UN Tracks Progress on Disarmament Agenda

UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched an implementation plan in early October for his disarmament agenda, which was first released in May. (See ACT, June 2018.) Guterres’ sweeping vision raised the question of whether he would be able to accomplish his many goals. The implementation plan tracks all 111 action steps outlined in the disarmament agenda. Five steps have been completed, including supporting the high-level fissile material cutoff treaty preparatory committee, which released its final report in June. (See ACT, July/August 2018.) Twenty-one actions have not been started yet, 28 are in development, 41 are in progress, and 16 are ongoing. “We are grateful for the expressions of support we have received and commitments some governments have made to champion specific actions,” Izumi Nakamitsu, UN high representative for disarmament affairs, told the UN General Assembly First Committee on Oct. 8. “These champions have committed to financially support, or politically support in a leadership capacity, activities in connection with the agenda.”—ALICIA SANDERS-ZAKRE