Pakistan takes charge of UN disarmament conference

Pakistan has assumed the presidency of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD), taking a leading role in international discussions on arms control and global security.

Additional Secretary for Arms Control and Disarmament Tahir Hussain Andrabi is representing Pakistan and will preside over the conference’s meetings during the presidency.

Pakistan holds the final presidency of the CD’s 2026 session. It will therefore oversee the conclusion of the conference’s proceedings for the year and guide work on its annual report and the related resolution for the UN General Assembly’s First Committee.

As part of the opening activities, Ambassador Andrabi chaired a meeting with former presidents of the conference for the 2026 session. He also held consultations with representatives of different regional groups.

The Conference on Disarmament, headquartered at the United Nations Office in Geneva, is the principal multilateral forum for negotiating international disarmament and arms-control agreements.

The forum has 65 member states, including countries that possess nuclear weapons. Its discussions cover some of the most sensitive issues affecting international peace and security.

Key areas on its agenda include preventing a nuclear arms race, reducing the risk of nuclear war and stopping the weaponisation of outer space.

The conference and its predecessor bodies have played a significant role in developing major international security agreements. These include the Biological Weapons Convention, Chemical Weapons Convention and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Pakistan’s presidency comes at a time when nuclear risks, arms competition and emerging security challenges remain major concerns for the international community.

The Foreign Office said Pakistan’s leadership of the conference reflects international confidence in its diplomatic role and its continued engagement in multilateral arms-control efforts.