When the United Nations General Assembly created the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in 1980, it was a period defined by sharpened global divides. Nuclear arsenals loomed large, mistrust was deep, and there was a clear need for an impartial space where evidence and dialogue could inform international security.

Fast forward to 2025, the world is different, yet no less dangerous. The threats are more diffuse, the technology more complex, and the politics more polarized. Conflict touches one in every four people on the planet. Nuclear tensions are rising. Military spending is climbing at record pace. There is a crisis everywhere we turn.

As UNIDIR marks its 45th anniversary, the institute has introduced a new strategy designed to meet today’s demands and prepare for tomorrow’s uncertainties. In an era of AI-driven warfare, rising geopolitical tensions, and ongoing humanitarian crises, UNIDIR remains committed to shaping responses that reflect our times and anticipate the challenges ahead.

A unique UN platform

UNIDIR occupies a special place in the UN system. It is independent in its research, yet firmly anchored in the multilateral disarmament machinery. 

This allows the institute to play a dual role: producing impartial analysis while serving as a trusted convener of governments, experts and civil society.

That combination of evidence-based research plus inclusive dialogue is UNIDIR’s trademark. For diplomats, it offers a neutral space to exchange ideas and explore solutions. For policy-makers, it provides research that translates technical issues into actionable insights. And for a wider network of partners from across sectors and around the world, it is a bridge into UN diplomatic processes.

This diversity of stakeholders is one of UNIDIR’s true strengths, as a think tank working on global security, arms control and disarmament. By connecting governments, academia, regional experts, industry voices, community leaders, and youth activists, UNIDIR ensures policies are both technically sound and grounded in real-world experience. Its research, from the humanitarian toll of explosive weapons to the risks of AI-driven military decisions, reflects the complexity of today’s global security landscape.

Building a more secure world

The launch of UNIDIR’s 2026–2030 strategy comes at a time of heightened global uncertainty. Intensifying geopolitical tensions, rising nuclear dangers, and accelerating technological disruption are among the top threats to worldwide stability in the coming decade. In such times of uncertainty and transformation, demand for a trusted, forward-looking think tank is especially high.

UNIDIR’s new strategy lays out how the institute plans to respond to these challenges. Its vision is simple but ambitious: a world where people are protected from armed conflict, existential risks, and technology-driven threats. To get there, UNIDIR focuses on five modes of action:

• Innovative research. Conducting research on the full spectrum of weapons-related security challenges.

• Constructive dialogue. Building bridges, trust and cooperation.

• Tailored advice. Leveraging our data-driven research ecosystem to offer tailored, evidence-based advice.

• Capacity-building. Building capacity around the world to empower stakeholders and drive informed policymaking.

• Strategic foresight. Anticipating and addressing the global security issues of the future.

In other words: not just analyzing today’s problems, but helping the international community stay ahead of tomorrow’s challenges.

Where UNIDIR makes a difference

UNIDIR’s work helps shape governance systems that can handle disruption, adapt to change, and advance peace and human security in a rapidly changing world. The institute’s strategy focuses on three key areas of excellence where UNIDIR can make the biggest impact.

• Strengthening arms control and disarmament. UNIDIR drives action to tackle some of the world’s most pressing security threats. It seeks to prevent the development, spread and use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their delivery systems. It also works to reduce the devastating impact that modern conflicts have on civilians, including through the illicit proliferation of conventional weapons in general and small arms and light weapons in particular.

• Preventing conflict to build brighter futures. UNIDIR prevents conflict at multiple levels – from mitigating geopolitical tensions and managing escalation risks to strengthening local resilience in communities affected by violence. It contributes to efforts that reduce misunderstanding and miscalculation between States, and places people at the centre of peacebuilding and security, strengthening inclusive approaches that empower communities and advance diverse perspectives.

• Advancing the governance of emerging technologies. UNIDIR endeavours to reduce the risks that come with advances in science and technology technology, as well as to amplify the opportunities, translating complex technological developments into actionable policy insights that support responsible governance. It promotes human-centred approaches grounded in international law and ethics, bridging technical and policy communities to strengthen transparency and trust.

To secure a safer future, UNIDIR’s work spans critical issues. From nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, drones, cyber threats, and conventional weapons to space security and chemical and biological weapons, the institute turns complex technology and policy into tailored advice. Its work on human security, exiting armed conflicts, and regional efforts such as the pursuit of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction brings the voices of women, youth and local communities into decisions that affect their lives, building trust and reducing risks along the way.

This breadth reflects the institute’s recognition that today’s security dilemmas are interconnected, and that responses must be adaptive and inclusive. Through its Global Disarmament Research Network, UNIDIR connects experts across regions and disciplines to bring diverse perspectives into global security debates.

Why does this matter? Because disarmament is not a challenge any single country, sector or community can solve alone. Building bridges, between North and South and among different stakeholder groups, is central to progress.

Humanity at the heart of UNIDIR’s research

Behind the research lies a purpose, and behind every data point is a human story. UNIDIR’s work reaches beyond policy briefs and reports, it connects data to people and insight to action.

Take small arms and light weapons. On average, more than 700 people die every day from their use. UNIDIR’s research does not just track the numbers. It looks at how arms flows destabilize communities, how weak regulation fuels conflict, and how better governance can save lives and help people exit armed groups.

This people-centered, forward-looking lens is what makes the institute’s work resonate far beyond diplomatic circles.

Forty-five years on

As UNIDIR turns 45, the institute is hosting a high-level panel on 2 December to look ahead at the challenges and opportunities shaping global security in the decades to come.

From new approaches to nuclear arms control and disarmament to the risks of emerging technologies, the discussion will spotlight practical pathways towards a safer and more resilient future.

In an era of uncertainty, UNIDIR’s blend of research, foresight and inclusive convening power remains crucial. The security challenges of 2025 may look different and, in some ways, more complex and challenging from those of the 1980s, but the need for impartial analysis and bridge-building dialogue is as relevant as ever. 

Explore UNIDIR’s research here: www.unidir.org/publication/