The 2020 First Committee briefing book is now available!

Published ahead of the 2020 UN General Assembly First Committee, this briefing book highlights a number of critical disarmament topics and suggests how governments can achieve progress on them.

The General Assembly's work on disarmament is conducted through its First Committee. This briefing book provides a quick overview of the state of play on some of the most pressing issues that will be addressed at this year’s First Committee session. It also outlines recommendations for governments from some of the key civil society groups working on these topics. The civil society organisations, coalitions, and campaigns participating most actively at the First Committee have argued consistently that we can and must replace watered-down outcomes with real results that advance human security and social and economic justice.

At the time of publication, it is not clear in what format the 2020 First Committee session will be convened. It is also not clear what the status of resolutions or procedures for their negotiation will include, nor what kind of statements delegations will be able to provide. The analysis and recommendations included in this publication anticipate that the First Committee will convene in some fashion; however, even if it does not, the suggestions made herein should be taken forward by states in other feasible ways.

The briefing book is available in full, or by chapter and topic.