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Seminar
Geneva, 12 June 2006
Until recently, the arms control and disarmament
debate was focused almost entirely on external threats to states,
especially those posed by other states. In our rapidly globalizing
world, however, the range of threats to security has become much wider.
These threats include the indiscriminate spread of small arms and
light weapons, the effects of mines and explosive remnants of war
and potentially other threats relating to new technologies, some of
which are still under development. All threats come at great cost
of lives and prospects for development. Thus, the success of humanitarian
efforts is closely linked to the effectiveness of multilateral disarmament
efforts. Both would benefit from an understanding of the way “human
security” and disarmament interact.
H.E. Dr. Bernard Bot,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands
In J. Borrie & V. Martin Randin (eds.), Disarmament
as Humanitarian Action: From Perspective to Practice, Geneva:
UNIDIR: 2006, p. ix.
For several years, UNIDIR has been rethinking the
relationship between multilateral negotiations in disarmament and
arms control and humanitarian action. In 2004, with generous assistance
from the Governments of Norway and The Netherlands, UNIDIR began
a research project entitled 'Disarmament
as Humanitarian Action: Making Multilateral Negotiations Work'.
Based on the recognition that a greater humanitarian focus is relevant
to disarmament and arms control processes, the project is concerned
with developing practical proposals on how humanitarian perspectives
can be applied in functional terms to assist negotiators.
As part of the 'Disarmament as Humanitarian Action' project’s
work and as a continuation of events to celebrate the Institute’s
25th Anniversary, UNIDIR hosted a seminar on 12 June 2006 in
the Council Chamber of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The seminar
was attended by representatives of diplomatic Missions, UN and other
international agencies, representatives of Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs), researchers, the media and members of the general public.
The speakers and participants examined the role of humanitarian
perspectives to inform and enhance the work of policy makers and
multilateral negotiators in disarmament and arms control. The following
spoke at the seminar:
• Mr Martin Bell, OBE, UNICEF UK Ambassador
for Humanitarian Emergencies and former BBC war correspondent
• Dr Gro Nystuen, Chair of the Council on Ethics for the Norwegian
Government Pension Fund - Global
• Ms Rosy Cave, Lead Researcher on Explosive Remnants of War
on UNIDIR’s project on 'European
Action on Small Arms, Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War'
• Mr John Borrie, Project Manager of the ‘Disarmament
as Humanitarian Action’ project
• A seminar report is available
online.
For information about the conference or the project, please
contact:
Vanessa Martin Randin
Project Assistant
UNIDIR
vanmartin@unog.ch
Tel.: +41 (0)22 917 42 54
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 01 76
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