Pakistan unanimously elected Chairman of UN Disarmament Commission 2024

NEW YORK: Pakistan was unanimously elected as the Chair of the United Nations (UN) Disarmament Commission for the year 2024 on Monday.

The announcement came as the commission commenced its 2024 session amidst escalating geopolitical tensions and growing concerns surrounding trust deficits among major military powers worldwide.

The UN Disarmament Commission is a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly. It is tasked with formulating policies on a range of disarmament issues.

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Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Usman Jadoon was selected to lead the Commission’s proceedings for the current year, garnering unanimous support from fellow delegates.

The Pakistan ambassador affirmed his country’s commitment to upholding the “principles of multilateral diplomacy” and “serving as an impartial mediator in facilitating constructive dialogue among member states”.

He stated he was dedicated to ensuring an “inclusive and efficient discourse” within the disarmament commission. He said all UN member states needed to engage in “collaboration” and “collective engagement” to resolve pressing issues plaguing the international arena currently.

Jadoon addressed the present delegates after the unanimous election. The Pakistani ambassador pledge to fulfill the country’s responsibilities with “integrity” and “transparency”.

He pledged to attentively consider all viewpoints and collaborate with other relevant bodies to improve the effectiveness of the disarmament commission’s decision-making procedures.

He explained that the disarmament commission focuses on detailed discussions about disarmament, unlike the broader political talks of the First Committee in the UN General Assembly that cover topics such as arms control and international security. It also differs from the specific negotiations held at the Conference on Disarmament.

Jadoon talked about the need to “cultivate flexible attitudes” based on mutual respect and a deep understanding of each state’s security concerns. He stated that all UN member states needed to work together to find consensus-based solutions that consider the perspectives of all stakeholders.
Jadoon expressed confidence in the UN disarmament machinery’s ability to achieve concrete results with “political will” and “focus”.

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He urged all member states to remain dedicated to the disarmament agenda, and to seek dialogue in addressing security challenges.

The Pakistani ambassador stated as the Chairman of the UN Disarmament Commission, Pakistan was committed to advancing “global disarmament goals” and “fostering productive engagement among” different states.