Disarmament
Civil Society and Disarmament 2023
The Historical Impact of Parliamentary Diplomacy on Disarmament
This publication examines the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs focusing specifically on its influence in the field of disarmament. It analyses the impact parliamentarians can have on these issues identifying a number of good practices and effective strategies. In addition it offers specific policy recommendations and highlights resources available to strengthen the capacity of parliaments and other stakeholders to enhance and expand their influence in promoting effective disarmament agreements at the international level.
The history of parliaments
The word “parliament” comes from the French parlement which derives from the Latin word parlar which means “to speak”. According to the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) parlamento derives from the word parlamentar which in its second meaning is “to engage in talks with the opposing party to try to settle peace a surrender a contract or to settle any difference”.
Engagement on disarmament, weapons of mass destruction and nuclear disarmament
Beyond the history of the use of certain poisons as warfare strategies dating back to ancient Greece we can affirm that the widespread use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) dates back to the 20th century. The first large-scale use of WMD in particular chemical weapons was during World War I. Despite some efforts and attempts by the League of Nations Mussolini would use mustard gas in the war against Ethiopia between 1935 and 1936; Japan would deploy the use of biological weapons in China from 1937 onwards and it materialized perversely during the Holocaust in the Second World War.
Introduction
With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the cold war contrary to popular belief the issue of nuclear weapons persisted in particular due to concerns about nuclear arms left in countries of the former Soviet Union. This context gave rise to a growing emphasis on addressing arms control issues from a humanitarian perspective an approach that would gain strength over the years through the development of various arms control instruments and political commitments.
Involvement by parliamentarians in disarmament processes
When it comes to disarmament the first steps of diplomacy on this issue date back to the 1950s and 1960s particularly in relation to nuclear disarmament.
Parliamentary diplomacy
Although its beginnings date back to the nineteenth century parliamentary diplomacy is still in its infancy in academia and the study of international relations.
The history of parliamentary networks and subjects covered
The aim of this chapter is to provide a definition of parliamentary networks based on a review of the existing literature to give a historical account of the emergence of the first networks and to analyze how they have multiplied over time. It will also consider the parliamentary networks that exist today and propose a tentative classification of them. It will also briefly describe how their members are elected their main sources of funding and the main issues they deal with.
A case study of the arms trade treaty
The United Nations disarmament and arms control architecture the traditional multilateral negotiating arena for these issues was paralyzed for decades. As a result the advances that were made such as the Anti- Personnel Mine Ban Convention (1998) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008) were negotiated outside this space (even though the depositary of the Treaty is the United Nations Secretary-General).
Conclusions and proposals
The importance of parliamentarians’ involvement in foreign policy issues and in particular in arms control and disarmament is unquestionable. Parliamentarians democratize diplomacy ensure plurality and add value by participating in international forums.
The current case of autonomous weapons
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) understands autonomous weapons systems to be those that select and apply force without any human intervention.
Abstract
This paper examines the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs focusing specifically on its influence in the field of disarmament. It analyses the impact parliamentarians can have on these issues identifying a number of good practices and effective strategies. In addition it offers specific policy recommendations and highlights resources available to strengthen the capacity of parliaments and other stakeholders to enhance and expand their influence in promoting effective disarmament agreements at the international level.
“Disarmament is my favorite word in english” – the role of the advisory board on disarmament matters in keeping dialogue going and for pushing forward in search of cooperation towards a better world
The United Nations is now needed more than ever before. But unfortunately it is not functioning as we all had hoped and envisioned that it would. This dysfunction is on clear display in the Security Council but it also applies to our disarmament machinery.
“Do not listen to the noise around” – promoting greater diversity and inclusivity for the advisory board on disarmament matters
In its 45-year existence the membership of the ABDM has become increasingly diverse. In my time as a member from 2020 to 2023 it continued to move closer to gender parity — there are now eight women and seven men on the Board.
Navigating the shifting international security environment
I was a member of the ABDM from 2008 to 2013 during the period in which Ban Ki-moon was the Secretary-General of the United Nations. I had the distinct honour of chairing the Board in the year 2010.
Foreword
In 1978 the General Assembly established the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM). Then as now its main objective was “to advise the Secretary-General on matters within the area of arms limitation and disarmament.”
Creative and cooperative diplomacy at work – the forward-leaning drive of the advisory board on disarmament matters
As I reflect on my time on the ABDM which I joined in January 2022 two words immediately spring to mind: diplomacy and collegiality.
The advisory board as an instigator for change – from supporting disarmament education to promoting youth voices and global awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons
In February 2011 then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon opened the fifty-fifth meeting of the Board by acknowledging that my city of Christchurch in New Zealand had suffered a devastating earthquake overnight and asking me to convey his heartfelt condolences to our citizens. All members took the opportunity to share their sympathies. In my emotional response I challenged us all to think about what the horrific health and environmental effects would have been if a nuclear weapon had been used or if a nuclear power plant had been attacked or damaged by a tsunami following a large quake. Seventeen days later a quake-induced tsunami severely damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. What I take away from these events is that we simply cannot risk continuing to co-exist with nuclear weapons. For all our sakes our future our planet we must eliminate them. It takes but one miscalculation or accident for catastrophic consequences to be unleashed. Nuclear power plants are also vulnerable and can provide fissile material for nuclear weapons.
UNODA Occasional Papers No. 41
Celebrating 45 Years of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters - Creative, Inclusive and Cooperative Diplomacy at Work
This Occasional Paper commemorates the forty-fifth anniversary of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM) a unique body that provides expert advice to the United Nations Secretary-General on issues related to disarmament and international security. Drawing on the insights and experiences of current and former members the publication highlights the Board’s contributions to advancing multilateral disarmament its distinctive features and strengths and its potential role in addressing the pressing challenges of today’s world.