Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for greater efforts to expand the number of signatories, especially among developing countries and States in conflict, to a global pact banning the use of mines, booby-traps and other explosive devices against civilians.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned that global military spending now tops $1 trillion per year while funding for development remains woefully low by comparison, in a message urging leaders to harness the growing political will to reduce stockpiles of weapons and redirect expenditure towards peaceful goals.

The international community must seize the momentum created by last week’s Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament chaired by United States President Barack Obama, a senior United Nations official said today.

Achieving disarmament goals will require more resolute action, a top official from Kazakhstan – which previously had the world’s fourth largest nuclear weapon arsenal, but renounced its arsenal after gaining independence – told the General Assembly today.