United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
@unidir
Building a more secure world • Director Robin Geiss
🌕 Once in a blue moon isn't often enough to talk about cislunar security. This #InternationalMoonDay, revisit UNIDIR’s #OS25 panel on the need for transparency and clearer rules as Moon activity accelerates. 📖 Read the report: unidir.org/OS25Report
🌍 Armed violence affects civilians worldwide. Evidence from West Africa shows that addressing both the root causes of violence and the small arms that fuel it leads to more lasting peace. 🗞️ Read more in our new commentary: unidir.org/prevent-SALW
Drug use in armed groups is thought to be widespread, but what does the data show? UNIDIR’s brief examines the indications of drug use during and after association with Boko Haram, and their implications for conflict prevention and reintegration. 🔗 unidir.org/druguse
How are States advancing common understandings on international law in cyberspace? Join us on 20 July in New York for the pre-launch of Mauritius' national position, held as a side event to the Global Mechanism on ICT security 🇲🇺 🔗 Register now: unidir.org/Mauritius-NP
Welcome to UNIDIR, Henri Myrttinen! Henri joins our Integrated Approaches Programme as a Fellow, bringing over two decades of experience on gender, peace and security across governments, UN agencies and civil society. 🔗 unidir.org/Henri-Myrttinen/
💻 How do existing rules apply to cyber operations during armed conflict? Our latest report explores divergent national interpretations of “attack” and whether “digital data” is protected as an object under international humanitarian law. 🔗 Learn more: unidir.org/IHL-Cyber-Ops
👋 Welcome to our new cohort of UNIDIR’s Women in Cyber fellows! This week, 38 fellows are joining us in New York to exchange perspectives, build connections and explore key issues in cybersecurity ahead of the upcoming Global Mechanism on ICT security. 🔗 unidir.org/WiC
🌏 Peace and security start with understanding the risks, technologies and policies shaping our future. This #WorldYouthSkillsDay, build the skills to shape it with our Youth Disarmament Orientation Course, available in English, French and Spanish. 👉 unidir.org/youth-disarm
🌐 What happens when AI systems can plan, decide and act with limited human input? Agentic AI could transform decision-making in security and defence contexts, creating new opportunities and risks. 🔎 Learn more about what this means for international security: unidir.org/AI
How do UN Security Council members view conventional arms control tools for preventing and mitigating conflict? UNIDIR’s latest publication by Senior Fellow Bates Gill assesses their perspectives and recommends how members and UN entities can strengthen their use. 🔗 unidir.org/SC-arms-contro
It’s a wrap on UNIDIR’s training in Bangkok 🇹🇭 Together with Thailand’s NSC, NCSA and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with @globalaffairs.canada.ca’s support, we advanced dialogue on implementing the UN norms of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace. 🔗 unidir.org/Thailand-Cyber
Welcome to UNIDIR, Chris Chung! Chris joins our Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme as a non-resident Fellow, bringing expertise in biosecurity, DNA synthesis screening and AI-enabled biology governance. 🔗 unidir.org/Chris-Chung
🇨🇷 Weapons and ammunition management is key to national security. UNIDIR’s latest report, developed with the Organization of American States and the Government of Costa Rica, assesses how weapons and ammunition are managed in the country. 🔗 unidir.org/WAM-Costa-Rica
🔎 What does the current turmoil in the Middle East mean for non-proliferation and disarmament in the region? UNIDIR’s latest report by Abdolrasool Divsallar unpacks the implications and sums up three years of the Middle East WMD-Free Zone Project findings. 👉 unidir.org/NP-trends-ME
🇨🇳 Last week, UNIDIR Director Robin Geiss travelled to Beijing with Researcher Yasmin Afina and Fellow Lefeng Zheng to engage with government representatives, research partners and industry actors. 🔗 Learn more about the week's engagements: unidir.org/Beijing2026
Inclusive AI governance is key to ensure every country has a voice in shaping AI's future 🌐 UNIDIR's Centre of Excellence on AI, Peace and Security provides a neutral platform to advance dialogue, strengthen cooperation and support responsible AI governance. unidir.org/CAIPS
🇹🇭 UNIDIR, Thailand’s Office of the National Security Council, the National Cyber Security Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs opened a three-day workshop in Bangkok on implementing the UN norms of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace. We thank @globalaffairs.canada.ca for their support 🤝
How can the UN strengthen its approach to preventing and responding to conflict-related sexual violence? Ahead of the UN Security Council debate on conflict-related sexual violence, read our report on how arms control tools can strengthen prevention. 👉 unidir.org/ArmsToolbox
☢️ Nuclear weapons leave lasting harm. Join us on 16 July to explore pathways for a trust fund on victim assistance and environmental remediation, ahead of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons' First Review Conference. 👉 Register now: unidir.org/TPNW-event
Nuclear energy choices aren’t just technical; they rest on political and strategic assumptions, weighed against risks and opportunities. UNIDIR’s new publication examines how security, climate and AI discourses shape decision-making in the Middle East. 📖 unidir.org/ME-nuclear
🛰️ UNIDIR's Outer Space Security Conference is just two months away; register now to join us! Join #OS26 to tackle the technical, legal and policy questions shaping the future of space security. 📅 8-9 September, Geneva and online 🔗 Register now: unidir.org/OS26
🇮🇶 On World Rural Development Day, explore how climate change and conflict legacies undermine agricultural livelihoods in Iraq. UNIDIR’s new brief examines how this affects reintegration of returnees from Syria and broader peacebuilding outcomes. 🔗 unidir.org/agricultureiraq
Safe weapons and ammunition management starts with knowing the gaps. UNIDIR’s Country Insight on The Gambia 🇬🇲 examines capacities, identifies priority gaps and supports reforms to strengthen effective weapons and ammunition management. 🔗 unidir.org/WAM-CI-Gambia
🇨🇳 In Beijing, UNIDIR Director met with Amb. Lu Kang, Vice Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Dai Huaicheng, Secretary-General of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association and member of our Board of Trustees.
Welcome to UNIDIR, Julia Wind-Falk! 👏 Julia joins our Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme as a Fellow through the Mercator Kolleg on International Affairs, bringing extensive expertise in biotechnology, IP law and genetic engineering regulation. 🔗 unidir.org/julia-wind-falk
How do we ensure humanitarian law keeps pace with autonomous weapons? UNIDIR’s new scenario compendium explores 43 operational contexts of potential use of lethal autonomous weapon systems to support IHL analysis in real-world situations. 🔗 unidir.org/Navigating-IHL
Concluding our week in Beijing, UNIDIR Director signed a partnership agreement with Tsinghua University and participated in a panel on unmanned systems in armed conflict, organized by ICRC Beijing at the 14th World Peace Forum. We thank our partners for an insightful week 🇨🇳
🇨🇳 UNIDIR Director met with representatives of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Arms Control to discuss UNIDIR-China cooperation. He also exchanged with representatives of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and the Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
🇨🇴 How is rising insecurity in Colombia impacting those trying to defect from criminal and dissident groups and return to civilian life? Our factsheet highlights key findings and recommendations from UNIDIR’s latest report on the topic. 👉 Read more: unidir.org/MEACFindings50