February 2025 E-News
As we find ourselves collectively living at the intersection of many dystopian novels and films, it is normal to feel overwhelmed. Fascism seems to be taking power in several countries and international law is routinely being violated. Just in relation to weapons, more arms transfers have approved to Israel for the commission of genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestine; AI companies are signing deals with the US nuclear weapon complex and casting off their pledges to not produce weapons; demining programmes are being defunded; and there are renewed strikes against nuclear power plants in Ukraine. However, as RCW’s Director Ray Acheson wrote recently, while this is a time of monsters, “Monsters are what we make of them. While their actions are monstrous, the men performing them are human beings. We should be wary of giving them the power of monsters, of affording them mythical, unopposable status. They are men. They can be defeated.”
Collective action, solidarity, and transnational collaboration are the best way forward. As highlighted in this edition of our E-News, hundreds of civil society groups, researchers, organisers, and activists are taking on the arms industry in various ways. Upcoming meetings at the UN, global days of action, and ongoing organising to disrupt weapon production and trade all provide opportunities to get engaged. “Mass harm is being done and more is to come,” writes Ray Acheson. “But there is a revolutionary potential to this moment…. We can make sure there are consequences for fascism—if we are in solidarity with one another, if we act, if we confront their hate with love for justice and each other.”
In this edition:
- Upcoming disarmament meetings
- Stop arming Israel
- TPNW celebrates four years of entry into force!
- New season of WILPF’s podcast “Think and Resist”
- Four important calls for inputs!
- Gender and Disarmament Database: Recommendation of the month
- Upcoming events
- Featured news
- Recommended resources
Current and upcoming disarmament meetings
Tenth Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies
The Open-Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies is meeting for its tenth substantive session on 17–21 February 2025 in New York.
ATT Working Group Meetings
The Working Group meetings of the Arms Trade Treaty will take place on 25–28 February 2025. Ahead of the meeting, RCW has published an updated briefing paper providing delegations with information about their legal obligations under the ATT in relation to arms transfers to Israel. Subscribe to our ATT Monitor to receive coverage of the meeting!
First Session of the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
The Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE on LAWS) will meet for its first session of 2025 from 3–7 March in Geneva, Switzerland. Subscribe to our CCW Report to receive coverage of the meeting!
Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
The Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will take place 3–7 March 2025 in New York. RCW will be posting statements and documents on our website. Subscribe to the Nuclear Ban Daily to receive coverage of the meeting!
2025 NPT Preparatory Committee
The Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is scheduled to hold its third session at UN Headquarters in New York on 28 April–9 May 2025. If you are a WILPF member who wishes to attend the NPT PrepCom, please reach out to Emma Bjertén ([email protected]) before 10 April so that we can include your name in WILPF’s accreditation letter.
Last month, a ceasefire deal was announced in the Gaza Strip. Since then, civilians have struggled to return home due to unexploded ordnance, as well as due to ongoing violence perpetrated by Israel, which has violated the ceasefire agreement and intensifed its attacks in the West Bank. Despite the fragility of the deal, the United States approved the sale of more than 7.4 billion USD in weapons to Israel. US-based organisations have been calling on Members of Congress to block the sale.
A series of investigations have also further examined the role of other states in the violence perpetrated in the last 15 months in Palestine. A piece by Balkan Insight revealed that Serbia has increased weapons sales to Israel from 1.4 million Euros to 42.3 million between 2023 and 2024. Mark Smith, former UK Foreign Office policy adviser who resigned over the UK’s refusal to halt arms sales to Israel, wrote a piece in the Guardian about his experience as the lead advisor on arms sales policy. He said that he witnessed “senior officials under intense pressure from ministers to skew the legal assessment,” and that “processes are manipulated to produce politically convenient outcomes.” An investigation by the Progressive International, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and the American Friends Service Committee revealed an ongoing pattern of military cargo flights from the Zaragoza Air Base in Spain to the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, transporting over 60,000 military weapons parts and handgun parts directly to Israel since October 2023. And an investigation conducted by Il Fatto Quotidiano found that many of the flights for intelligence assistance by the US and the UK to Israel departed from Italian airports or from US military basis in Italy such as Sigonella. Additionally, despite Italy having suspended arms transfers to Israel, Leonardo, an Italian weapons manufacture, announced it will continue providing remote technical assistance, repair, and spare parts supply for Israel’s fleet of M-346 aircraft throughout 2025.
