Yesterday I was invited to attend a civil society plenary session on UNSCR 1540 (obliging States to refrain from supporting by any means non-State actors from developing, acquiring, manufacturing, possessing, transporting, transferring or using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems) at the UN organized by the Stanley Foundation . The session was co-sponsored by the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs and co-organized by the World Institute for Nuclear Security, the Arab Institute for Security Studies, the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC), the Nonproliferation for Global Security Foundation, the Henry L. Stimson Center, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique (FRS), Institute for Security Studies, and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The Stanley Foundation gives this summary of the purpose of the meeting:
Substantively and politically, this session seeks to address all aspects of implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004) in all WMD proliferation areas covered by the resolution, including the evolution of risks and threats; specific critical issues that have not yet been resolved; and identification of possible new approaches for the implementation of the resolution. More detailed subjects would include possible regional contexts for 1540 implementation; the possible synergies between the most successful national programs and a more global, multilateral, and cooperative 1540 mandate; and, especially, the possibilities of connecting 1540 implementation to the huge global task of national development and national capacity building, specifically in regard to the evolving problem of illicit drug, arms, and people trafficking in today’s globalized world.
The substance of the presentations was excellent and covered a wide variety of topics related to WMD proliferation and the implementation of UNSCR 1540. The proceedings operated under Chatham House rules but you can see the final agenda here: http://www.stanleyfoundation.org/publications/working_papers/Agenda.pdf Equally important was the spirit underscoring the entire effort: the formal inclusion of the voices of civil society in the effort to refine and implement this important resolution. The resolution requires states to implement domestic legislation to prevent non-state actors from manufacturing, acquiring, or transporting WMDs within or from their territory. A Committee was established under the Security Council to monitor implementation of these national legal measures, and states have been required to submit a report on their implementation efforts to this Committee. The Nuclear Threat Initiative says “[t]his approach has significant potential to alleviate some of the most pressing proliferation concerns. However, the resolution requires complex implementation measures and mechanisms that raise questions regarding the prospect of universal state adherence to its varied obligations. ” Put more bluntly, are all states willing and/or able to adhere to a resolution that many had no role in ratifying? Clearly, civil society has a role to play in not only advocating for implementation but also offering feedback to the key actors (especially the 1540 Committee) as to continuing challenges.