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numbers of victims of both conflict and natural
disasters are increasing as never before. When
tragedy strikes, organizations such as the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs (OCHA) act speedily to move the key
players and resources where they are urgently
needed. In economic development, the UN
Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) represents the concerns of
developing nations, and particularly, the
Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to extend
the benefits of globalization as equitably as
possible. it will be the year of the Biological Weapons
Convention (BWC), since the Special
Geneva’s standard-setting work has improved Conference to adopt a verification protocol
the lot of people everywhere. Our basic to the BWC as well as the Fifth Review
assumptions about acceptable working Conference of States Parties to this Convention
conditions, such as paid holidays, the right to will take place. These efforts should culminate
sick leave, etc., are the result of the efforts of in the establishment of a new compliance-
the International Labour Organization (ILO). monitoring body that will build confidence
The World Intellectual Property Organization in the effectiveness of prohibiting “germ
(WIPO) has elaborated laws of copyright warfare.” Other negotiations in 2001 will focus
and protection of intellectual property. The on restricting the use of certain conventional
World Trade Organization, the entity that weapons (CCW), or so-called inhumane
is expanding and liberalizing global trade, weapons. The CCW review will also consider
hardly needs introduction. outlawing excessively injurious weapons from
being deployed in war.
Human security will be the leitmotiv for
Geneva’s actions in the coming century, Geneva must now forge closer links with
whether in disarmament, human rights or the new actors in international relations.
humanitarian action. Human survival itself Diplomacy is carried out in a number of
is the driving force behind the Conference on ways: conference diplomacy, for example, by
Disarmament (CD). While New York retains the CD; by the Director-General himself; and
the consultative bodies in disarmament by his increasing initiatives to expand links
matters, the nuts-and-bolts of treaty-making with regional entities. UNOG is collaborating
is the CD’s work. Away from the media’s glare, more closely with regional intergovernmental
the multilateral and bilateral agreements organizations, such as the Organization for
produced have saved millions of lives and Security in Europe (OSCE) and the Council
spared our environment untold damage and for Europe within the context of the process
contamination. The CD is the international of informal tripartite consultations. UNOG
community’s single multilateral negotiating has also bolstered cooperation with the
forum for disarmament agreements. All the Commonwealth of Independent States and
militarily significant States are represented the Organization of Black Sea Economic
in this 66-member body. The CD concluded Cooperation. A substantive dialogue is also
two major arms limitation treaties in the last developing with the League of Arab States, the
decade: the Chemical Weapons Convention Organization of the Islamic Conference and
(CWC) in 1992 and the Comprehensive Test the Organization of African Unity.
Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996, which banned all
nuclear testing. Since the UN is actively strengthening ties
with civil society, UNOG is interacting with
In 2001, Geneva will be at the epicenter of important sectors, such as parliamentarians,
global arms-control negotiations. Specifically, in particular the Geneva-based Inter-

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