UN Secretary-General Expresses His Gratitude To PIR Center Founder For Service To The Advisory Board On Disarmament Matters

MOSCOW, JANUARY 21. PIR PRESS. — “During your tenure, you took an active part in the discussions of the Board, formulating concrete recommendations on a number of important issues. I applaud your important contribution to the work of the Board,” — Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General.

Since 2015, for four years Russia had been represented in the UN Secretary-General’s  Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters by PIR Center Founder & Special Advisor, Head of the Center for Global Trendsand International Organizations of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Professor of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University) Dr. Vladimir A. Orlov. 

During Dr. Orlov’s tenure as a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Board, Dr. Orlov has carried out a number of significant initiatives in the field of disarmament and nonproliferation education. In the framework of implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the UN Secretary General “United Nations Study on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Education” that formed the basis for the UN General Assembly Resolution (2002), under the initiative of Dr. Vladimir Orlov in 2016 the world’s first international educational program – M.A. Dual-degree program in nonproliferation studies has been established. The Program is jointly organized by PIR Center, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) and The Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). Under the implementation of the report’s recommendations, PIR Center organizes its annual International School on Global Security as well as offers internship programs aimed at training professionals in the field of nonproliferation and disarmament. 

In 2017 Dr. Vladimir Orlov presented to the Advisory Board Members 10-year plan on disarmament and nonproliferation education. The plan was further elaborated in the article “Recommendations of the 2002 UN Study on Disarmament and Non‑Proliferation Education: Ideas for the Next 10 Years,” published in UNODA Occasional Papers in co-authorship with PIR Center “Russia and Nuclear Nonproliferation” Program Adlan Margoev. 

PIR Center Founder regularly delivers lectures and holds work meetings with students and professors on the issues of nuclear nonproliferation in Russia and globally. 

Consolidation of efforts on implementation of the 1995 Resolution on establishment a WMD-free zone in the Middle East has been another priority for Dr. Orlov’s activities within the Board in 2018. This is the issue of primary importance to the Secretary-General – the recommendations on active involvement in the issue under the initiative of Advisory Board have been put on the SG’s Agenda on disarmament. 

In November 2018 at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry Dr. Orlov delivered a lecture on “United nations disarmament and Arms control mechanisms”. Professor presented work of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board and the UN system in the field of disarmament as well as the report of the Secretary-General on Disarmament Agenda, followed by Q & A session. The lecture was attended by graduate students of Diplomatic Academy and MGIMO-University. 

As a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Board, from 2015 to 2018 Dr. Orlov was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. He participated in the discussions and elaboration of recommendations for UNIDIR development strategy and took part in the reviewing of the Institute projects work and budget implementation. 

Upon the completion of Dr. Orlov’s service, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his gratitude to PIR Center Founder. “During your tenure, you took an active part in the discussions of the Board, formulating concrete recommendations on a number of important issues. I applaud your important contribution to the work of the Board. Finally, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, I highly appreciated your oversight of the programme of work of the
Institute and its financial sustainability.” 

The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu stressed Dr. Orlov’s contribution to the promotion of the Agenda on disarmament: “Thank you for your contribution during the critical period of developing and launching the SG Agenda. I am also grateful for your efforts to promote the Agenda in Russia since its launch!” UNIDIR Director Renata Dwan with her colleagues thanked PIR Center Founder for his work: “On behalf of all of us in UNIDIR, warmest thanks for your engagement and support over the past four years! We’ve really appreciated your commitment and gained much from your insights.” The high professionalism of the expert has been appreciated by the Advisory Board Chairman Vladimir Drobniak (Croatia): “Working with you was not only a pleasure, but a valuable professional experience as well. Thank you for your knowledge and wisdom.” The Board member Lewis Dunn (USA) thanked Dr. Orlov for his contribution to disarmament agenda: “We shall miss you, including not least, your commitment to trying to find a more cooperative and more productive pathway forward for both our countries in this difficult arms control and disarmament area.” 

In his concluding remarks to the Advisory Board Dr. Orlov emphasized the high importance of the Board activity for disarmament issues: “After four years on the SG’s Advisory Board, I must say that it was an enriching experience, with dynamic discussions, with a number of topics we have addressed, and – most importantly – with the spirit of friendship and cordiality”. 

For all questions related to PIR Center Founder you can contact Dr. Vladimir Orlov by phone +7 (499) 940 09 83 or via email orlov@pircenter.org.