#SSOD
Sign Our Call for Commencing the Preparation of the UN's Fourth Special Session on Disarmament
It has been 45 years since the UN’s First Special Session on Disarmament (UNSSOD I) was held. This 1978 session established the multilateral disarmament machinery that has governed the UN’s work in this realm ever since. The session enumerated both the priority objectives for arms control and disarmament and the key institutions to realize them, namely the Commission on Disarmament in New York (a deliberative body) and the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva (a negotiating forum with a current membership of 65 states). Two other special sessions followed in 1982 and 1988 without major change to the architecture agreed in 1978.
While this machinery worked reasonably well in an earlier period, producing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1993 and the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996 it has not been able to produce any treaties subsequently. In particular, the Conference on Disarmament has been mired in dysfunction since the CTBT, failing even to agree and implement a programme of work on any of the items on its agenda. It is increasingly evident that the UNSSOD I framework is no longer “fit for purpose” and requires a comprehensive review and likely reform.
UN member states have recognized the desirability of holding UNSSOD IV for years, adopting an annual resolution on this topic. The latest iteration (A/RES/77/46 adopted without a vote on 13 December 2022) reiterated “its conviction that a special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament can set the future course of action in the fields of disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation and related international security matters”.
The universal support for convening UNSSOD IV has however not been followed by purposeful action to bring it about. For almost 30 years the UN General Assembly has instead been engaged in a perpetual “consultation” on “next steps” without actually taking any. Normally, a Preparatory Committee would be established that would decide the practical questions for holding a special session. The UN has however opted to “defer the issue of the possible establishment of a preparatory committee to the General Assembly” to which the General Assembly has responded by continuing “consultations” ad infinitum. This pretence of dealing with an agreed goal while in effect continuing to ignore it, is alas not an uncommon feature of the General Assembly and one convenient to states not keen on addressing the admittedly challenging issues that an UNSSOD IV would entail. This prolonged neglect of a crucial area of the UN’s work on peace and security at a time of intensified rivalry amongst leading powers and the dismantlement of much of the existing arms control and disarmament framework is untenable.
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”.
We the undersigned, representatives of civil society and academia urge all member states to cease the damaging procrastination and support a resolution that would initiate by 2025 a committee to oversee preparations for UNSSOD IV.
Signatories
Abubakar Jimoh
Advocacy and Communications Specialist, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)/Transparency International in Nigeria (TI-Nigeria)
Adeela Ahmed
Lecturer, Bzu Multan Pakistan
Al Mart
CEO, Springs Alive
Alex Elliott
S.C.N.D , emerging voices network basic
Alex Neve
Chair, Canadians for a Nuclear Weapons Convention
Ambassador (ret.) Alfredo Labbe
Vice-President, International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission
Alireza Mamdouhi
Ph.D. Student, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs
Alison Williams
Membership Secretary and Editor, Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition
Ana-Yancy Espinoza
Academic Director, Arias Foundation for Peace
Andrew Jackson
Chief Executive, Pax Christi England and Wales
Angela Siby
Student, SOAS University of London
Angie Zelter
Founder, XR Peace
Ann Smith
Co-Founder & Director, Green Tent Circle
Anna Ikeda
Representative to the UN, Soka Gakkai International
Anne Osamba
Director, Uzalendo Afrika Initiative
Anthony Rudolf
Editor, Menard Press (nuclear publications)
Antony John Papard
Member, CND
Arnd Jurgensen
Chair, Nuclear Weapons Working Group, Science for Peace
Ayman Okeil
Chairman, MAAT Foundation for Peace
Bailey Hanson
UN Youth Representative, Ágora
Becky Alexis-Martin
Lecturer in Peace Studies, University of Bradford
Bev Delong
Former Chair, Canadians for a Nuclear Weapons Convention
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Brenda Grant
