In the area of the Mission focuses on two broad areas, i.e. Weapons of Mass Destruction and Conventional Arms. In the area of Weapons of Mass Destruction the Mission focuses on the Conference on Disarmament, The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Biological Weapons Convention. Regarding conventional weapons, the Mission focus on Arms Trade Treaty, Small Arms and Light Weapons, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

The vast majority of resolutions dealt with by the UNGA First Committee relate to the Mission’s disarmament portfolio. South Africa and Japan coordinate the annual First Committee omnibus resolution on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), through the relevant Missions in Geneva. South Africa is a member of the New Agenda Coalition (NAC), Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, which coordinates annual omnibus nuclear disarmament resolution. South Africa is also responsible for drafting the ethical imperatives resolution and co-drafts the nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas (with New Zealand, Brazil and Indonesia); the TPNW (with the Core Group); and the towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments (with the NAC).  This coalition has played an active role in the NPT, TPNW with its exclusive focus on nuclear disarmament. South Africa will chair the NAC as from 2021.

Apart from the NAC and SALW resolutions, many other First Committee resolutions also emanate from, and are in many instances first circulated among interested delegations in Geneva.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a core instrument in the area of ??nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation and is the only international instrument that strives to not only prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons,  but also contains a legal commitment for their elimination.  The Mission in Geneva is responsible for the disarmament pillar of the NPT.

South Africa played a leadership role in the negotiations of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which is complementary to the NPT. The TPNW entered into force on 21 January 2021, 90 days after the fiftieth instrument of the ratification, acceptance, approval or accession was deposited.

South Africa is a member of the following Bodies and Treaties in the area peace and security:

Weapons of Mass Destruction

• Conference on Disarmament (CD) – South Africa became was admitted as a member of the CD on 17 July 1996
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation on Nuclear Weapons (NPT) – South Africa joined the NPT on 10 July 1991 as non-nuclear-weapons state.
• Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) – South Africa signed the treaty when it opened for signature on 20 September 2017 and was among the original 50 state parties to the treaty when it entered into force on 22 January 2021.
• Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) – South Africa ratified the Convention on 03 November 1975

Conventional Weapons

• Arms Trade Treaty  (ATT) – South Africa ratified the ATT on 22 December 2014 which entered into force on 24 December 2014
• Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW) – South Africa acceded to this Convention and its Protocols I, II and III, on 13 September 1995.
• Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) – South Africa ratified the CCM on 28 May 2015 and the Convention entered into force on 1 November 2015.
• Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and Their Destruction (APMBC) – South Africa ratified the Convention on 26 June 1998 and the Convention entered into force for South Africa on 1 March 1999.