Regional disarmament

Regional approaches to disarmament and confidence-building measures were undertaken by States not only to enhance their security but also to build trust among neighbouring States within the respective regions. The need for a regional approach to disarmament was stressed in two 1992 reports of the Secretary-General, and the United Nations has facilitated regional and sub-regional efforts aimed at preventing conflict through easing tension and promoting confidence and trust. The Disarmament Commission (UNDC) adopted, by consensus, guidelines and recommendations for regional approaches to disarmament in 1993, and for nuclear-weapon-free zones in 1999 respectively. Within recent years, the United Nations has interacted and cooperated with regional and subregional organizations to promote disarmament. The three regional centres of the Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA), established in the 1980s, provide practical support for these approaches in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament