United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

Welcome to UNIDIR, Andrea Gronke! Andrea joins us as Deputy Head of the Security and Technology Programme, where she will lead on and contribute to projects and initiatives within the cyber workstream. Find out more about Andrea and her work: unidir.org/AndreaGronke

The OEWG on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space in All Its Aspects has officially begun its work! Get ready for the next sessions, just around the corner in April, by reading up on the key issues and insights that emerged from the latest edition of UNIDIR’s Outer Space Security Conference. Explore key themes: 1️⃣ Threats and risks to space security 2️⃣ Thresholds of prohibited action in space 3️⃣ Links between space security and space safety 4️⃣ Verification and monitoring *️⃣ and many more... Read the OS24 Report: https://lnkd.in/dfDstMws Or catch up with the panels: https://lnkd.in/dBkTAJyD

Uncrewed maritime systems (UMS) are becoming increasingly common in naval operations, but what does this mean for international security? Our latest report explores their growing role in maritime warfare and examines gaps in transparency, particularly within the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA). Key findings include: 🔹 A stark increase in attacks using UMS since 2023 🔹 Nearly half of the UMS examined can be armed 🔹 Risks include arms races and illicit use by non-state actors 🔹 Four potential pathways for UNROCA to track armed UMS transfers Find out more in our latest report: unidir.org/ChangingTides

How is artificial intelligence affecting regional security in the Middle East? Join us for the virtual launch of our latest report, which explores the impact of AI on regional security, threat perceptions and the Middle East WMD-Free Zone. After the report’s author, Nasser Bin Nasser, has outlined its key insights and findings, the session will move on to a Q&A moderated by Chen Zak, Head of UNIDIR’s Middle East WMD-Free Zone project. 📅 Wednesday, 26 February ⏰ 14:00–15:30 CET 📍 Online 🔗 Register here: unidir.org/EventZoneAI

Join UNIDIR's Middle East WMD-Free Zone Project as a Graduate Professional in Geneva or remotely! Responsibilities include background research, programme activity planning and effective communication with project partners. 💼 Graduate Professional 🗓️ 6 months, with the possibility of extension 📍 Geneva or remote Apply by 9 March! ➡️ unidir.org/Zone-GPP

UNIDIR research can give you a head start on the latest developments at the frontiers of global security 🌐 Sign up to the UNIDIR Newsletter and be the first to hear about new insights, research and events! ⬇️ 📧 unidir.org/newsletter

The 10th Substantive Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on information and communications technologies is taking place at United Nations HQ in New York next week! UNIDIR will be hosting a number of side events to generate new ideas, promote cooperation and enrich discussions on emerging challenges. All of the events will take place at UNHQ, with select sessions also available online: 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 📅 Tuesday, 18 February, 13:15–14:30 EST 📍 Conference room 8, in-person 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gfQyUR4t 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚’𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞: 𝐀 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲-𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📅 Tuesday, 18 February, 13:15–14:30 EST 📍 Conference room A, in-person 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g4B6G4aa 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 📅 Wednesday, 19 February, 13:15–14:45 EST 📍 Conference room 6, in-person and online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gYyr_ZW4 𝐔𝐍𝐎𝐃𝐀-𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐃𝐈𝐑 𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞   📅 Thursday, 20 February, 13:15-14:30 EST 📍 Conference room 5, in-person and online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d_eWr_z8 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝: 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 📅 Friday, 21 February, 13:15–14:30 EST 📍 Conference room 8, in-person and online 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gMik3ThN

The countdown is on for UNIDIR’s inaugural Global Conference on AI, Security and Ethics! ⏳ Open to the wider multistakeholder community, #AISE25 will bring together the Geneva diplomatic ecosystem, policymakers, industry representatives, research labs, academia and civil society. The agenda features a dynamic mix of panel discussions, thematic deep dives, lightning talks and poster presentations, focusing on: 🔹 Knowledge and capacity-building 🔹 Trust-building 🔹 The human element 🔹 Data practices 🔹 Lifecycle management 🔹 Addressing destabilization 📖 Explore our six themes in our policy brief: unidir.org/GovernanceAI 🔗 Register: unidir.org/AISE25

And that’s a wrap for the Biological Weapons Convention Advanced Education Course! The BWCedu course empowers participants to actively engage in the #1972BWC diplomatic process and strengthen the Convention, and last week saw 25 experts from around the world gather in Geneva for the final in-person segment. And of course to graduate as BWCedu Fellows at the end of the five-month programme! 🎓 A big thank-you to our incredible lecturers Jean Pascal Zanders, Ljupčo Gjorginski, Sonia Drobysz, Maria Espona and Elisande Nexon, as well as our partners DiploFoundation and FRS | Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique for making a great success of this collaboration. This course would not have been possible without the generous support of our funder, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. 🔗 Find out more about the course at: https://lnkd.in/dQXzGFEt

The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) National Implementation Measures Database has reached a significant milestone: profiles for all 187 BWC States Parties are live since December 2024! This comprehensive online tool, developed in partnership with the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC) provides detailed insights into each country’s national implementation measures under the BWC, supporting transparency, trust and international cooperation. 💻 Explore the database: bwcimplementation.org