Annual disarmament report 2019
In 2019 the German government worked intensively for a world without nuclear weapons. It also made concentrated efforts to advance small arms control and develop new instruments to address the challenges posed by new technologies.
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Soldiers at the Bundeswehr cyber and information centre - increasingly security also means cyber security
Photo: Bundeswehr/Jane Schmidt
As Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas said when the report was presented, "The coronavirus crisis is the most immediate threat we face – but it is not the only one by a long way, as the end of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty demonstrated to us in Europe."
Erosion of the rules-based order
Increasingly we are seeing a multipolar world order emerging, with a large number of unresolved conflicts and political friction. New weapons systems and the involvement of new domains including space and cyber-space have the potential to fundamentally change the nature of armed conflict. Asymmetric warfare and the question of non-proliferation are moving to the centre stage.
The German government publishes an annual disarmament report to meet its obligation to report to the German Bundestag. It informs the parliament and the general public about the guidelines and priorities of Germany’ policy.
Strengthening the disarmament and arms control architecture
In 2019 the German government again worked actively and intensively to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with a view to achieving a world without nuclear weapons. Another main thrust of activities was small arms control and the development of modern instruments to address the challenges posed by new technologies.
Security Council membership
Within the framework of Germany’s membership of the United Nations Security Council, the German government has helped put nuclear non-proliferation on the agenda again, for the first time since 2011. In 2020 Germany will continue its efforts to retain and strengthen the multilateral disarmament and arms control architecture in conjunction with its partners.
Engagement for peace and conflict prevention
In 2019 it became apparent that consistent engagement at multilateral level pays off in the fields of arms control and disarmament. In 2020 this engagement is to be continued, with a view to reviving arms control and disarmament as well as dealing with new technologies and conflict fields. The goal is to ensure continued engagement for peace and conflict prevention.