2020 Orientation Course: Table of Weapons and Technologies
The order followed by this table corresponds to that of modules 2 to 5 of the 2020 Orientation Course and is not intended to be exhaustive of all weapons and technologies.
This table should be read in conjunction with the separate Reading List. Acronyms used in this table are listed at the end.
Module 2: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapon or potential weaponization
Existing or potential treaty regime(s)
Administering body & other relevant forums & agencies
Main Meetings of States Parties (MSPs), and Reviews
Treaty reference sites
& other key references
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), 1968
The NPT has no formal secretariat. It relies on ODA, New York for support
Reviewed 5-yearly in New York. Meets in Vienna, Geneva and New York in each of the 3 years prior to the Review Conference.
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/npt
See also: https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/repository/
Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), 1963
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/test_ban
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), 1996 (not in force)
CTBTO, Vienna (monitors nuclear tests)
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/ctbt
https://www.ctbto.org/
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), 2017 (not in force)
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/tpnw
Nuclear weapon free (regional) zones
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/nwfz/
Safeguards: Comprehensive (NPT art III) & Additional Protocol
IAEA, Vienna
https://www.iaea.org/topics/safeguards-legal-framework
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC or BTWC), 1972
BWC ISU, Geneva
Reviewed 5-yearly in Geneva
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/bwc
See also: http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/1925
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), 1992
OPCW, The Hague
Reviewed 5-yearly in The Hague
http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/cwc
See also: https://www.opcw.org/
Security Council Resolution 1540
UN Secretariat, New York
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/sc1540/
See also: https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/secretary-general-mechanism/
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/export-controls/
https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/sgreport-terrorism/
Administering body …
Main MSPs and Reviews
Treaty reference sites & other key references
Inhumane Weapons (other than WMD)
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), 1980
CCW ISU, Geneva
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-2&chapter=26&lang=en
See also:https://www.icrc.org/en/document/1980-convention-certain-conventional-weapons
Protocols on Non-detectable Fragments (P I), Mines, Booby-traps etc (AP II), Incendiary (P III) Blinding Lasers (P IV), Explosive Remnants of War (P V)
CCW Protocols I to V (1980, 1995, 1996 and 2003) including Amended Protocol II (APII) (1996)
Annual conferences for AP II & P V only
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-2-b&chapter=26&clang=_en
https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-2-a&chapter=26
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVI-2-d&chapter=26&clang=_en
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)
See CCW AP II
See also dedicated General Assembly process
https://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ieds/
Explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) (includes IEDs)
Mode of addressing the EWIPA issue, e.g. via a Political Declaration, is under discussion
Discussions in CCW and General Assembly
https://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/explosive-weapons/
Anti-personnel landmines
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, 1997
ISU, Geneva
5-yearly Review Conferences; annual MSPs
https://www.apminebanconvention.org/overview-and-convention-text/
Cluster munitions
Cluster Munitions Convention (CCM), 2008
https://www.clusterconvention.org/the-convention/convention-text/
An aspect affecting all weapons issues and armed conflict in general = International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
Geneva Conventions 1949 & Additional Protocols I & II, 1977
ICRC, Geneva
4-yearly Review
https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/vwTreaties1949.xsp
Small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships
Secretariat, Geneva
Conferences of the States Parties meet as required
https://thearmstradetreaty.org/
See also: https://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/arms-trade-treaty-2/
UN Register of Conventional Arms
https://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/register/
Programme of Action on small arms & light weapons(PoA), 2001
ODA, New York
Biennial reviews & 5-yearly Review Conferences
https://undocs.org/en/A/CONF.192/15(SUPP)
International Tracing Instrument (ITI)
https://unoda-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ITI_English.pdf
Firearms, their parts, components and ammunition
Firearms Protocol, 2005
UNODC, Vienna
Biennial Conferences of States Parties
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII-12-c&chapter=18&clang=_en
http://www.poa-iss.org/BPD/Upload/UNODC%20Legislative%20guide%20for%20Firearms%20Protocol.pdf
Accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus
GGE 2020
https://undocs.org/GGE/PACAS/2020/5
Space weapons and Earth-based weapons capable of targeting space assets
Outer Space Treaty (OST), 1967
(forbids placement of WMD in outer space)
Office for Outer Space Affairs, Vienna
COPUOS meets annually
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=0800000280128cbd
See also: https://www.un.org/disarmament/topics/outerspace/
and https://www.unoosa.org/
Missile-related goods and technologies
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), 1987
No Secretariat. France is the 'Point of Contact'.
Members meet annually
https://mtcr.info/guidelines-for-sensitive-missile-relevant-transfers/
Annex: https://mtcr.info/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/MTCR-TEM-Technical_Annex_2019-10-11-1.pdf
This module deals not with traditional weapons as such but with developments in the field of information and telecommunications (ICT) in the context of international security, including the potential for military and other uses of artificial intelligence (AI), and cyber technology for malicious purposes.
https://www.un.org/disarmament/ict-security/
See also: https://unoda-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Information-Security-Fact-Sheet-July-2019.pdf
and https://www.unidir.org/files/publications/pdfs/icts-in-the-context-of-international-peace-and-security-current-conditions-and-future-approaches-en-696.pdf
Lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and Unmanned Aerial vehicles (UAVs) (i.e., robots and drones)
https://www.unog.ch/80256EE600585943/(httpPages)/8FA3C2562A60FF81C1257CE600393DF6?OpenDocument
AP Amended Protocol
ATT Arms Trade Treaty
BWC Biological (and Toxins) Weapons Convention (also BTWC)
CCM Cluster Munitions Convention
CCW Convention on Conventional Weapons
CWC Convention on Chemical Weapons
CD Conference on Disarmament
COPUOS Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
CTBT Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
CTBTO Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation
GGE Group of Government Experts
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross
ICT Information and communications technologies
IEDs improvised explosive devices
IHL International Humanitarian Law
ISU Implementation Support Unit (i.e., secretariat)
ITI International Tracing Instrument
LAWS Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
ML MACHINE LEARNING
MSPs Meetings of States Parties
MTCR Missile Technology Control Regime
NPT Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
NWFZs (regional) nuclear-weapon-free zones
ODA United Nations Office for Disarmament
OEWG Open-ended Working Group
OOSA Office for Outer Space Affairs
OPCW Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OST Outer Space Treaty
PoA Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons
PTBT Partial Test Ban Treaty
TPNW Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear Weapons
UAVs Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones)
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UNOG United Nations Office Geneva
VCDNP Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
WMD weapons of mass destruction