GA1:

The General Assembly First Committee, GA1, will be addressing the disarmament of conventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction and related international security questions. GA1 will make recommendations on the regulation of these weapons as they relate to international peace and security. However, GA1 does not consider legal issues surrounding weapons possession nor does it address complex peace and security issues addressed by the Security Council. For the 2021 conference, GA1 will discuss developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security and women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.  

In regards to the agenda topic information and communications technologies (ICT), Representatives of Colombia state that, “ICT needs to be upgraded to prevent potential cyber-attacks… No state can afford to lose any percent of their GDP to avert cyber activities.”  While many delegations agree with the sentiment shared by Colombia, Cuba goes further to urge Member States to create a working group aimed at peaceful use of ICTs.    

Many Member States, such as Bangladesh, express a willingness to work together to create a peaceful cyberspace. Bahrain, believes that ICT regulation should be regulated by the States but does acknowledge that “the United Nations and the international community do have a role when dealing with information and telecommunication.” In contrast to Bahrain, the government of Bangladesh, “sides with the notion that international law should apply to cyberspace to ensure responsible usage of cyberspace and to prevent malicious behavior.” While these states differ in their opinions on ICT,  we look forward to seeing how they work together to substantive work. 

The second topic that GA1 will be discussing is women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. The Representatives of Costa Rica share that they are, “focusing on the SDGs for gender inequality” but admit they have shortcomings in data gathering for those goals. Costa Rica is also utilizing the UNODA Women Scholarship for Peace program to give scholarships to women to attend university in San Jose to “bridge the gap for women in high level talks about non-proliferation.”

The Representatives of Ireland weighed in, saying, “Though the inclusion of women in conversations regarding conflict on the world stage is crucial, that alone is insufficient in making efforts towards ensuring the equity and protection of all populations of women internationally.” The Representatives of Ireland also reaffirm their belief that the United Nations must provide aid to women in conflict.  

While GA1 is a large committee and we know that opinions differ on the use of information and communication technologies, we look forward to the work the body puts forth.