Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) 2024

The UN Secretary General’s ‘New Agenda for Peace’ and activating a UN Special Session on Disarmament

In partnership with SCRAP Weapons (SOAS University of London), and Pax Christi England & Wales as part of the Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS) 2024.

Special Sessions on Disarmament (SSOD) are a mechanism of the UN General Assembly to advance and discuss disarmament matters. The first SSOD was held in 1978 which established the multilateral disarmament machinery we see today. Subsequent SSODs were held in 1982 and 1988, but a fourth never occurred, and with that we have seen the gradual weakening of the disarmament machinery. As such, in his New Agenda for Peace, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has recognized the need “to reform the disarmament machinery” and has called for the establishment of “an inter-governmental process to…consider the role, timing and preparations of a special session of the General Assembly on disarmament”.

As a global conference on disarmament, a fourth SSOD will be vital in bringing together ALL disarmament agendas to be discussed productively at one table, thus revitalising the machinery and reinvigorating multilateral processes.

SCRAP Weapons, in partnership with Pax Christi England & Wales invite you to this consultation to discuss the current disarmament landscape and how as civil society we might ensure the effective implementation of UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres’ recommendations in the ‘New Agenda for Peace.’

Date: Wednesday 17th April 2024
Time: 2.30pm BST
Location: Zoom