing Programme. Meanwhile, in New York, the Office briefed a delegation of students and their teacher from Nagasaki Higashi High School who visited from Japan in March. In addition to learning about the Office’s mandate and work, the visitors received guidance on planning and implementing a disarmament-focused international initiative. Furthermore, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs joined her colleagues in an interactive exchange with the delegation, encouraging its members to continue to support and contribute their insights to the field of disarmament.

On activities at the regional level, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific conducted a workshop for educators in Nepal, seeking to strengthen disarmament education at the secondary and tertiary levels. During the round-table discussion, high school teachers and university professors shared their views on incorporating disarmament into their regular and extracurricular activities. While the aim was to identify needs and challenges in integrating disarmament into broader educational frameworks, their discussion also touched on the humanitarian impacts of weapons, the significance of disarmament in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the role of civil society in peacebuilding.

The Disarmament Education Dashboard, a global online learning platform managed by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, offers free courses on disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. In 2023, the Dashboard attracted learners from around the world, nearly doubling its base of registered users to a record 25,774 online learners (see figure 8.2 for more statistics). Simultaneously, the system underwent upgrades to remain aligned with the latest technological advancements. Those improvements focused on optimizing the tools for creating and managing online training courses, catering to the growing use of the Dashboard within the Office and its three regional centres. The Office also prioritized enhancing the learning experience by promoting interactivity and active engagement with content.

In 2023, the Office added two new self-paced e-learning courses—“Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons” and “Gender-mainstreaming small arms control training course”—expanding the Dashboard’s course catalogue to a total of 25 self-paced programmes. Additionally, the Office developed several new instructor-led capacity-building courses at both introductory and technical levels through its Regional Centre in Lima, making them available for use across Latin America and the Caribbean. Furthermore, the Office created new learning modules and updated existing ones within the context of the “Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons”, launched in December.

In June, the Office’s Regional Centre in Kathmandu led a second edition of its Disarmament Toolkit online course. Co-organized with the Prajnya Trust, an India-based non-governmental organization, the comprehensive programme was designed to be accessible to a diverse audience, including students, educators and representatives of various organizations. The course covered key topics such as international disarmament efforts and their interplay with the women, peace and security agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament

In 2023, diplomats and other officials from 24 States^[10] participated in the United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament, a capacity-building initiative established by the General Assembly at its tenth special session, in 1978.^[11] The Programme is intended to promote greater expertise and train officials from Member States, in particular developing countries, to participate more effectively in international disarmament deliberations and negotiations. The Office for Disarmament Affairs implements the Programme each year, selecting about 25 Fellows nominated by their Governments. By the end of 2023, 1,100 public officials—mostly diplomats or military experts—from 170 States had completed the Programme.^[12]

The 2023 Programme was organized into four segments, combining theoretical activities and practical exercises. Its components included lectures and round-table debates with high-level diplomats and senior representatives of international organizations, regional bodies and civil society groups. Additionally, the Programme featured an ambassadorial-level panel discussion on nuclear disarmament, a simulated negotiation centred on lethal autonomous weapons systems and a series of case studies on conventional weapons. Beyond the classroom, the Fellows embarked on field visits to nuclear reactors, disarmament-related and arms-control-related laboratories, a former nuclear test site, a nuclear security centre of excellence, a controlled materials centre and other relevant locations.

Before beginning the formal, in-person component of the Programme, the Fellows completed an initial segment that comprised several introductory online training modules on disarmament and arms control. Through that mandatory, self-paced e-learning segment, the Office aimed to enhance the Fellows’ understanding of the multilateral disarmament architecture, intergovernmental disarmament forums and the evolution of international regulations related to weapons. It also introduced the Fellows to key substantive themes in disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

The second segment of the Fellowship Programme, which began in Geneva on 21 August, exposed the Fellows to the work of the Conference on Disarmament and various treaty regimes. Specifically, they devoted attention to the Biological Weapons Convention (1972), the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (1980), the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (1997), the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008) and the Arms Trade Treaty (2013). The participants received background information on weapons systems and their effects, focusing on international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and they took part in relevant case-study exercises. In addition, the participants attended briefings on topics such as challenges in international security and arms control arising from emerging technologies, including their impacts on the means and methods of warfare, security threats and challenges in outer space, and considerations related to engaging with non-State armed groups on their legal obligations during armed conflict. Furthermore, the Fellows learned about the vital work of civil society organizations in the field of disarmament and arms control, as well as the activities of the three “Geneva centres”—namely, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces.

