Let's Renew Some More - 1977 (2011)

S/RES/1977 follows the line of the previous resolutions that renewed the 1540 Committee mandate and also S/RES/1540 itself. There is the same reaffirmation that proliferation is a threat to international peace and security and it is also acting under Chapter VII. It is followed by the threat of appropriate and effective actions in accordance to the UN Charter, while reaffirming that peaceful pursuits of material related to WMDs should still take place and the consideration that the obligations of these resolutions do not alter the obligations under previous multilateral treaties that address the same issue areas. There is a stress on the need for all Member States to comply to their already established obligations under international commitments related to arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation. A clause that only tries to call attention to the previous commitments, including their own resolutions and efforts. There a different clause in the preamble stating the concern of the Council when it comes to the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction and its means of delivery by non state actors, in association with terrorism. This is one of the most explicit time that the linkage between the non-proliferation efforts and terrorism is made in the resolutions related to S/RES/1540. The preamble also passes by the issues of international cooperation and coordination as means to halt challenges such as illicit trafficking and established legislation related to proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Renewing 1540 again - 1810 (2008)

S/RES/1810 returns to most of the concepts already established in S/RES/1673 and S/RES/1540 when it comes to considering proliferation a threat to international peace and security, stressing the relevance of the 1992 Presidential Statement, reaffirming that it does change the commitments under previous multilateral agreements, calling for cooperation in illicit trafficking and also stating that there can be action against violators under the options of the Charter. The preamble also praises the work already developed by the 1540 Committee and stress the importance of the report that was requested at S/RES/1673 two years before. It also reaffirms that the work of the committee is a long-term task, a detail that first appeared on S/RES/1673 as well. The innovation on this preamble is the portion that deals with the role of the 1540 Committee in terms of dialogue between it and Member States also the committee’s role in trying to enhance coordination efforts at all levels. In a passing note, S/RES/1810 references the issue of financing of proliferation activities being dealt under the Financial Action Task Force. As S/RES/1540 and S/RES/1673, S/RES/1810 acts under Chapter VII of the Charter.

Renewing 1540 - 1673 (2006)

The S/RES/1673 deals mainly with the 1540 Committee renewal and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction inside the organization and its surrounding agencies. The preamble comes from the same basis as S/RES/1540, mainly on the terms of coming from stating that proliferation of any of the three weapons of mass destruction is a threat to international peace and security granting the basis for action under Chapter VII of Charter. It also goes on again reaffirming that the provisions and obligations from other multilateral treaties that deal with those weapons. There are two important innovations from S/RES/1540 to S/RES/1673. Firstly is that not all States have presented the report required by S/RES/1540 that was supposed to be sent within six months, this 2006 resolution calls for States to submit the report. Secondly, there a clause on the preamble that state that the task required by 1540 are a “long-term task that will require continuous efforts at national, regional and international levels,”. With this opening they endorse the work already developed by the Committee related to the national reports already submitted.

Creating a Bureaucracy - 1540 (2004)

In short, the resolution 1540 (2004) created a new bureaucracy to deal with issues related to non-proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction. This bureaucracy is now know as the 1540 Committee and it operates under the authority of the United Nation Security Council, as some sanctions committee and the Counter-Terrorism Committee. As they put it in the forth operative clause: “Decides to establish, in accordance with rule 28 of its provisional rules of procedure, for a period of no longer than two years, a Committee of the Security Council, consisting of all members of the Council, which will, calling as appropriate on other expertise, report to the Security Council for its examination, on the implementation of this resolution”. This being the main action, there are still important elements that complement this resolution and its impacts on the current efforts of non-proliferation.