United Nations General Assembly First Committee

The work of the committee falls under seven thematic clusters:^[1]

• Nuclear weapons
• Other weapons of mass destruction
• Outer space (disarmament aspects)
• Conventional weapons
• Regional disarmament and security
• Other disarmament measures and international security
• Disarmament machinery

The work of the committee usually begins in late September and ends by the end of October or early November. The work of the body is split into three stages: (1) general debate, (2) thematic discussions and (3) action on drafts.

During the first stage, the general debate, the committee discusses its agenda items for around eight days. This period of debate is then followed by two weeks of thematic discussions on each of the seven clusters. During this stage, the body hears testimony from high-level officials in the field of arms control and disarmament. It also holds hearings in the form of interactive panel discussions with various representatives from disarmament entities. In the final stage, the body votes on any resolutions or decisions that it has drawn up during its session.^[1]

The First Committee has two main bodies that report to it: the Disarmament Commission (UNDC) and the Conference on Disarmament (CD).^[1] It also hears reports from any expert groups it establishes.

The Disarmament Commission meets yearly in New York for three weeks hosting both plenary meetings and working groups. The work of the commission is usually divided between two working groups, with each group tackling one topic from the whole range of disarmament issues for that session, one of which must include nuclear disarmament. The commission reports to the General Assembly via the First Committee at least once a year.^[2]

While the Conference on Disarmament is not formally part of the United Nations machinery, it still reports to the General Assembly annually, or more frequently, as appropriate. Its budget is also included in that of the United Nations. The conference meets in Geneva triannually and focuses on the following issues:^[3]

• Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament
• Prevention of nuclear war
• Prevention of an arms race in outer space
• Effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons
• New types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons including radiological weapons
• Comprehensive programme of disarmament and transparency in armaments.

The following make up the bureau of the First Committee for the 77th Session of the General Assembly:^[4][5]

• United Nations General Assembly Second Committee
• United Nations General Assembly Third Committee
• United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee
• United Nations General Assembly Fifth Committee
• United Nations General Assembly Sixth Committee

• Office for Disarmament Affairs - First Committee Webpage
• First Committee for Disarmament and International Security
• Six Committees of the United Nations General Assembly
• Reaching Critical Will