During the third segment of the Programme, the Fellows participated in study visits to several international organizations, and structures or arrangements related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. In Switzerland, they visited the Spiez Laboratory (the Swiss Federal Institute for NBC-Protection).^[13] In Vienna, the Fellows visited the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, including a seismic station of its International Monitoring System and an on-site inspection base of operations. Engaging with the International Atomic Energy Agency, they toured the Incident and Emergency Centre and the safeguards equipment laboratory in Vienna, as well as the Nuclear Sciences and Applications Laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria. Additionally, the Fellows visited the offices of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and export control regimes such as the Wassenaar Arrangement. They attended briefings on various arms control topics hosted by the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation and participated in a Vienna Conversation Series discussion entitled “Bridging the divide: The role of networks in advancing inclusive disarmament processes”. In The Hague, the Fellows visited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and its laboratory and equipment store. The Fellows also participated in country-specific study visits to Argentina and Brazil (Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials), as well as China, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea, all at the invitation of their respective Governments. They also visited European Union institutions in Brussels with support from the European Union Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium.^[14]

In October, during the fourth segment of the Programme, the Fellows convened at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, where they followed the work of the General Assembly, First Committee, monitoring developments related to key issues in disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. The Fellows also participated in a simulation exercise and attended an ambassadorial-level panel discussion on nuclear disarmament. In addition, they researched and discussed various disarmament and arms control topics.

After completing the Programme at United Nations Headquarters on 25 October, the 2023 Fellows received certificates of participation from the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and the Chair of the First Committee.

Education and empowerment initiatives

Under its “Promoting responsible innovation in artificial intelligence for peace and security” programme, funded by the European Union, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued its outreach to educators, civil society, industry, students and young AI practitioners as an audience not traditionally engaged in disarmament and non-proliferation issues. Through the programme, the Office aimed to support greater engagement from the civilian AI community in mitigating the risks that the misuse of civilian AI technology could pose to international peace and security. With 2023 being the first year of the three-year effort, the Office partnered with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, technical experts, leading universities, industry actors and civil society organizations to deliver a series of four multi-stakeholder dialogues, an in-person capacity-building workshop for AI practitioners from around the world, an educator round-table discussion, an expert blog, two educational podcasts and the project website.

The Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship for 2023 was convened from March to August, connecting 20 up-and-coming biosecurity leaders from 17 States parties in the global South to take part in activities to address international biosecurity issues within the scope of the Biological Weapons Convention. Over three months, participants in the capacity-building programme engaged in online educational sessions, a joint research initiative and a week-long visit to Geneva coinciding with the second session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention. In the inaugural year of its newly adopted format, the Fellowship attracted over 800 candidates from 84 nations, more than six times the level of interest of prior years.

In 2022, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Office for Disarmament Affairs launched the United Nations–Singapore Cyber Fellowship, a capacity-building programme for high-level national officials focusing on decision-making in areas such as cyber and digital security governance, national cybersecurity strategy, legislation, operations capacity development, workforce and ecosystem development, and international policy.

In 2023, two iterations of the Fellowship took place, in May and August, at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations centre for excellence in Singapore. They comprised a series of briefings, panel sessions, round-table discussions, laboratory visits and table-top exercises promoting discussion and application of the normative framework of responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies. Both sessions were attended by 56 participants from 51 countries, with equal participation by men and women.

