Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Export Control
Responsibility and transparency by both exporting and importing countries, as well as adherence to the highest regional and international standards
Lina Zettergren is a Judge Referee at the Supreme Court in her native country, Sweden. She joined EUPOL COPPS as a Senior Criminal Justice Expert in October 2019. In her role in Ramallah, she supports changes in the Palestinian criminal justice system, including issues related to fair trials, witness protection, anti-corruption and access to justice. But if you ask her to name a project especially close to her heart, she will immediately talk about mentoring and empowering female lawyers.
With the start of the 18th Meeting of States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the EU Delegation in Geneva, with the support of the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit, hosted on Monday, 16 November 2020, a side-event which allowed Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Sudan, Uganda, Colombia and Sudan to bring testimony to the effectiveness of EU mine action support in these countries. Various experts’ contributions underscored the value of the EU’s support in this field. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Representative in South Sudan, as well as an expert from the Organization of American States (OAS), contributed to the discussions.
“I sure know nothing about the future… I only hope for it to be better than now and the past.” Taken out of context, one might mistake this quote for a COVID-19 related message. It is not.
At the sidelines of the Meeting of States Parties of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), convening in Geneva from 3 to 6 December, the EU presented its assistance activities in support of the implementation of the Convention.
November 30 is a day of remembrance for victims of chemical warfare. On this day the EU reaffirms its support to the universal ban on chemical weapons. “It is a tribute to all those who have lost their lives or loved ones and suffered harm from chemical weapons as well as a commitment to promoting peace and security,” said the EU High Representative. Even if we are approaching an era where an entire category of weapons of mass destruction will have been eradicated, we are still confronted with their use today. The chemical attacks on people in Syria are shocking war crimes and violate international norms. They have caused hundreds of victims, including children.
