Renewed UN mandate aims to stop spread of weapons of mass destruction

The Security Council today issued a three-year extension to the mandate of a United Nations committee which works to halt the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Set up under a 2004 Security Council resolution, the committee is part of a regime imposing binding legal obligations on all States to establish domestic controls aimed at preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

All States are also obliged to refrain from supporting non-State actors to develop, acquire, manufacture or transport nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. States are also required to establish laws to prevent any of these activities by non-State actors, in particular for terrorist purposes.

The committee also promotes better cooperation between countries on measures to block the spread of such weapons, and promotes universal adherence to existing international non proliferation treaties.

The committee compiles information on progress States are making to comply with the resolution, by assessing the physical protection of weapons, border security and law enforcement efforts, as well as controls over exports and trans-shipments.