Campaigns

From 25 November to 10 December, the Office for Disarmament Affairs participated in the United Nations annual campaign “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence”, held with the theme “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. Using the #NoExcuse hashtag, the Office and its regional centres posted messages across their X (Twitter), Instagram and LinkedIn platforms relating to solutions to prevent gender-based violence through disarmament and arms control measures. During the campaign, the Office amplified messaging from the International Action Network on Small Arms on the same theme. On the first day of the campaign, which coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs shared a video message in which she called for better data and collaborative action to end armed violence against women.

On 6 December, UNIDIR and the United Nations Action network against Sexual Violence in Conflict, of which the Office for Disarmament Affairs is a member, hosted an online event on the role of weapons in conflict-related sexual violence, with a focus on the Sudan. Furthermore, during the campaign the Office’s Regional Centre for Africa hosted a webinar featuring lessons from Sierra Leone, Burundi and Cameroon on gender mainstreaming in small-arms control. Meanwhile, in Colombia, the Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean piloted a course on gender perspectives in arms control.

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDIR is an autonomous institution within the United Nations that conducts independent research on pressing global challenges related to disarmament, arms control and international security. With armed conflict further exacerbating grave socioeconomic and environmental challenges, demand for the institute’s knowledge-generating and analytical work, capacity-building on traditional and emerging issues, and accessible tools to help all Member States to implement their disarmament commitments has grown in 2023.

Under its strategic research framework for 2022–2025, UNIDIR conducts research and provides advice on enabling and converging technologies, biological risks, space security, gender and inclusion, conflict prevention, and weapons and ammunition management. It also focuses on advancing nuclear dialogue, capacity-building and developing foresight on global security matters.

UNIDIR is organized around five multi-year programmes—on conventional arms and ammunition, weapons of mass destruction, gender and disarmament, security and technology and space security—as well as two special projects on managing exits from armed conflict and the proposed Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. In 2023, UNIDIR considered new issues relating to the security concerns of the twenty-first century; integrated them with relevant peace, security and development priorities; and produced research and events accessible to global audiences, increasingly in multiple languages and targeting a diverse range of stakeholders worldwide.

During the year, UNIDIR accomplished the following:

• Experienced the strongest demand for its independent research and impartial convening role in a difficult political environment, with an all-time high of 37 donors from all continents.
• Expanded its offering of digital confidence-building tools by launching the Artificial Intelligence Policy Portal, the Space Security Portal, a Lexicon for Outer Space Security and the Biological Weapons Convention National Implementation Measures Database. The well-established Cyber Policy Portal was also equipped with advanced filtering and full-text search capabilities through the creation of the complementary Cyber Policy Portal Database.
• Developed and launched a revamped website that further boosts the reach and impact of UNIDIR work, bringing in the inventive visual interpretations of local and international artists, photographers and researchers—from generative AI pioneer Refik Anadol to the field-leading Robotics and Perception Group at the University of Zurich—to connect with audiences in new ways and remind them of the crucial relevance of disarmament in today’s global security environment.
• Produced 96 publications and conducted research on a wide range of crucial topics.
• Pursued its bridge-building function by engaging in and facilitating dialogue between disarmament stakeholders through 148 conferences, workshops and events, which attracted over 11,000 participants. Those included annual flagship events such as the Innovations Dialogue, the Cyber Stability Conference and the Outer Space Security Conference, as well as the first Global Symposium on weapons and ammunition management and a first-of-its-kind retreat looking at ways to revitalize the work of the Conference on Disarmament. UNIDIR also expanded its offering of seminars in countries outside the membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; held major events on countering improvised explosive devices in South-East Asia and preventing violent extremism in West Africa; and launched participatory research pilots with conflict-affected young people in Iraq.
• Offered policy and technical advice to States, regional organizations and intergovernmental forums on a wide range of disarmament issues, including on verification under the Biological Weapons Convention and on the development of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management adopted in late 2023 by the General Assembly.
• Expanded its sizeable digital footprint, with a total social media audience growing to over 50,000 followers and more than a million visits to its website coming from all Member States.

