User:LES birds/UNODA Regional Disarmament Branch

The Regional Disarmament Branch (RDB) is a branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) established in 1998 along with UNODA.

The Branch provides substantive support, including advisory services, to Member States, regional and subregional organizations on disarmament measures and related security matters.

History
In 1981, a UN Group of Governmental Experts on regional disarmament found that determined and systematic efforts in regional disarmament, equitable solution of problems, just settlement of disputes and confidence-building measures at the regional level, could create conditions that would promote disarmament and relax tension at the global level.

Concluding its analysis of the topic, the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC), in 1993, adopted guidelines and recommendations for regional approaches to disarmament. The UNDC found that regional and global approaches to disarmament and arms limitation complemented each other and should be pursued simultaneously, in order to promote regional and international peace and security.

Each year, the General Assembly adopts several resolutions concerning regional disarmament. Through three of these resolutions, the General Assembly instituted the three Regional Centres on Peace and Disarmament overseen by RDB. The Secretary-General also presents an annual report on each of the three Regional Centres.

Structure
The branch serves over 135 countries and comprises a New York-based office as well as three UN Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament that RDB oversees and coordinates:


 * The UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), located in Lima, Peru, serves 33 countries.
 * The UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), located in Kathmandu, Nepal, serves 43 countries.
 * The UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), located in Lomé, Togo, serves 53 countries.

Mandate

 * "To promote and enhance international efforts towards global disarmament and international peace and security through the support and promotion of regional disarmament efforts and initiatives using approaches freely arrived at among the States of the region and taking into account the legitimate requirements of States for self-defence and the specific characteristics of each region", A/64/6 Section 4, Table 4.19, p.30


 * "To promote regional disarmament, taking into account the specific characteristics of each region and in accordance with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of armaments, in order to enhance the security of all States and to thus contribute to international peace and security by reducing the risk of regional conflicts", A/RES/65/45, §9

Activities
The Regional Disarmament Branch is the operational arm of UNODA at the regional, subregional and national levels.

At the request of Member States, regional and subregional organizations, RDB provides substantive expertise regarding disarmament and confidence-building measures in the conflict-prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding efforts of the UN system, including supporting the development and implementation of practical disarmament measures. RDB thereby contributes to the vision of 'ONE UN' in arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation at country, sub-regional and regional levels. This expertise is delivered through programmes which can be grouped in three main areas: training and capacity-building, technical assistance and outreach and advocacy.

RDB assists in the coordination of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation policies and activities at the nexus between the global, regional, subregional and national levels.

RDB further contributes to UN-wide policy discussions and joint programming on cross-cutting issues such as: security sector reform, armed violence prevention and reduction, and gender mainstreaming.