Speaker
Description
The end of 2016 became a true political challenge for the arms control community. New US administration with its tough nuclear rhetoric seriously affected the widespread optimism about the potential momentum for the CTBT ratification by one of the most important Annex 2 States and the impetus for others to follow suit. Before November 2016 there was an actual prospect of catalysing the CTBT EIF. Now any political progress in CTBT-related issues is most likely frozen for the next 4 years. Nevertheless, this gives the arms control community the opportunity to take a step back from politics and look at how to promote CTBT EIF from another angle. It's high time we thought of new platforms that can be involved in CTBT discussion. Within the next 4 years our efforts might be focused on the following: - education courses for potential diplomats of the Annex 2 States/summer schools - new international platforms to promote CTBT (f ex Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that has three Annex 2 States as members, one as an observer and one applied for observer status) - involving youth in promoting CTBT by forging partnerships with other youth organisations (f ex the UN Youth) and major youth platforms