The following subsections include 2023 highlights from UNIDIR research programmes, all of which supported the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament.^[15]

In 2023, under its programme on weapons of mass destruction, UNIDIR undertook research in three main areas: nuclear risk reduction; new approaches to transparency and verification in nuclear disarmament; and strengthening the norm against chemical and biological weapons. UNIDIR produced 26 publications as part of the programme, covering a range of topics, including preparations for the fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention, a field exercise testing practical procedures for verifying nuclear disarmament, verification under the Biological Weapons Convention, and the past and future of bilateral nuclear arms control. Moreover, a new digital tool, the Biological Weapons Convention National Implementation Measures Database, was launched.

UNIDIR also organized or co-organized 25 workshops and events on weapons of mass destruction to facilitate discussion around arms control and disarmament-related issues across borders in a period of considerable geostrategic tension. Those events included a high-level retreat on revitalizing the Conference on Disarmament, a retreat on nuclear risk reduction and a joint event between the World Health Organization, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNIDIR on biorisks and biosecurity. Programme experts also delivered presentations at 88 external events worldwide and undertook more than 60 media engagements.

Over the year, UNIDIR research supported work in various multilateral forums, particularly through expert input for the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention, the fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention, the second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 NPT Review Conference, the Group of Governmental Experts on nuclear disarmament verification and the First Committee of the General Assembly.

UNIDIR research on conventional arms and ammunition has three priority areas: strengthening weapons and ammunition management; preventing armed conflict and armed violence; and addressing global development and security challenges. It also supports the further development and implementation of multilateral instruments.

In 2023, UNIDIR provided technical advisory support to the Open-ended Working Group on Conventional Ammunition, contributing to the successful adoption of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management. UNIDIR also supported the presidency of the ninth Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty and that of the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, as well as preparations for the fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, in 2024.

In November 2023, UNIDIR convened the first Global Symposium on “Weapons and ammunition management: frameworks, policies and practices”, bringing together 200 participants to examine challenges and effective measures for countering the diversion and misuse of conventional arms, as well as mitigating risks posed by unplanned ammunition explosions. That followed the first informal strategic dialogue on weapons and ammunition management, held in September, which identified pathways for enhancing United Nations efforts to strengthen weapons and ammunition management around the globe. UNIDIR continues to report annually on progress made to strengthen weapons and ammunition management in Africa. Throughout 2023, UNIDIR supported national and regional efforts in South-East Asia and West Africa to counter the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, as well as convened five online regional briefings on that subject for 500 participants.

In 2023, UNIDIR released a publication examining the experiences of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in addressing the threat posed by illicit arms, ammunition and improvised explosive devices. The publication provides lessons for other peacekeeping operations in hostile environments. In December, UNIDIR, in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, organized the first multi-stakeholder regional seminar on preventing violent extremism and conventional weapons management in West Africa, held in Lomé. The seminar aimed to help to identify different approaches, best practices and responses at both national and regional levels in Western Africa.

In cooperation with the Flemish Peace Institute and as part of the project on countering the diversion of arms using technology tools, UNIDIR developed a new framework for identifying and assessing technologies that could strengthen efforts to counter the diversion of conventional arms and related components. Moreover, in November, in cooperation with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, UNIDIR launched an initiative to support increased oversight and accountability of national security priorities and spending and established the UNIDIR Expert Network on Security Priorities and Public Spending to exchange best practices in that regard.

Throughout 2023, the UNIDIR security and technology programme contributed to advancing the multilateral agenda on new and emerging technologies, particularly in the fields of cybersecurity and AI. Its activities were aligned with its objectives: supporting policy and decision-making; reducing the knowledge gap on issues about new technologies and international security; and bridging communities.

The programme focused on two broad priority areas—cyber stability and AI (which includes autonomous systems and their weaponization). Within each area, UNIDIR aimed to build knowledge, advance multilateral discourse and convene stakeholders that could develop new thinking on addressing international security implications and risks. In addition, UNIDIR started two new workstreams, focusing on key enabling technologies and strategic foresight.

