Mr. Chairman, Director-General, Distinguished Delegates, Civil Society Colleagues:

Mr. Chairman, Director-General, Distinguished Delegates, Civil Society Colleagues:

As advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) continue to transform the global technological landscape, civil society calls for proactive measures under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to address emerging AI-driven threats. AI can improve verification, monitoring, and preventive actions within CWC mandates. However, it also poses unique risks in both civilian and military applications.

Israel faced a major setback on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups launched a successful attack. After this successful terror attack, many questions were raised concerning Israeli technological superiority and robust defence mechanisms in place. Despite Israel's technological superiority, Hamas managed to bypass these defences. The issue likely wasn't with the technology itself; the surveillance systems along the Israel-Palestine border were reportedly functioning as expected.

Four months ago, on May 10, 2024, the global Uyghur movement received a massive shock by serious allegations of sexual harassment involving two of its prominent leaders: Dolkun Isa, Executive President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) headquartered in Munich, Germany, and Nury Turkel, Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and Board Member of the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP). The scandal has laid bare many truths - severe organizational failures, systemic corruption, and a blatant disregard for victims' (women's) rights.

Following major crackdown on terrorists in the Kashmir Valley and the redeployment of troops from the southern Pir Panjal range to Ladakh due to the ongoing border standoff with China, terrorists have shifted their base from Kashmir to the Jammu region. This shift is particularly evident in areas such as Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, and Kathua, where dense forests and steep mountains offer militants ample cover.

In the 1850s, upon receiving the first telegraph messages, the flummoxed British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, famously exclaimed, "My God, this is the end of diplomacy!" His reaction reflected the skepticism and surprise that often accompany shifts in public diplomacy. As technology continues to evolve, it increasingly overshadows traditional forms of diplomacy, which are now often viewed as relics of the past.

Since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel, West Asia has become the epicentre of geopolitical strife. Each day brings new sensational developments that quickly overshadow previous events. However, amidst the ongoing war in Gaza, a notable development has garnered the attention of geopolitical analysts, security experts, and Middle East observers. Fourteen distinct Palestinian political factions, including Hamas and Fatah, united to sign a pact aimed at bolstering unity to put an end to their yearslong ongoing rivalry.

The World Uyghur Congress (WUC), a global umbrella organisation of the Uyghur people headquartered in Munich (Germany), completed two decades of its creation in April 2024.

Every summer, news of people dying due to the scorching rays of the unforgiving sun circulates in popular media. Though the size of the published articles keeps decreasing in width and breadth as the season goes by, do not mistake its miniature manifestations as a sign of reduced importance. Instead, it is a sign of India's growing complacency with the extreme climatic conditions, also more fondly known as 'Summer.'

On May 30, 2024, China successfully deployed a communications satellite destined for Pakistan. The PakSat MM1, a versatile communication satellite, was launched atop a Long March 3 B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province. The satellite is positioned in a geosynchronous orbit and is slated to commence operations by August 2024.