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Identification of Effective Implementation Practices by Examining UNSCR 1540 (2004) After a Decade of its Existence, February 25-26, 2014
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), I thank you for the opportunity to address this important meeting. My Office is pleased to cooperate with the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, the Institute for Strategic Studies and King’s College London in holding this workshop. Our thanks also go to the donors of this meeting, namely the Governments of Norway and the United States, for their generous support.
In addition to representatives of NGOs, industry and academic institutions, who accepted to take part in this workshop, I would like to greet the presence of officials from the Indian Government and the presence of the UN Security Council's 1540 Committee, represented here by Committee Member Mr. Michael Aho.
I would also like to underline that this workshop is one of the first major activities organized by UNODA in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the adoption of landmark resolution 1540. The next workshop marking the 10th Anniversary that we are organizing with Kazakhstan will bring together some 30 countries, mostly from Asia, and a number of international and regional organizations. It will take place in Astana, on 11-12 March and, as its title indicates, will be focussed on "The Contribution of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 to Regional and Global Disarmament and Non-Proliferation.”
This tenth anniversary offers a good opportunity to reflect and assess how effectively, the resolution has been implemented over a decade of its existence and to discuss ways forward to fully achieve its objectives.
Through resolution 1540, the Security Council has established an effective programme of focused steps to prevent non-State actors, especially terrorists, from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) requires a wide scope of measures to be adopted and enforced by Governments. These measures range from legislation to law enforcement; from domestic controls to engagement in regional and international cooperation; from measures to account for and secure WMD-related materials in-country to border, export and trans-shipment controls; from enacting and enforcing appropriate criminal and civil penalties in-country to working domestically with industry and the public. Ultimately, all these measures aim to offer increased and effective protection of citizens in every country and all over the world against hideous terrorist attacks using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.
The 1540 Committee has already counted over 30,000 measures reportedly taken by States in implementing the resolution’s key requirements. In resolution 1977 (2011) the Security Council has requested the 1540 Committee to identify effective practices, templates and guidance on the 1540 implementation and in that regard encouraged the Committee to draw also on relevant expertise, including from civil society and the private sector. The current workshop could useful and beneficial to contribute to the identification of among the wide range of 1504 implementation measures, which ones, according to assessment of civil society representatives, have proved particularly effective.
This workshop will also offer an opportunity to demonstrate that civil society has an important role to play in support of national and international efforts to fully implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), not just a beneficiary of the improved public security that the implementation of the resolution can provide. As the Secretary-General stated in a message to the 1540 Civil Society Forum in Vienna last year, “the positive impact of civil society will move the world closer to meeting the objectives of resolution 1540 and a world without weapons of mass destruction.” The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs has initiated partnerships with non-governmental and academic organizations on 1540-related issues. This workshop is indeed another example of such partnerships.
Another example is the electronic journal “1540 Compass”, published by UNODA and the Center of International Trade and Security of the University of Georgia, USA. I would like to acknowledge the presence here of Dr. Seema Gahlaut from CITS and express appreciation of our cooperation. This journal has become a key tool as an interactive information-sharing forum for policy decision makers, 1540 national implementation practitioners and for civil society entities interested in 1540-related issues. I take this opportunity to remind you that your contributions to The 1540 Compass are welcome.
In a way this workshop is a follow-up to a 1540 Civil Society Forum in Vienna in January 2013, entitled “Opportunities for Engagement,” hosted by Austria, and organized in cooperation with UNODA. Representatives of forty-five non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, think tanks and industries from worldwide, seven international and regional organizations and entities, participated in this first-ever Civil Society Forum on resolution 1540. It is encouraging to note that some among you have taken part in the Forum. Even if the implementation of resolution 1540 is the responsibility of States, the Forum made clear that civil society groups and organizations can contribute with national governments, through cooperation and interaction, to promote an effective implementation of the key requirements of the resolution.
Industries are also important stakeholders as their role is essential to defend the economy’s production chain against terrorist attacks and potential misuse of some of their products by proliferation and terrorist networks. UNODA is indeed pleased to see that a special panel at this workshop is devoted to industry’s own efficient practices in relevant areas.
UNODA has initiated a close partnership with the private sector. Two conferences of industry representatives on issues related to resolution 1540 have been organized by UNODA and hosted by the Government of Germany in Wiesbaden. The so-called “Wiesbaden process”, using the name of the venue for both conferences, has already contributed to developing a sustainable cooperation between the 1540 Committee, the United Nations and the private sector. The last conference, held in December, entitled “Industry’s Effective Practices in Responding to Biosecurity Risks”, brought together representatives of many pharmaceutical companies, regional and national bio-safety industry associations, numerous think tanks and academic institutions.
Other collaborative events with industry included the 2013 Summit of the Union of Arab Banks, held in Vienna in June, which featured a special session devoted to resolution 1540, co-organized by UNODA. The session was attended by one hundred regional and national banks and banking associations, and several international and regional organizations. The meeting allowed to raising awareness of the key requirements of the resolution. The meeting also underlined the need to inform and work in cooperation with relevant sectors of the industry and the private sector in order to prevent WMD proliferation financing by non-State actors.
Detailed information on UNODA’s activities in support of the 1540 Committee could be found in the paper “List of major events co-organized/supported by UNODA in 2013”, which has been distributed to you. In conclusion, let me emphasize that the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs is committed to building productive and effective cooperation and partnerships with Governments, international organizations, civil society, industry, scientists and other experts and professional communities in support of the resolution 1540’s non-proliferation objectives. We are open to explore additional opportunities for such cooperation with the participants of this workshop.
Thank you for your attention.