UNIDIR continued to advance the international cyber debate by (a) facilitating the operationalization of norms of responsible State behaviour through research activities and multi-stakeholder dialogues; (b) further developing the UNIDIR Cyber Policy Portal; (c) supporting intergovernmental processes established by the General Assembly;^[16] (d) providing research reports and events on key issues, such as the application of international law to the cyber domain, foundational cyber capabilities for the implementation of the framework of responsible State behaviour and Internet fragmentation; and (e) convening in March the annual Cyber Stability Conference with a focus on the application of the Charter of the United Nations to the digital domain.^[17]

Following the programme’s workstream on AI, UNIDIR carried out original research projects exploring the broad impact that AI might have on international peace and security, with a specific focus on the military domain. The subject was further unpacked in the 2023 Innovations Dialogue, a UNIDIR flagship conference, which brought together over 2,000 participants to discuss the application and impacts of AI across all domains of warfare. In addition, UNIDIR released two research reports that offered a different perspective on the impacts of AI. The first focused on mapping AI’s impact on military tasks and capabilities beyond weapon systems. The second introduced a new framework for conceptualizing AI risks to international peace and security as part of a larger study to develop a first set of confidence-building measures for States to mitigate the unique risks posed by AI. In May, UNIDIR launched the Artificial Intelligence Policy Portal, a one-stop shop for information on national AI policy and regulatory frameworks applicable to the military and defence context.

In 2023, UNIDIR experienced considerable interest in its work on space security, which included launching a new Space Security Portal and producing 13 publications, including A Lexicon for Outer Space Security. Under the programme, UNIDIR organized 13 events, covering topics ranging from national space policies to industry perceptions on space security governance, and programme experts also delivered presentations on space security at more than 25 events around the world.

UNIDIR supported the 2023 meetings of both the Open-ended Working Group on Reducing Space Threats through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours and the Group of Governmental Experts on Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, providing multiple presentations and working papers through the meeting secretariat.

In 2023, the annual Outer Space Security Conference of UNIDIR had over 1,000 participants and hosted diverse cross-sectoral representatives. Building on the regional outreach work initiated in 2022, UNIDIR also organized a series of regional workshops on space security, including an in-person regional event for African States.

In 2023, an area of significant progress for gender mainstreaming was ammunition management, with the adoption of the landmark Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, which recognizes the role of conventional ammunition in facilitating gender-based violence. Building on recommendations put forward by UNIDIR and other stakeholders, the Global Framework includes an objective on gender mainstreaming, which encompasses an increased understanding of the differentiated impact of unplanned explosions at conventional ammunition sites, as well as the diversion of conventional ammunition. It also seeks to promote the full, equal, meaningful and effective participation and leadership of both women and men in conventional ammunition management policy, practice and decision-making.

To advance knowledge on the linkages between the availability of weapons and ammunition and the occurrence of gender-based violence, UNIDIR launched the report Addressing Weapons in Conflict-related Sexual Violence: The Arms Control and Disarmament Toolbox. It showed that, in countries where disaggregated data on weapons were available, between 70 and 90 per cent of incidents of conflict-related sexual violence were reported to involve weapons, particularly firearms. The research authors proposed options to leverage arms control and disarmament measures in efforts to prevent such violence, including by integrating arms-related risks into early warning mechanisms, collecting and sharing data on conflict-related sexual violence disaggregated by the presence of weapons, and considering the risk when making decisions about arms transfers.

In December, UNIDIR presented that study to the Security Council during the open debate on small arms and light weapons, convened by Ecuador. On that occasion, UNIDIR urged Security Council members to support systematic data collection on the impacts of weapons and ammunition, disaggregated by sex and age, including when recording casualties and conflict-related sexual violence.

Another important area of work involved the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, a disarmament regime in which States parties have agreed to practical steps to integrate gender perspectives into the implementation of the Convention. As the Convention’s current Action Plan entered its final year, UNIDIR launched the publication Beyond Oslo: Taking Stock of Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming in the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, an in-depth analysis of the implementation of action points covering gender, diversity and inclusion.

