Kudakwashe Mapako

LLB , LLM Int’Law🎓@UctLaw|Law and Policy .IHL.Disarmament.Non-Proliferation|#ACONAFellow |Consultant|@AfricanNDVHub | Views=mine

[Jean Pascal Zanders @JPZanders]

#ChemicalWeapons #Disarmament #Syria #OPCW
Deployment of OPCW expert team to Syrian Arab Republic finds chemical weapons previously undeclared to the Organisation
https://t.co/4045RPMV2n

[...]
Since early May, an expert team of the OPCW Technical Secretariat operating under the Office of Special Missions (OSM) has been deployed to the Syrian Arab Republic to advance efforts to establish a complete and accurate inventory of the remnants of the Assad-era Syrian chemical weapons programme.
Out of more than 100 locations across Syria considered as potentially relevant to the chemical weapons programme, the Technical Secretariat prioritised a subset of high-interest sites based on information collected, analysed, and corroborated over the past 12 years.
The current deployment focused on a group of sites located in northern coastal and central areas of the country, broadly within a geographic triangle encompassing Hama, Homs, and Latakia. These areas are known to have remained a stronghold of the former regime throughout the 13-year-long conflict in Syria.
According to the OPCW’s monthly update report, the findings include dozens of chemical munitions previously undeclared to the Organisation, including the same type of aerial bombs that were used in chemical attacks in Ltamenah in March 2017 and Khan Shaykhun in April 2017. Rockets were also found, of the same type as those that were used in the Ghouta chemical weapons attack in August 2013.
[...]

[Sahil V. Shah @SahilV_Shah]

Nearly ten days later, the UNSC releases this statement on #Barakah: https://t.co/3vFsa4IfXE

[Đỗ Hùng Việt @dohungviet]

I expect NWS to follow through on their commitment to (i) engage in substantive talks, leading to future arms control discussions, and (ii) implement risk reduction measures to help push back the danger of a nuclear war, which would have catastrophic humanitarian consequences

[UN News @UN_News_Centre]

After four weeks of negotiations at UN Headquarters in New York, the 11th Review Conference of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) ended on Friday without consensus on a final declaration.
https://t.co/fAu0vJoKoP

[Kudakwashe Mapako @KudaMapako]

It was a pleasure to meet and briefly discuss with the President of Iceland 🇮🇸 marking the final phase of my ACONA Fellowship. I emphasized reinforcing the NWFZ that have been holding a steadfast threshold against the regression of fundamental norms.

[Kudakwashe Mapako @KudaMapako]

@nickmangwana Great to see Zimbabwe actively participating within the multilateral space particularly the NPT. Apart from the nonproliferation and disarmament pillars which are equally important the right to use nuclear tech for peaceful development hits close to the SDG priorities back home.

[Arms Control Assoc @ArmsControlNow]

🚨 ACA ANNUAL MEETING | Panel Announcement

Panel 3: 'Pathways on Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Diplomacy' tackles how the 5 NPT nuclear-weapons states can productively engage in diplomacy after the expiration of New START. Tune in live at Annual Mtg: https://t.co/yfzqLbtFwZ

[Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the UN @zimbabwe_un]

As the Main Committees concluded their work yesterday at the ongoing 2026 #NPT Review Conference, #Zimbabwe reaffirmed the importance of a strong and balanced global #nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

In the Main Committee on Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, Zimbabwe welcomed the draft outcome’s emphasis on nuclear knowledge-sharing, technology transfer and the development of skilled human capital across critical sectors including energy, health, agriculture, water and industry.

In the Main Committee on Disarmament, Zimbabwe reiterated the global norm against nuclear testing and called for legally binding security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon States.

Negotiations now move into the critical phase of consolidating draft outcome language and building consensus ahead of the Conference’s conclusion on 22 May in New York.

 #NPTRevCon #NuclearDisarmament

[Daryl G Kimball @DarylGKimball]

#NPT2026 Review Conference President @dohungviet announces release of revised outcome document, Rev 1. https://t.co/z0DwczBG5L Says it represents our best chance for consensus, urges flexibility, calls for states to bring concrete proposals on how to bridge remaining differences.

[VCDNP @VCDNP]

At an #NPT side event, @VCDNP Senior Research Associate @atomic_yozhik, Senior Fellow Dr. @SokovNikolai, and Ambassador Matteo Fachinotti 🇨🇭 launched VCDNP’s new report on negotiating #nuclearverification in support of #armscontrol, disarmament, and non-proliferation. 📘☢️
This report marks the culmination of a project dedicated to strengthening #capacity for negotiating effective verification systems that underpin future international agreements.
Read more 👇
https://t.co/u6pDGaDP5R

[François Diaz-Maurin - @francoisdm.bsky.social @francoisdm]

New perspectives:
• Dmitry Stefanovich (Moscow) on "behavioral arms control" to limit activities, not hardware
• Olamide Samuel & Kudakwashe Mapako on non-nuclear states' obligations
• Essential pieces by Andrew Facini, Jack Kennedy, and Jingjie He

[François Diaz-Maurin - @francoisdm.bsky.social @francoisdm]

@KomissarWhipla @olamideDIY @KudaMapako @andrewfacini @Jingjie_He

[François Diaz-Maurin - @francoisdm.bsky.social @francoisdm]

With the expiration of New START, the final major pillar of bilateral arms control has collapsed. We are living without enforceable nuclear constraints for the first time since the 1970s.

The May issue of @BulletinAtomic is out: "The Very Uncertain Future of Arms Control." 🧵

[Kudakwashe Mapako @KudaMapako]

Featured in @BulletinAtomic’s May issue! https://t.co/NvLNk9ARTR

[Kudakwashe Mapako @KudaMapako]

When you are done writing that conference paper about irreversibility that no one cares about

[Artem Lazarev @al_azarev]

Technology-driven terrorist threats are rising,also in #CBRN area.
Glad to discuss at @UNODCROCOL working group how int. legal framework vs #CBRNterrorism, promoted by #UNODC_CBRN Terrorism Prevention Programme under #UNGA mandate, backs national norms vs terrorist use of drones.

[UN News @UN_News_Centre]

The NPT Review Conference is a key moment for global nuclear disarmament efforts.

UN’s Izumi Nakamitsu explains the major issues in focus.

https://t.co/60eFZeNRMM

[United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research @UNIDIR]

Join our side event today at #NPTRevCon ☢️ With speakers from France, China, South Africa and Switzerland discussing how sustainable progress can be ensured for nuclear risk reduction.

⏰ 13:15 – 14:30 EDT | Room CR.8

🔗 https://t.co/YNvBpMSQGU

[NorwayUN @NorwayUN]

🇳🇴 today at #NPT2026 RevCon:
-This RevCon must send a clear message:
Non-proliferation commitments are non-negotiable. Strengthening safeguards, supporting the IAEA & addressing compliance challenges are essential to preserving confidence in the Treaty
➡️https://t.co/guMUaoKQRO