Treaties & Regimes
Below you will find information on treaties, organizations, and regimes relating to disarmament, arms control, and nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Information on each treaty or organization includes relevant full text documents, country memberships, an analytical overview, and a chronology tracking ongoing work and related developments. All entries are updated regularly, as events warrant. This material was prepared for the NTI site by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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Chemical & Biological
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Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
The OPCW is the implementing body of the CWC; its mandate is to ensure implementation including verification measures and furnish a forum for consultation and cooperation among States Parties.
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Nuclear
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International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the international center for nuclear cooperation and promotes safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies through cooperation with its 151 Member States.
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Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO Preparatory Commission)
The CTBTO Preparatory Commission prepares for the effective implementation of the CTBT, and for the first session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty.
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Other
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Conference on Disarmament (CD)
The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community. The CD and its predecessors have negotiated many multilateral arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament agreements.
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United Nations
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United Nations
The central mission of the UN is to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations and promote social progress, better living standards and human rights.
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United Nations First Committee
The First Committee of the UNGA debates disarmament, nonproliferation, arms control, and international security issues, recommending resolutions and decisions for adoption by the plenary session of the UNGA.
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United Nations General Assembly
The UNGA considers general principles of cooperation in international peace and security, including the principles governing disarmament and arms regulation, and makes recommendations to Member States or the Security Council.
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United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs
UNODA provides support to Member States on disarmament issues. It fosters preventive measures, such as dialogue, transparency, and confidence-building; encourages regional disarmament efforts; and provides information on UN disarmament efforts.
Countries:
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United Nations Security Council
The UNSC is one of the main deliberative UN organs for security issues. It is the only UN organ that can pass legally binding resolutions.
Countries:
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NONPROLIFERATION EXPORT CONTROL REGIMES
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Ballistic Missiles
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Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC)
The HCOC is intended to supplement the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Under the HCOC, states make politically binding commitments to curb the proliferation of WMD-capable ballistic missiles.
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Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)
The MTCR was established as an informal, non-treaty association of governments sharing common interests in the nonproliferation of missiles, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. It has 34 member states.
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Chemical & Biological
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Australia Group (AG)
The Australia Group is an informal association of 41 member states that aims to allow exporters or transshipment countries to minimize the risk of proliferation of chemical and biological weapons.
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Conventional Weapons And Dual-Use
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Wassenaar Arrangement
The Wassenaar Arrangement is an export control regime with 41 participating states that promotes transparency of national export control regimes on conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
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Nuclear
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Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)
The NSG is a group of 46 supplier countries that works for nuclear nonproliferation by implementing two sets of Guidelines for nuclear and nuclear-related exports. It first met in 1975.
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Zangger Committee (ZAC)
The Committee consists of 38 states and establishes guidelines for implementing export control provisions. The Committee established a Trigger List of items that are subject to IAEA safeguard inspections.
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OTHER
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Partnership Arrangements
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Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT)
The GICNT is an international partnership intended to improve international capacity for prevention, detection and response to nuclear terrorism, particularly the acquisition, transportation or utilization of nuclear and radiological materials.
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Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction ("10 Plus 10 Over 10 Program")
The Partnership is a formal multilateral nonproliferation initiative created by the G-8 countries in 2002. G-8 countries fund and implement projects to prevent terrorists and other proliferators from acquiring WMDs.
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Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)
PSI is an informal and voluntary partnership of states, without an organizational framework, treaty or permanent staff, which facilitates cooperation to stop the transport of WMD, missiles, and related technologies.
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Political Groupings
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Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
Created in 1961, NAM has sought to “create an independent path in world politics that would not result in member States becoming pawns in the struggles between the major powers.”
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REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
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Africa
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African Union (AU)
The African Union was established to promote the unity and solidarity of African countries, defend state sovereignty, eradicate colonialism, promote international cooperation, and coordinate and harmonize Member States’ policies.
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Asia
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Arms Control and Regional Security in the Middle East (ACRS)
ACRS was created in 1991; it is a forum in which thirteen Arab States, Israel, a Palestinian delegation, and several other entities focus on confidence-building and arms control measures.
Countries:
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Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
ASEAN was established in August 1967 with the purpose of accelerating the economic growth, social progress, and cultural development in the region, and promoting regional peace and stability.
Countries:
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Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO)
KEDO was established to implement the U.S.-DPRK Agreed Framework. Its primary responsibilities were to assist with the light-water reactor project and to provide heavy fuel oil to the DPRK.
Countries:
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South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
The SAARC, established in 1985, seeks to promote the welfare of the peoples of South Asia, promote active collaboration and mutual assistance, and cooperate with international and regional organizations.
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Europe
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Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
The CIS is an association that coordinates the facilitation of free movement of goods, services, labor force, and capital between member states. It also promotes cooperation on security matters.
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Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC)
The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council is intended to bring together the NATO Allies and other Partners in a forum providing for regular consultation and cooperation.
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European Union (EU)
The EU aims to promote economic and social progress in Europe; to introduce European citizenship; and to develop an area of freedom, security, and justice, among other objectives.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
NATO was founded in 1949 and has 28 Alliance Members. Its member countries are committed to sharing the risks and responsibilities as well as the benefits of collective security.
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Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE)
The OSCE is the world’s largest security organization with 56 member states. It deals with a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, nonproliferation, counterterrorism, democratization, and human rights.
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Latin America And The Caribbean
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Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL)
OPANAL is an inter-governmental organization that ensures that the obligations of the Treaty of Tlatelolco are met, by organizing conferences and consultations and overseeing adherence to the Control System.
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Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials (ABACC)
ABACC is a bi-national safeguards agency created by Argentina and Brazil in 1991 to ensure that the two countries are using nuclear materials strictly for peaceful purposes.
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Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
CELAC is a regional bloc that aims to unite, strengthen, and promote the interests of Latin American and Caribbean states. It is a successor of the Rio Group and the 2nd Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC).
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Organization of American States (OAS)
OAS consists of 35 independent states of the Americas who seek to establish and maintain peace and justice, promote solidarity, strengthen collaboration, and defend their sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence.
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Rio Group
The Rio Group is an association of 23 Latin American countries that seek, among other foreign policy issues, prevention of the introduction of WMD in Latin America and the Caribbean.
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SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS
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Uncategorized
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International Science and Technology Center (ISTC)
The ISTC is an intergovernmental organization that serves as a clearinghouse for projects that engage weapons scientists, technicians, and engineers from the CIS in civilian science and technology activities.
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Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA)
The NEA is a specialized agency within OECD whose objective is to assist Member countries in maintaining and developing nuclear energy as a safe, environmentally acceptable, and economical energy source.
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Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU)
The STCU was established in 1993 to support peaceful research and development activities by Ukrainian, Georgian, Uzbek, and Azerbaijani scientists and engineers formerly involved in the development of WMD.
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