Treasurer, Merton PSC
Brian D’Agostino
Editor, Disarmament Times
Brian Jason Delos Santos
Lead Convener, Philippine Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security
Brian Quail
Exec, SCND
Bruce Knotts
President, Citizens for Global Solutions
Carmen Capriles
General Coordinator, Reacción Climática- Bolivia
Catherine Richards
Professor Emerita, University of Ottawa
Cesar Jaramillo
Executive Director, Project Ploughshares
Chair, Canadian Pugwash Group
Chantal Bahati Assumani
Trésorerie , Jeunesse pour la Paix et le Développement du Monde Rural
Christopher Bolte
Chuti Michael Ayuen Johnson
Chairperson, Specialised Committee on Defence, South Sudan Transitional National Legislative Assembly
Clara Coencas
Graduate, University of Westminster
Clifford Feightner
Founder, FLA Author Publishing LLC
Daniel Ajudeonu
Member of Leadership Team, Youth Pugwash
Daniel Peter
Director, Release Peace
Dan Plesch
Director, SCRAP Weapons
Professor of Diplomacy and Strategy, SOAS University of London
David Hoadley
David Overton
Co-chair, Social Action Council, First UU Church of Austin, Texas
David Swanson
Executive Director, World BEYOND War
David Webb
Chair, Yorkshire Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Denia Dimsdale
Postgraduate Student, SOAS University of London
Dhilan Patel
Student, Reading University
Elisa Shafiqah binti Shahrilnizam
Head Advisor, Malaysian Youth Diplomacy
Elisabeth Rachlew
Prof.em., KTH
Elizabeth Waterston
Member, Medact
Ellen R. Judd
Distinguished Professor Emerita, University of Manitoba
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Eloisa Romani
Project Coordinator, SCRAP Weapons
Els Torreele
Independent researcher and adviser
Elsa Marie DSilva
Founder, Red Dot Foundation
Emily Molinari
Deputy Executive Director, IPB
Emmanuelle Bellée
Conseil départemental de la Manche
Enkhsaikhan Jargalsaikhan
Chairman, Blue Banner
Ephrem Biragi Kasole
Coordinateur National, Jeunesse pour la Paix et le Développement du Monde Rural
Erika Simpson
Associate Professor of International Politics, The University of Western Ontario
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Ernie Regehr
Senior Fellow, The Simons Foundation Canada
Felipe Ribeiro
Minister, UU@UN
Francesco Lenci
Former Research Director, National Research Council (CNR)
Former Biophysics Institute Director, CNR
Member, Italian Union of Scientists for Disarmament (USPID)
Member, Pugwash Council
Francis Flynn
Frank N. von Hippel
Professor of Public and International Affairs emeritus
Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University
Frederic Dahlmann
VP, Ujamaa
Fredrik S. Heffermehl
Author and Lawyer
Gill Newton
President of Methodist Conference, Methodist Church
Gita Dharampal
Honorary Dean of Research, Prof. (rtd.), Gandhi Research Foundation
Grace Orao
Executive Director, Women Volunteers for Peace (WOVOP)
Grant Donohue
Committee Member, People for Nuclear Disarmament, NSW – Australia
Gregory Berglund
Author & Professor, Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment: New Delhi
Greta Vipond
UNA-Bexhill & Hastings
Guy Quinlan
Chairperson, All Souls Nuclear Disarmament Task Force
Haleema Saadia
Research Fellow, NUST/ The ROADS Initiative
Helen McAuley
Member, Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition
Helen McLaughlin
Sister, Society of the Sacred Heart
Hussein Mohamed
Sr. Scientist, NYU
Iain Overton
Executive Director, AOAV
Ida Golberg
Activist, Nei Til Atomvapen/ Youth for TPNW
Isatou Sarr
MRCG at LSHTM
Ivan Knez
Mayor, City of Biograd Na Moru
Jack Ainsworth
Project Assistant, SCRAP Weapons
Jack Cinamon
Researcher, Shadow World Investigations
James Luk
Project Assistant, SCRAP Weapons
Janet Headley
Member, CND
Jasminka Bajlo
Representative of Executive City Biograd Na Moru, Croatia & Mayors for Peace
Jean Yves Ndzana Ndzana
PhD candidate, Leiden University
Jennifer Simons
Founder and President, The Simons Foundation, Canada
Jenny Meyer
Jessica West
Senior Researcher, Project Ploughshares
John Carlson
Former Director General, Australian Safeguards and Non-proliferation Office
John Cooper
Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation (England and Scotland)
John Guilfoyle
President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Canada
John Korodi
Project Assistant, SCRAP Weapons
John Oubridge
Member, UNA
Dr. John Pawlikowski
Professor Emeritus of Social Ethics, Catholic Theological Union
John T
President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Canada
Joon Chun Park
President, World Methodist Council
Jorge Valderrabano
Advocacy Officer, Agora
Juan Gomez
Chilean Coordinator, Mundo sin guerras y sin violencia
Julie Steinbach
