With United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research @unidir.org, we are launching a series of technical briefs & webinars on emerging technologies & the #1972BWC

Register now for the 1 st webinar on efforts to address #dualuse challenges of #Al-Driven BioDesign tools.

bit.ly/4oLxlso

💡I'd like to recognize Amb Elayne Whyte, whose leadership & determination were instrumental in the negotiation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Also former USG Angela Kane for her role overseeing the international mission that led to the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria.

🌍 Today we celebrate Women in Diplomacy, those who navigate complex negotiations, bring empathy into high-stakes rooms, and reshape what leadership looks like in international affairs.

🧬A crossroads we can’t afford to miss: In 2025, the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)'ll turn 50 years & every one of the BWC’s 189 States Parties will decide whether to give the treaty its first real upgrade & make it future-proof. Yet outside our disarmament bubble, the world is barely watching.

Early morning in Geneva following one of the side events during the World Health Assembly. A pleasure to hear such a prepared panel including our own Daniel Feakes.
Special thanks to the Pandemic Action Network and the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness & Response.

Today, I took a break from work and visited the UN Library. I found this old image.

It shows a deeply shocking contrast: at the time (1920s), global military spending in just one year could have funded the League of Nations for over 600 years.

So today, on the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, I just want to send a virtual hug to all the civil servants, diplomats, NGOs, and citizens who keep pushing—despite the setbacks, despite the frustration. You are the reason disarmament is still on the table.

Working in disarmament can feel like an uphill battle. But history tells us that change is possible. Every treaty, every arms control measure, every effort to prevent the spread of dangerous weapons exists because people refused to accept that war and insecurity were inevitable.

When conflicts escalate, mistrust deepens, and the news reminds us how fragile peace can be. Sitting in negotiations, looking at the room full of diplomats, I wonder: how do we break this cycle?

Some days at the office, sitting at my desk, I feel that hope. When I go through documents, draft strategies, or prepare for discussions, I remind myself that every small step matters. & then there are the other days when military spending rises yet again over $6.7 billion spent every single day.

At its core, disarmament means reducing or eliminating weapons to prevent conflict, curb suffering, and build a safer world. It’s about shifting our priorities: from military stockpiles to development, from escalation to prevention, from fear to cooperation.
#5ofMarch

Just finished listening to the Stimson Center’s MATCH Project webinar. It examined how blockchain technology can enhance the monitoring and tracking of chemicals. They've worked closely with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to explore it.

The #1972BWC turns 50 this year.

To mark the occasion, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs has launched a special commemorative publication that explores the Convention’s past, present & future.

🔗 Read the publication: disarmament.unoda.org/the-biologic...

with support from @EU

Today is the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and this picture says everything: A woman in science, surrounded by equations, holding something she created. A physicist, a writer, and most recently the author of an agenda for students that celebrates heroines in science.

🇺🇳 This week, I’m at UN Headquarters in New York, working with colleagues to improve the international response framework in the event of a deliberate biological incident (bioweapon attack) ensuring that, if such a crisis ever occurs, countries receive rapid and effective support.