Statement on CBRN Disinformation

Distinguished representatives:

In the recently agreed Pact for the Future, the General Assembly pledged to address the risks to sustaining peace posed by disinformation. To support the General Assembly’s efforts and to bolster the resilience of the international community’s disarmament obligations and commitments, the 31 members of the G7-led Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction launched the Countering WMD Disinformation initiative. Further endorsed by the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, the initiative is a coordinated, multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary effort to understand and counter state-sponsored or state-adjacent disinformation across the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear spectrum.

Disinformation in the CBRN domain poses a critical threat to the multilateral international security system that the First Committee strives to uphold. CBRN activities are particularly vulnerable to manipulation due to their technical complexity and dual-use nature. Disinformation in these fields not only amplifies and takes advantage of public fear but it also erodes trust in international verification mechanisms, undermining treaties such as the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Nuclear Non- proliferation Treaty (NPT). This erosion of trust jeopardizes the Committee’s efforts to promote transparency, build confidence among states, and ensure global peace and security.

In recent years, the spread of CBRN-related disinformation has accelerated, driven by the increasing reach and speed of modern communication platforms. Today’s disinformation campaigns are more pervasive, involving a wider array of actors, and they threaten to unravel years of hard-won progress on international security and disarmament. Without decisive action, disinformation could undermine key disarmament treaties, disrupt multilateral institutions, exacerbate tensions within the international community, and significantly hinder peaceful international cooperation and assistance.

The GP Counter WMD Disinfo initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, brings together four leading organisations, each employing distinct, evidence-based approaches to counter CBRN disinformation. We invite all delegations to engage with the resources available on our website, GPWMDcounterdisinfo.com, including policy briefs, short reports, and video explainers, offering insights into CBRN disinformation tactics, analysing contemporary and historical disinformation campaigns, and outlining effective strategies for countering these evolving threats.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your continued engagement in addressing the growing challenge of CBRN disinformation.

The GP Counter WMD Disinformation Initiative