Trini takes part in UN disarmament tour

KRISTAN Jhagroo, a foreign service officer at the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, was TT’s first ever recipient of the United Nations Fellowship on Disarmament.

The prestigious fellowship is open to public servants working in foreign affairs and national security and focuses on, among other things, ending the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

Jhagroo was one of 25 young diplomats and government officials from Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Iraq, Panama, South Korea, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Switzerland, Timor, Trinidad and Tobago and Tanzania.

The ten-week whirlwind world tour started in August at the UN’s office in Geneva, Switzerland, and ended on Thursday at the organisation’s headquarters in New York.

Among the agencies the fellows visited are the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands; and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation in Vienna, Austria. Also included were country specific study visits hosted by the governments of China, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, and the Republic of Korea and Switzerland, as well as by the European Union.

Among the topics covered were the different treaties and conventions that govern disarmament, including, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction, as well as the prohibition or restriction on use of certain conventional weapons that may be cause significant injury or have indiscriminate effects, and the Arms Trade Treaty.

Jhagroo and her fellow participants received their certificates of participation on Thursday from the UN’s High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu.

Jhagroo, through TT’s permanent representative at the UN, Ambassador Pennelope Beckles, said she hoped her experience could enhance the experience and knowledge capacity at the ministry, especially on matters like the small arms trade and trafficking, which do affect TT and the wider Caricom region.

Beckles noted that Jhagroo’s selection was an achievement for the country and was proud to see TT represented at this level.

“TT strongly supports the UN Counter Terrorism strategy and the Secretary General’s (Antonio Gutteres) plan of action on violent extremism as it would undoubtedly further bolster international counter-terrorism efforts through international cooperation.

“By providing a pragmatic strategic global framework that is rooted in international cooperation, intelligence sharing and capacity building, TT with international partners, can contribute and benefit from global community in enhancing security for civilians while curbing the spread of terrorist recruitment and financing.”

TT is scheduled to host a regional UN counter-terrorism conference early next year.

The United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament was launched in 1978 with the aim of promoting expertise in disarmament in more UN member states, particularly in developing countries. Implemented by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Programme has trained more than 1,030 public officials from 170 states, a large number of whom are now in positions of responsibility in the field of disarmament within their own governments or in international organisations.