Spain welcomes Security Council resolution on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction

This adoption took place at the Council meeting chaired by the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Alfonso Dastis, following the high-level debate that included the participation, among others, of the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jan Eliasson. The resolution received sweeping support and was co-sponsored by 71 States, including all the members of the Security Council.

The adoption of Resolution 2325 culminates the task carried out by Spain on the issue of non-proliferation over the last two years. Spain headed up the efforts on the Security Council to combat proliferation and took on the unprecedented responsibility of chairing the three Council committees on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction: the 1540 Committee, the 1718 Committee on Sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and as the Facilitator of the Nuclear Agreement with Iran, as expressed in Security Council Resolution 2231.

With Thursday's adoption of Resolution 2325, the process of the Global Review of Resolution 1540 (2004) is now concluded, the main international instrument to prevent these risks and threats. This process has been headed up by Spain through chairing the 1540 Committee for the period 2015-2016, and included the active participation of the United Nations and its Member States, international organisations and civil society, particularly the business and academic worlds.

The text adopted reaffirms the commitment to the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by the international community, establishing new measures to that end. Specifically, States and the 1540 Committee are asked to focus on those sectors and regions that require the greatest attention, and to take into account new risks of proliferation. Furthermore, aid for those States that request it to fight proliferation is improved, and there will be enhanced coordination between the Security Council and international organisations. Similarly, the transparency of the work of the Security Council is heightened in this area and the role of MPs and civil society in the fight against proliferation is acknowledged.

In short, Resolution 2325 creates renewed foundations for the next five years that step up the mechanisms to prevent the risk of the possession and use of weapons of mass destruction by terrorists.