Outreach Co-Chair, International Convocation of UU Women (ICUUW)
Kamilia Amdouni
Peace & Security Researcher and Consultant
Karen Kortsch
International Convocation of Unitarian Universalist Women USA Global
Katie Fallon
Advocacy Manager, Campaign Against Arms
Kazumi Matsui
President, Mayors for Peace & Mayor of Hiroshima
Kenneth Christiansen
Kennette Benedict
Senior Advisor, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Kerry Scarlett
Vice President, Methodist Church in Britain
Rev. Dr. Kevin Snyman
Commitment for Life, United Reformed Church
Larissa Silva
Student, UERJ
Laura Lodenius
Director, Peace Union of Finland
Lucie Miller
Member, The Iona Community
Manjola Perja
President, ALVA -Albanian Values
Manuel Galileo
Analyst, SCRAP Weapons
Marc Finaud
Vice President, Initiatives pour le désarmement nucléaire (IDN), France
Marian Pallister
Chair, Pax Christi Scotland
Marian Wingrove
Branch Chairperson, Labour Party
Marianne Hanson
Associate Professor, University of Queensland
Martin Butcher
Policy Advisor on Arms, Conflict and IHL, OXFAM
Mary Were
Executive Director, Winam Grassroots
Matthew Evans
Senior Lecturer in Law, Politics and Sociology, University of Sussex
May-May Meijer
Chair, Peace SOS
Megan Rayner
Member, Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition
Professor Michael Manulak
Norman Patterson School of International Affairs
Carleton University, Ottawa
Molly Rosaaen
Youth Representative, Peace Boat US
Monalisa Hazarika
Intern, Forum on the Arms Trade
Muhammad Husnain
Project Assistant, SCRAP Weapons
Natalie Goldring
Visiting Professor of the Practice, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University
Nazifa Haqpal
PhD Candidate, SOAS University of London
Nicholas Hudson
Auxiliary Bishop, Diocese of Westminster
Nishchal Baniya
Chief Executive Officer, Bagmati UNESCO Club
Okumu Kenneth Odong Luka
Committee Clerk, Transitional National Legislative Assembly
Olamide Samuel
Board Member, Nuclear Information Service
Olanrewaju Olomofe
Executive Director, PAD Link
Dr. P. Francesco
Director, QSV
Patricia Bartley
Protective Fellowship Coordinator, Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York
Patricia Kaminski
Paul Meyer
Former Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Peggy Mason
President, Rideau Institute
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Prasad Vaishnav
Director, One Point Five Private Limited
Qijel Mariano
Student, York University School of Global Health
Rahel Beigel
UN Representative, Women’s Refugee Commission
Rakesh Sood
Former Ambassador of India to the Conference on Disarmament
Randy Rydell
Senior Political Affairs Officer (ret.), UN Office for Disarmament Affairs
Ray Acheson
Director, Reaching Critical Will, Disarmament Programme, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Reiner Braun
Former Executive Director, International Peace Bureau (IPB)
Robin Collins
Co-Chair, Canadian Network for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
Rosan Huizenga
Member, WILPF
Ruth Gould
Doctor of Philosophy
Ruth Harvey
Leader, The Iona Community
Sahlim Charles
Executive Director, Re-Imagining New Communities
Sara Al-Sayed
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University
Sean Conner
Executive Director, International Peace Bureau
Sean Howard
Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Cape Breton University, Canada
Sebastian Brock
Emeritus, Oxford University
Serena Newman
Member, CND
Shristi Tamrakar
Political Affairs Intern, UNRCPD
Simon Barrow
Director, Ekklesia
Simone Delhey
Sonya Vandevyvere
Sunita Nahar
MA Student
SOAS, University of London
Susan Nambute
Executive Director, Thrive Together CBO
Susan Wamalwa
Executive Director, IPHRD-AFRICA
Tamatoa Tepuhiarii
Prospective PhD Student, The Australian National University
Tariq Rauf
Former Head of Verification and Security Policy, IAEA
Vice Chair, Canadian Pugwash Group
Tatsujiro Suzuki
Professor, Research Center for Nuclear Weapons Abolition, Nagasaki University (RECNA)
Tekla Virag
Volunteer Coordinator, HWPL-IPYG
Theresa Alessandro
Co-chair, Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Timothy Gorringe
Professor, University of Exeter
Tom Sauer
Professor International Politics, Universiteit Antwerpen, Belgium
Vanessa Canola
Project Assistant, SCRAP Weapons
Dr. Walter Dorn
Professor of Defence Studies, Royal Military College & Canadian Forces College
Director, Canadian Pugwash Group
William Arthur Chapman
Dr, The Iona Community
William Walker
Professor Emeritus of International Relations, University of St Andrew
Wolfgang Petritsch
President, Austrian Institute for International Affairs
YJ Sun
Zahraa Kapasi
Consultant, SCRAP Weapons
Zulfiqar Kapasi