UN High-Level Conference on Nuclear Disarmament

In a resolution adopted by the First Committee of the UN General Assembly on November 1, 2017 (and affirmed by the UNGA Plenary on Dec 24, 2017),  the UN set the dates and mandate for a High-Level conference on nuclear disarmament to take place from May 14-16, 2018. The principal aim for the conference is to make progress on effective measures for nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament.

The UNGA resolution reminds nuclear-armed States that they have previously agreed to hold an international conference to ‘eliminate nuclear dangers’, but not yet done so. And it calls for progress to be made on a nuclear weapons convention – a global agreement which would include the nuclear-armed States and provide a phased and verified process for prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons.

Parliamentarians and civil society organisations working on nuclear risk-reduction and disarmament measures have welcomed the UN resolution and called on world leaders to commit now to attending the conference at the highest possible level (Prime Minister, President or Foreign Minister).

Civil society action and support for the UNHLC is being coordinated by UNFOLD ZERO and the Abolition 2000 Working Group on the 2018 UNHLC.