- Mohd Ishrin Bin Mohd Ishak, a Malaysian diplomat, joined the UNITAR nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation (NDNP) training programme.
- The programme gave him holistic views on nuclear disarmament and prepared him for international negotiations.
- Malaysia has ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
UNITAR
29 May 2023, Hiroshima, Japan - Amid growing global worries of nuclear threats, nearly 20 diplomats and government officials from Asian countries gathered in Hiroshima from 13 to 18 February 2023, for the UNITAR nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation (NDNP) training programme.
Among them was Mohd Ishrin Bin Mohd Ishak, a Malaysian diplomat. He joined the programme to update his understanding of the United Nations disarmament and non-proliferation bodies and the risks associated with nuclear weapons.
The UNITAR NDNP programme
UNITAR
The six-day training sought to build the diplomats’ understanding of and skills for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation negotiations. It covered topics ranging from understanding the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons and cyberthreats to new technologies and their implications for nuclear disarmament.
In his role at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohd Ishrin makes policy recommendations on multilateral and domestic issues related to cybercrime security and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Working for nuclear disarmament can be challenging, admits Mohd Ishrin. In international negotiations, diplomats must work with other countries and persuade them to accept a particular position on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation – a matter of national security.
Mohd Ishrin says he gained invaluable insights in the UNITAR training that will help him advance Malaysia’s interest in achieving regional and global peace. He appreciated learning from academics, practitioners and diplomats and tapping into the experience of experts advocating for nuclear disarmament.
I can apply and formulate policy recommendations or revise the existing policy of our national position concerning nuclear disarmament.
Hiroshima: A reminder of the devastating impact of nuclear weapons
As part of the training, participants were taken on a visit to the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima – an experience that profoundly moved Mohd Ishrin. He found the Peace Memorial Park told countless stories of innocent lives lost, a solemn reminder of the catastrophic impact of a single nuclear weapon.
“This is heart-breaking that we need to remember. It raises our awareness of the danger of nuclear weapons,” Mohd Ishrin said.
Hiroshima is an icon, a symbol of the need for a world without nuclear weapons. And Mohd Ishrin appreciates the support of countries like Japan to make that vision a reality. He hopes the UNITAR programme will continue to train more diplomats so all can work effectively towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
It is essential to continue educating ourselves, to preserve precious international peace and security, without which human development will not be possible.
Malaysia ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in September 2020. The Treaty came into force in January 2021, cementing a categorial ban on nuclear weapons.
ABOUT UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a United Nations agency that promotes decision-making for a better future through training individuals and groups. Established in 1963, UNITAR reached 370,139 learners through its courses in 2021. In addition to its headquarters in Geneva, UNITAR has offices in New York, Hiroshima, and Bonn, as well as other networks around the world. UNITAR Division for Prosperity shares world-class knowledge and skills related to entrepreneurship, leadership, trade and finance, digital technologies, and disarmament. Especially from its Hiroshima Office and in training for learners from conflict and post-conflict countries, UNITAR incorporates Hiroshima’s rise from the atomic bombing to the current peaceful city as a model of reconstruction. In 2019, the UNITAR Association was established as a public support organization in Japan. It supports UNITAR through publicity and awareness-raising in Japan.
United Nations Online Volunteer M. Fitrah Wardiman contributed to this article.