Meeting Announcment

The Middle East is currently witnessing severe changes and unprecedented political developments; perhaps this the most critical era facing the entire region since many decades. Within this troubled region, there were some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Syria has become a chemical weapons free state, the bad news is that we still have nuclear weapons in the region. The past five years witnessed a deteriorating security situation, a weakening of state structures and the evolution of non-state actors (mostly violent state-actors). The diminishing role of various political regimes requires urgent attention. Violent non-state actors are seeking to acquire dual use equipment/materials which could be used indiscriminately and at large scale. It is a fact that ISIS/Daesh have invested on developing a chemical weapons program and possibly a biological weapons program. Amidst these regional developments we have a deadlock surrounding the NPT process which feedbacks negatively on efforts aimed at preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction. Needless to say that the establishment of a WMDFZ in the Middle East is the right measures to establish regional security and stability that will help solve all pending problems in our region. With the reported deadlock on the NPT process, there are a number of important legal structures (some are evolving) that could bring positive and lasting change, including: - The Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons Process which focus on the humanitarian dimension of nuclear weapons and risks associated with it. A process that is finding wide international acceptance and participation. - The Open-ended Working Group Process which focus on concrete effective legal measures, legal provisions and norms that would need to be concluded to attain and maintain a world without nuclear weapons - The UNSCR1540 Process which was adopted in order to address enforcement gaps in global non-proliferation frameworks, including proliferation within non-state actors. These mechanisms provide a valuable opportunity to building confidence within the Middle East. The Amman meeting will witness a number of components and specialized events, including special discussion by the Arab Consortium on Security and Nuclear Non-Proliferation, a workshop designated for students and young professionals as well as others. Additionally, the Amman meeting seeks to observe the 20th anniversary of the CTBTO.