As part of a new research project, UNIDIR began work with a diverse group of experts pursuing innovative research connecting gender issues with nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. UNIDIR also coordinated the submission of an official working paper on taking forward gender mainstreaming efforts in the context of the NPT. The paper was co-sponsored by a cross-regional group of 11 States parties at the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 NPT Review Conference.

The UNIDIR project on managing exits from armed conflict is a multi-year collaboration to develop a unified, rigorous approach that can examine how and why individuals exit armed conflict, while also assessing the efficacy of programmes designed to support their transition away from the battlefield, thereby contributing to the institute’s insights on “micro-disarmament”. The project is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, Global Affairs Canada, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs. It is run in partnership with the International Organization for Migration; the United Nations Children’s Fund; the United Nations Development Programme; the Department of Peace Operations; the World Bank; the secretariat of the Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery and Resilience of the Boko Haram-affected Areas of the Lake Chad Basin Region; and the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research.

In 2023, multi-method research for the project took place across six countries: Cameroon, Chad, Colombia, Iraq, Nigeria and the Niger. The activities included seven different surveys with over 5,000 respondents, participatory research with young people, and focus groups and interviews with hundreds of key informants. Follow-up surveys were conducted with panel members recruited from 2020 to 2022 to understand the challenges and sources of resilience for ex-combatants, former associates and respondents with a perceived armed-group association who returned or were returning to their communities. Survey results, in turn, enabled improvements in intervention design and implementation. In each country of operation, practitioners leading disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts received real-time support through quantitative, qualitative and experimental evidence and analysis produced through the project.

Throughout 2023, UNIDIR produced 11 publications and launched two new research series under the project. The Fieldwork Note series focuses on research processes, lessons learned and practical insights from field research; the Research into Action series centres on bridging academia and practitioners by interviewing scholars on key findings and policy implications of their otherwise difficult-to-access work. Furthermore, UNIDIR organized or participated in 32 events, with over 1,400 participants, including orchestrating a multi-day conference in New York in March that brought together experts, senior United Nations officials and high-level diplomatic representatives to enhance cross-sectoral approaches to conflict prevention and reintegration. Project experts also briefed Member States on key findings at various high-level international forums, including the Lake Chad Basin Governor’s Forum, the Oslo International Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict and the Geneva Peace Week.

In 2023, UNIDIR completed the first phase of its project on a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction (launched in 2019). In the first phase, the project aim was to fill significant gaps in research concerning the Middle East zone, build analytic capacity to support new thinking on regional security issues and the zone, develop proposals on how to move forward, and foster dialogue between experts and policymakers on regional security issues and the zone, which could then contribute to ongoing multilateral processes.

Activities focused on conducting dialogues and producing research on topics that could enhance regional security and improve the prospects for establishing a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. In that vein, a regional workshop in Manama was co-organized with the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies. UNIDIR also continued to promote a better understanding of past and current efforts by releasing a report discussing the various narratives on the Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction and a series by the negotiators on the consultations held in Glion and Geneva in 2013 and 2014. In addition, UNIDIR produced analyses on cutting-edge issues relevant to ongoing and potential negotiations, such as the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the context of the proposed zone, modalities for nuclear disarmament and the challenges of chemical and biological weapons. The project’s main findings were discussed in an expert workshop in Prague and published in the final report on the project.

Throughout 2023, UNIDIR continued to support existing processes and inform any future ones by drafting reports, summarizing States’ positions and helping to bridge diverging views during regional conferences. UNIDIR also supported the fourth session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction and the intersessional meetings of the Conference’s working committee.

The second phase of the project, again fully funded by the European Union, was launched in July. Its main objectives include (a) assisting in mitigating regional trends concerning the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; (b) encouraging regional security arrangements and arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament norms and processes; (c) developing a more in-depth understanding of the relationship between the zone and current regional and international developments; and (d) promoting an effective, verifiable, inclusive and sustainable zone.