Aircraft have been instrumental in Israel’s violence since October 2023. Project Ploughshares has recently published the report “Global Production of the Israeli F-35I Joint Strike Fighter,” which analyses the global production chain behind the F-35 aircraft, with a specific focus on the Israeli F-35I. The report also assesses the implications for compliance with international arms control frameworks. Commenting on the report, Action on Armed Violence highlightedthat the UK has supplied more than 6.7 billion USD worth of components for the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
In a joint letter coordinated by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), over 230 global civil society organisations, including WILPF, have called on governments producing F-35 fighter jets to immediately halt all arms transfers to Israel, including the F-35 jets, parts, and components. This letter has been sent to the relevant government Ministers of F-35 programme partner countries, which include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States.
In the UK, Palestine Action has continued to disrupt companies with ties to Israeli weapon manufacturer Elbit Systems, as well as media companies that have shown systemic bias against Palestinians. Their actions continue to produce tangible results; most recently, LondonMetric, the landlords of Elbit’s “UAV Tactical Systems” drone factory, has sold the site on after a targeted direct action campaign. The Palestinian Youth Movement and Workers for a Free Palestine, together with many other movements, have announced an International Day of Action Against Israel: Stop Arming Israel, in which they are encouraging people to build solidarity with workers at complicit worksites, among other initiatives. (Image credit: CAAT)
TPNW celebrates four years of entry into force!
On 22 January, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) completedfour years since its entry into force! The treaty currently has 94 signatories and 73 states parties, representing over 2.5 billion people.
Over the past four years, the TPNW has made an impact. Fewer investors are fundingnuclear weapons every year, and financial institutions representing over 4 trillion USD support the TPNW. In the new Don’t Bank on the Bomb report “At Great Cost: The companies building nuclear weapons and their financiers”, PAX and ICAN expose 260 banks, pension funds, and other financial institutions that continue to financially back the nuclear weapons industry. In their research, they found that the number of institutions with significant financial exposure to companies involved in the nuclear weapons industry has dropped by a quarter since the TPNW entered into force in 2021.
As ICAN said, “The treaty is proof that a world without nuclear weapons is possible. By uniting governments, civil society, and impacted communities, we’re building a future free from the fear of nuclear war.” The Third Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW, which will meet 3–7 March in New York, will provide another opportunity for states parties and signatories to advance the treaty’s implementation and impact. (Picture credit: ICAN)
New season of WILPF’s podcast “Think and Resist”
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Season 2 of our podcast series, Think & Resist: Conversations about Feminism and Peace. This season continues our exploration of how feminism can redefine security, featuring in-depth discussions with experts on pressing issues in international peace and security from a feminist perspective.
The new season includes episodes on the weaponisation of artificial intelligence (AI), military spending, land grabbing, and the connections between the nuclear and fossil fuel industries.
Each episode features representatives from WILPF’s Women, Peace, and Security and Disarmament teams moderating conversations with experts, activists, and scholars. Our guests bring diverse experiences and perspectives, enriching our understanding of these complex issues.
You can listen to Think & Resist on various platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. For more information and to access additional resources related to each episode, visit our official podcast page.
Four important calls for inputs!
The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) has issued a call for inputs to the UN Secretary-General report on “Artificial intelligence in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security”. The deadline for submissions is 11 April 2025.
UNODA is also launching a call for papers on the impact of the global increase in military expenditure on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Interested stakeholders are invited to send its contributions and reflections to [email protected] by 1 March 2025.
The UN has also circulated a global call for applications to serve on the new independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War mandated by the Ireland-New Zealand resolution. The application window closes on 1 March 2025.
Amassuru and GENSAC are receiving submissions of general articles about firearms and gender for the second edition of the Women and Firearms Bulletin, especially in the following areas: (i) Firearms and femicides: Exploring the role of firearms in these crimes and their dynamics; (ii) Women in firearm-related crime: Analyzing patterns in women's use of firearms compared to men and their roles as active agents. The organisations are accepting both research papers (20–40 pages) and opinion notes (3–5 pages), including original works or previously published materials (links to originals will be provided). Deadline is 21 February.
Gender and Disarmament Database: Recommendation of the month
Our recommendation of the month is the working paper “Notes on Nuclear Weapons & Intersectionality in Theory and Practice,” written by Ray Acheson and published by the Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University. This paper explores activist strategies and scholarly work from a variety of perspectives and experiences that rebel against currently hegemonic systems of thought, and seeks to apply them to the struggle to abolish nuclear weapons. The paper argues that challenging social ordering and logics of knowledge production, including through breaking binaries and elevating the work of those who have been deliberately marginalized in nuclear discourse, can help achieve nuclear abolition and contribute to other abolitionist projects seeking justice for all.
The Gender and Disarmament Database, created and maintained by Reaching Critical Will, features a wide range of resources such as reports, articles, books and book chapters, policy documents, podcasts, legislation, and UN documents. The database allows the exploration of relevant resources based on their references to distinctive gender aspects in disarmament, such as gender-based violence, gender norms, or gender diversity, and different related topics or types of weapon systems. It currently contains more than 800 resources. Suggestions of new additions can be sent to disarm[at]WILPF[dot]com.
