On January 20, Israel will assume the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, under the leadership of Israel’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Ambassador Eviatar Manor. The first formal session of the Conference was held on the morning of 20 Shevat 5774, when the Secretary-General of the United Nations addressed the Conference.

The Presidency of the CD rotates among its member states, with each President holding office for four working weeks. The first and only time that Israel assumed the role of President of the CD was 11 years ago.

The Conference on Disarmament was established in 1979 as the sole permanent multilateral forum for negotiating treaties on disarmament and arms control. The CD conducts its work by consensus and adopts its own Rules of Procedure and its own agenda, taking into account the recommendations of the General Assembly and the proposals of its members. The CD has 65 members, including Israel, which has been a member state of the Conference and its Western Group since 1996.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)