The First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly convenes annually in New York for five weeks (four in October and the first in November). It examines all issues related to disarmament and international security, and it drafts, negotiates, and approves all resolutions on these matters (the texts are then submitted to the General Assembly in December for final adoption). The Conference on Disarmament also reports to the First Committee through an annual report.
Each session of the First Committee is divided into three parts: general debate, thematic discussions, and action on draft resolutions. Discussions and resolutions are structured into seven clusters: nuclear weapons; other weapons of mass destruction; outer space; conventional weapons; other measures for disarmament and international security; disarmament machinery. The Committee’s work is crucial for advancing disarmament and security policies, as it defines the international agenda, decides on the creation or continuation of specific processes (such as negotiations), establishes their mandates, and, of course, formulates recommendations for concrete actions. Reflecting the significant divisions within the international community on these issues, two-thirds of resolutions are approved by vote and the remaining ones by consensus.
As Italy considers disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation as essential components of its foreign policy, it actively participates in the work of the First Committee both at the national level and in various coordination formats, including the European Union, NATO, the Broadly Likeminded Group (non-nuclear countries members of a nuclear alliance), and other ad hoc formats.
Main Statements
79th Session 2024
Amb. Leonardo Bencini:
- General Debate October 16 video
- Cluster I: Nuclear Weapons October 21 video
- Intervention during the debate on Cluster I exercising the right of reply October 21 video
- Cluster II: Other Weapons of Mass Destruction October 23 video
- Cluster III: Outer Space October 30 video
- Cluster V: Other Disarmament Measures and International Security October 25 video
- Cluster VII: Disarmament Machinery October 29 video
Cons. Eugenio Poti:
- Cluster IV: Conventional Weapons October 24
78th Session 2023
Amb. Leonardo Bencini:
- General Debate October 4 video
- Cluster I: Nuclear Weapons October 16 video
- Briefing on the IX Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) October 17 – video
- Cluster II: Other Weapons of Mass Destruction October 18 video
- Cluster III: Outer Space October 20 video
- Cluster V: Other Disarmament Measures and International Security October 24 video
- Cluster VII: Disarmament Machinery October 25 video
Dr. Elena Gai:
- Cluster IV: Conventional Weapons October 23
77th Session 2022
Amb. Leonardo Bencini:
- General Debate October 4 video
- Nuclear Weapons October 14 video
Cons. Pietro De Martin:
- Other Disarmament Measures October 24
Cons. Tancredi Francese:
- Other Weapons of Mass Destruction October 18
- Conventional Weapons October 20
- Outer Space October 26
- Machinery (on behalf of a group of States) October 27
Documenti e risorse utili
General Assembly of the United Nations