Conferences
Tenth Session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Information and Communication Technologies
17–21 February 2025 | New York, USA
ATT Working Group Meetings
25–28 February 2025 | Geneva, Switzerland
Third Meeting of States Parties of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
3–7 March 2025 | New York, United States
First Session of the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
3–7 March 2025 | Geneva, Switzerland
Events
Global Day of Action to #CloseBases
23 February 2025 | World
Arms Trafficking and Diversion in Latin America: Responses, Reform and Responsibility
25 February 2025 | Online
International Day of Action: Stop Arming Israel
5 March 2025 | World
International Women’s Day: How Secure Aren’t We?
8 March 2025 | Online
Doomsday Clock is closer than ever to midnight
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has updated its Doomsday Clock for 2025, moving it to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. This change reflects growing risks from nuclear threats, climate change, biological dangers, and disruptive technologies such as AI, along with global leaders’ failure to address them.
Russia opposes updated WHO assessment on health effects of nuclear weapons
Health Policy Watch reports that Russia has rejected a World Health Organization initiative to update its assessment of the health effects of nuclear weapons use, claiming that “the negative impact of the destructive factors of nuclear explosions on humans and the environment, on which we have sufficient scientific data, is already obvious.”
According to Health Policy Watch, the proposed initiative, which needs to be approved by the Executive Board in order to go before the entire World Health Assembly in May, would update WHO’s guidance on the “Health effects of nuclear weapons and nuclear war on health and health services,” last revised in 1993. It is co-sponsored by the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and three other Pacific island states, as well as Iraq and Kazakhstan—regions where fall out from nuclear testing continues to have devastating health consequences generations after test explosions by either Russia or the United States.
“Nuclear weapons do not discriminate and have catastrophic consequences on health and the environment,” Samoa’s delegate said, as quoted by Health Policy Watch. “In the interest of health and in the interest of humanity, we need to ensure that nuclear weapons and nuclear war are fully understood.”
Joint Statement by 30 Organisations on the 65th Anniversary of the First French Nuclear Explosion in Algeria: A Global Call for Accountability and Justice
On the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the first French nuclear test in the Algerian desert, which took place on 13 February 1960 under the code name “Gerboise Bleue,” 30 organisations, including WILPF, issued a joint statement at the invitation of SHOAA Human Rights Organization. In this statement, we renewed our call for France to take historical and legal responsibility, declassify all documents related to these tests, initiate the decontamination of affected areas, and compensate the victims. We also called on Algeria to take urgent measures to protect public health and involve civil society in rehabilitation efforts.
Trump claims it will start denuclearisation talks with Russia and China
Newsweek reported that the US President said in a press conference that his administration will discuss denuclearization with Russia and China once "things settle down." Alistair Burnett, from ICAN, told Newsweek: "President Trump has a long track record of talking about nuclear weapons and the threat they pose to humanity. He raised the issue several times during his election campaign last year and several times since he became president he has said he would like to talk to Russia and China about "denuclearisation". We don't have much detail on what President Trump's strategy is, but we want to see him follow through on his talk of denuclearisation and engage Russia, China—and all the other nuclear-armed states—on eliminating nuclear weapons. The best way they could all do that would be to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that came into force in 2021 and half of all countries have already signed or ratified—it is the existing pathway under international law to fair and verifiable disarmament."
Japan announces it won’t participate in 3MSP
Japan has announced it will not be participating in the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) taking place on 3–7 March in New York. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya told a press conference that nuclear deterrence under the Japan-U.S. alliance is "essential to defend our nation."
Ukraine says Russian drone has hit radiation shield in Chernobyl
The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has said that a Russian drone has hit the protective shelter over Chernobyl's damaged nuclear reactor. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said radiation levels inside and outside Chernobyl were normal and stable. The agency remains on "high alert" after the incident, with its director general Rafael Grossi saying there is "no room for complacency". Russia has denied any claims it attacked Chernobyl.
UK makes it easier to build nuclear plants
Bloomberg reports that the UK is changing rules to make it easier to approve and build nuclear plants. New planning rules will give developers more freedom over where they can build new plants, which up to now are restricted to eight government-designated sites. The changes will apply to the deployment of both small modular reactors, as well as gigawatt-scale projects.
Open AI strikes deal with US government to use AI for nuclear weapon security
Futurism reports that Open AI announced a deal with the US government to provide its AI models to US National Laboratories to help with a "comprehensive program in nuclear security." According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the technology will be "focused on reducing the risk of nuclear war and securing nuclear materials and weapons worldwide." ICAN warned, “Nuclear history is rife with near-misses, with disaster averted by a human who chose to trust their own judgment over machines. Applying AI to nuclear weapons increases the chances that, next time, nobody will stop the launch.”
