Tomorrow (15 June) Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will deliver the opening speech at the 26th Forum on Global Issues. After the Minister has spoken, the lead-in speech will be given by Ms Hannelore Hoppe, deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

Since US President Barack Obama’s speech in Prague, the international debate on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation has been taken to a new level. Within just a few days in April this year, the US Nuclear Posture Review was published, the START follow-on agreement signed, and 47 heads of state and government attended the Nuclear Security Summit. For the first time in ten years, at the 8th Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in May, the parties to the NPT adopted by consensus a final document containing a comprehensive action plan for the coming years.

In the light of these disarmament-related events this spring, the 26th Forum on Global Issues will seek on the one hand to assess the current situation and on the other to discuss the potential for future disarmament – and obstacles to it – with representatives of politics, business and civil society.