Division (3) Activities, outputs and methodologies

This project is divided into three phases. Specific events and timings will be adapted as relevant and according to key developments. Project documents, findings and ideas will be shared with the UN Secretariat and participants with a view to supporting preparations of these annual conferences organised by the UN Secretary-General. The three phases are the following:

1. Phase I:

   The first phase of the project will focus on setting up the project and networks of experts, outreach and communication, and framing the issues and themes to be explored. Key activities include:

   • The establishment of an initial regional network of relevant experts and institutions for the project;

   • Outreach to and interviews of relevant individuals involved in various ME WMDFZ initiatives will begin;

   • Literature review and relevant documentation-gathering related to a ME WMDFZ between the period from the 1995 NPT Review Conference to the conclusion of the 2015 NPT Conference. Relevant broader policy research on other nuclear weapons free zones and/or initiatives, as well as on Middle East security cooperation experiences, will also be reviewed.

   Key outputs include:

   • A first meeting of the project reference group;

   • A side event at the General Assembly First Committee in October 2019, with the participation of relevant regional experts and institutions, to describe the project, present initial themes, and discuss key priority areas to be explored;

   • A chronology of key events and an outline of the themes, issues, and debates that comprise a narrative of discussion of the WMDFZ issue in this region. For ease of reference, this review will include a table of contents and be divided into sections highlighting the most important findings. Those materials could be shared with participants and observers to the Conference on the Middle East WMDFZ to be convened by the UN Secretary-General in 2019;

   • A workshop to be organised in Valletta, Malta in December 2019 bringing together 15-20 members of the project's regional network and members of the project reference group to share updates on the UN conference, possible next steps and any emerging issues that the project may wish to take into account and/or revise as a result of the Conference.

2. Phase II:

   The second phase of the project will focus on engaging with relevant individuals, experts, academic and policy researchers, and institutes in the region for the purpose of obtaining insights and perspectives on the issues and themes identified in Phase I as well as validation of the narrative on WMDFZ efforts between 1995-2015. Key activities include:

   • Up to 50 one-on-one interviews with individuals from within and outside the region involved in ME WMDFZ zone discussions and/or research from 1995 (via meetings in the region, in the margins of relevant international meetings or conferences, by Skype and/or telephone);

   • Up to six small research institute-facilitated meetings of relevant experts (up to 25) in the region with a view to: (a) validate and refine drafts of the narrative account, including key facts and dates; (b) obtain perspectives on priority issues, obstacles, challenges and opportunities for progress on the zone; and (c) explore possible ways to overcome identified obstacles and challenges to allow some forward progress toward a ME WMDFZ and regional security issues in the Middle East. It is envisaged that meetings will take place in Egypt (Cairo), Jordan (Amman), Iran (Tehran), Lebanon (Beirut) and Kuwait;

   Key outputs include:

   • A full draft of UNIDIR's report on the WMDFZ initiative in the Middle East;

   • A UNIDIR-compiled overview of key issues and obstacles that includes ideas regarding current and/or future initiatives and perspectives on possible ways forward identified during the course of research and expert discussions;

   • A second meeting of the project reference group to take stock and assess progress of the project and validate UNIDIR's overview of key issues;

   • A special event organised in the margins of the 2020 NPT Review Conference;

   • A meeting organised at UN Headquarters in New York in 2020 to present relevant updates and findings of the project to UN Member States and other relevant stakeholders;

   • A workshop in Aqaba, Jordan to update on progress to date in the UN Secretary General conference process and to consider priority areas that might be pursued in subsequent meetings.

3. Phase III:

   The concluding phase of the project will entail the finalisation, for publication by UNIDIR, of the narrative account. During this period and building on the comprehensive stocktaking and analyses undertaken in Phase 2, the project will convene a final two multi-stakeholder workshops to consider the summary of options and recommendations on the way forward.

   Key activities include:

   • The publication of remaining briefing papers setting out those options and perspectives that have been identified as potentially promising for prospects for enhanced regional security cooperation, inter alia, via a WMDFZ in the Middle East, and relevant considerations for policymakers;

   • Launching events (panel presentation and discussions) in Geneva, Brussels and Washington to publicise UNIDIR's narrative account and findings;

   • Two workshops that bring together experts and officials acting in their personal capacities, to be crafted in light of the outcome of the 2020 Review Conference and relevant discussions in UN conferences on the ME WMDFZ. Potential locations are Cairo, Egypt and Rome, Italy.

   Key outputs include:

   • A narrative account of the ME WMDFZ, freely accessible via UNIDIR's website, with key chronologies, annexes and data;

   • Up to five briefing papers on specific aspects, options and perspectives of the ME WMDFZ;

   • Two workshop summaries, to be shared with relevant officials, authorities and multilateral processes, outlining perspectives, views and ways forward on the ME WMDFZ.

A combination of methodologies will be used in the course of this project, including comparative literature review and analysis, open source document collection and analysis, and oral interviews. The latter will follow standard research procedures, including soliciting the interviewee's signed willingness to be recorded, review of any written accounts or summaries with the interviewee for factual accuracy and the non-distribution of oral interview recordings or accounts without the express consent of the interviewee according to a standard interview protocol. Open source and oral history accounts and details will be triangulated for factual accuracy.

All meetings undertaken during the course of this project will take place under Chatham House rules.

All project materials, including open source and oral materials will be digitally archived and maintained by UNIDIR for a set duration. UNIDIR's style guides and quality assurance processes will be applied to all publications, including external peer reviews of draft manuscripts.