ISS Today: Making progress: implementing UNSCR 1540 in Africa

Ten years ago, on 28 April 2004, the United Nations (UN) Security Council adopted resolution 1540, requiring governments to prevent armed, non-state actors from acquiring, proliferating and using nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Commenting on the anniversary of the resolution, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed to states and other key actors to ‘intensify their efforts to stop the proliferation of these devastating weapons.’ Ban also said that the use of poison gas in Syria was ‘an alarming reminder of the continuing threat of weapons of mass destruction.’