Autonomous weapons manufacturer expands operations in the US
As reported in the Automated Decision Research (ADR) news briefing, the US based AI military start-up—and autonomous weapons developer—Anduril announced that it is building a new $1 billion factory in Ohio that could “eventually produce tens of thousands of autonomous systems and weapons each year.” As highlighted by ADR, “Anduril is closely connected to the Trump administration: it is ‘woven into the network of tech leaders who supported his campaign and won appointments to his administration,’ with Trump’s new ‘White House AI czar’ a significant investor in the company. Similarly, the new U.S. Vice President JD Vance invested in Anduril in his previous career as a venture capitalist. Late last year, Anduril unveiled its Bolt-M UAV, which it claims has ‘onboard software to automate the flight behaviors required to accurately track and strike a target’.”
Google drops ban on using AI for weapons
Alphabet, Google’s parent company, updated its principles on applications of artificial intelligence to now allow its use for surveillance and weapon technologies, which it had previously pledged “not to pursue.” In a blogpost, the company notes, “We believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security.” An articlein TechCrunch highlighted that “in recent years, Google’s contracts to provide the US and Israeli militaries with cloud services have sparked internal protests from employees. The company has maintained that its AI is not used to harm humans; however, the Pentagon’s AI chief recently told TechCrunch that some company’s AI models are speeding up the U.S. military’s kill chain.”
Political Declaration on EWIPA has new endorser
Thailand is the 88th state to endorse the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA). The International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW) celebrated the occasion and called on all states to endorse the Declaration. “For countries that have not yet joined the Declaration, aiming to do so before or around the second international conference in Costa Rica would be a timely objective. The addition of new states signing the Declaration generates continued momentum for the issue of explosive weapons in populated areas, reinforcing the collective capacity of the community of states and organizations already engaged in these efforts,” said INEW.
US halts funding for mine clearance
A piece published by the New York Times explores the harm that will result from the US decision to suspend its global mine-clearing programmes. It highlights that unexploded bombs dropped by the US in Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Laos have killed tens of thousands and maimed many more in the past decades. While people have been working to clear out these bombs for decades, experts say it may take another 100 years to complete the work.
New data on the US gun trade to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
“No Shelter from the Storm: Update on Iron River of Guns,” is a new report by Stop US Arms to Mexico. The report covers new data received through a request to the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It also explores the state of Arizona as a locus of gun trafficking, the gun industry’s arguments before the US Supreme Court, and how US guns exported to Guatemala are used in violence.
Sweden to tighten gun laws after the deadliest mass shooting in the country
After a mass shooting at an education centre for adults on 4 February, leaving 11 people dead, the government of Sweden seeks to tighten its gun laws. The Swedish government has agreed to tighten up the vetting process for people applying for gun licences and to ban some semi- automatic weapons, including the AR-15, an assault rifle based on a military design that has been used in several mass shooting in the US.
New initiative investigates universities’ ties with arms manufacturers and mass-surveillance companies
The “Anti-War Initiative” is investigating individuals and companies involved in war profiteering and their ties to American Universities. So far, the initiative has investigated Princeton University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), both which have ongoing projects with arms manufacturers and mass-surveillance companies.
Ray Acheson, “The Tech-Broligarch Nightmare,” CounterPunch, 16 February 2025
Michael Klare, “A New Military-Industrial Complex Arises,” TomDispatch, 9 February 2025
Ray Acheson, “The Time of Monsters,” CounterPunch, 7 February 2025
Koohan Paik-Mander, “As China and the U.S. Race Toward A.I. Armageddon, Does It Matter Who Wins?,” CounterPunch, 7 February 2025
Sol Nottage, “As Conflicts Rise, ATT States Should Commit to Greater Transparency,” Forum on the Arms Trade, 5 February 2025
Leandro Prazeres, “'Made in Brazil': armas brasileiras são anunciadas por vendedores em área rebelde do Iêmen,” BBC News, 24 January 2025
Elke Schwarz, “The Silicon Valley venture capitalists who want to ‘move fast and break things’ in the defence industry,” The Conversation, 16 January 2025
Webinar: Erin Hunt, Hine-Wai Loose, Susi Snyder, and Roos Boer, “Moving the Humanitarian Disarmament Agenda Forward,” Forum on the Arms Trade, 15 January 2025
Webinar: Marina Aksenova, Shahd Hammouri, James Yap, and León Castellanos-Jankiewicz, “Evolving Legal Challenges to the Arms Trade,” Forum on the Arms Trade, 14 January 2025
“Hovering Threats: The Challenges of Armed Drones in Humanitarian Contexts,” Insecurity Insight, January 2025