By The South Asia Times

GENEVA – Pakistan assumed the presidency of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament (CD) on Monday, placing the South Asian nation at the center of global arms control negotiations as the world's sole multilateral disarmament forum grapples with mounting security challenges.

Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi, Pakistan's Additional Secretary for Arms Control and Disarmament and its Foreign Office Spokesperson, will preside over the 65-member body's meetings at the UN Office in Geneva throughout Pakistan's tenure.

Pakistan holds the final presidency of the Conference's 2026 session and will therefore conclude its proceedings for the year. During its presidency, Pakistan will steer negotiations on the CD's Annual Report and the corresponding resolution in the First Committee of the UN General Assembly.

In its first official acts as president, Pakistan initiated consultations with the previous presidents of the 2026 session and held discussions with representatives of regional groups.

The Conference on Disarmament stands as the world's single multilateral forum for negotiating disarmament and arms control treaties. Its membership includes all states possessing nuclear weapons, making it a uniquely important platform for international security dialogue.

The CD's agenda addresses some of the most pressing security concerns of our time, including:

• Cessation of the nuclear arms race

• Prevention of nuclear war

• Prevention of the weaponisation of outer space

• Nuclear disarmament

• Negative security assurances

The CD and its predecessor bodies have negotiated some of the most consequential instruments of the international security architecture. These include the Biological Weapons Convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

Pakistan's assumption of the CD presidency at this critical juncture reaffirms the trust placed by the international community in Pakistan's diplomatic leadership and its constructive role in multilateral arms control and disarmament diplomacy [citation:0].

The presidency places Pakistan at the centre of the global discourse on arms control, disarmament, and international peace and security – a position of considerable responsibility given the current geopolitical climate.

Pakistan's presidency comes at a time of heightened international tensions, with nuclear modernization programs underway among major powers, growing concerns about space weaponization, and the breakdown of several bilateral arms control agreements between the United States and Russia.

The CD's inability to reach consensus on a working program for several years has frustrated many member states, though Pakistan has expressed hope that its presidency can help build bridges and move negotiations forward.

Ambassador Andrabi is expected to continue consultations with member states in the coming days to advance the CD's agenda and work toward consensus on the 2026 Annual Report. The Conference is scheduled to continue its deliberations under Pakistan's leadership until the conclusion of its 2026 session.