The Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND), the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the World Future Council (WFC) are co-organizing a webinar on Parliamentary action to reduce nuclear risks and advance nuclear disarmament.

2021 has been a busy year with regard to nuclear weapons with both advances and setbacks. On the one hand, an erosion of global governance led to an escalation of the nuclear arms race, an increase in conflicts and tensions between nuclear-armed countries, and the collapse of some key arms control agreements such as the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. On the other hand, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force in January 2021 for the 53 countries which had ratified it and in June the US and Russian Presidents met for the first session of a renewed Strategic Stability Dialogue.  Regional nuclear-weapon-free zones, which are crucial to the success of disarmament and non-proliferation regimes, are attracting more countries than ever and the establishment of such a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East is being rejuvenated.

The upcoming year of 2022 seems to provide the world an opportunity to make meaningful progress in global efforts towards non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, starting with, among others, the organisation of the long due review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in early January after delays due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Leaning on recommendations made in the publication Assuring our Common Future, this webinar will make use of the recent developments, notably by addressing the progress of the NPT review conference (4-28 January 2022), to assess the roles and opportunities that parliamentarians have in promoting nuclear disarmament.

The webinar will take place in two sittings to suit participants in different time zones. While sitting A will be in English only, the working languages of Sitting B will be English and French. It will take place on Zoom.

Registration links

January 19, Session 1: Timed for Asia/Pacific 7:00-8:30 CET (English): https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMsdemtqD0pHNxbvwO80oAMXoeut_3QVr81

January 19, Session 2: Timed for the Americas/Europe/Africa: 16.30 – 18:00 CET (English, French):
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqf-2vrD8rGNaIcW8aZoSPfyRLagLTF24C