The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), in partnership with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), hosted an impactful dialogue on 14 May with Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.
The engagement brought together representatives from civil society and academia for an insightful discussion with Ms. Nakamitsu. It provided an opportunity for participants to learn from the Under-Secretary General about the progress, priorities and challenges surrounding general trends in disarmament, nuclear issues, the risks of sensitive technologies and the interplay between disarmament and development. At the same time, they were able to exchange views with the Under-Secretary-General on areas where civil society and academia can better contribute, suggest alternative perspectives for consideration in disarmament and development policymaking, and explore how to strengthen multilateral frameworks that underpin these efforts.
The event aimed to foster greater collaboration and identify how these groups can enhance their contributions to global disarmament initiatives.
SAIIA was represented by Isabel Bosman and Gustavo de Carvalho from the African Governance and Diplomacy programme, and KAS-SAIIA scholar Divashnee Naidoo.
“The Under-Secretary-General’s willingness to engage with civil society and academia on the broad topic of disarmament was valuable. It reaffirmed to them that the issues they care about are also of importance at the multilateral level, and it highlighted potential ways for them to contribute further on this issue,” said Isabel Bosman.
