The Section for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction assists OAS Member States in abstaining from providing any form of support to non-state actors that seek to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer, or use nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and their delivery systems, through the effective implementation of the obligations established in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) and other mandates.

This Section is part of the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism.

The 1540 Committee, belonging to the United Nations Security Council, underscores the importance of regional organizations in effectively implementing this resolution across all Member States. In July 2017, the position of Hemispheric Coordinator was established at CICTE, supported by the United States Government, to facilitate the implementation of the resolution regionally, under an agreement between OAS-CICTE and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). To date, this coordination continues, fostering a more secure region free of weapons of mass destruction.

Under Executive Order No. 24 of the OAS General Secretariat, the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Section:

• Supports member states in designing, developing, implementing, and monitoring legislation and/or national policies, strategies, and action plans to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, radiological, and/or nuclear) and their financing, in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1540 and other relevant mandates.
• Assists member states in strengthening their national capacities to enforce strategic trade controls and to prevent and counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their financing through various initiatives.
• Facilitates cooperation, coordination, and information-sharing among national authorities, the private sector, civil society, and academia at national, regional, and international levels, and promotes greater awareness of existing and emerging WMD threats.