UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the adoption of a “strong outcome document” at the end of a conference dedicated to combating illicit small arms and light weapons worldwide, saying it was an important sign of progress.
“The proliferation, diversion and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue to undermine peace, security and sustainable development around the world – fueling conflict and armed violence and causing devastating human costs”, the UN chief said in a statement.
He congratulated member states on successfully concluding the Fourth Review Conference, welcoming the setting up of an open-ended technical expert group to address developments in small arms and light weapons manufacturing, technology and design.The secretary-general acknowledged the pledges made by States to advance global aid and collaboration as well as to put gender-responsive policies into effect.
“I firmly believe that the advancements made…will support our national and collective efforts to combat illicit small arms and light weapons until the next review conference in 2030,” stated Guterres.The UN president went on to say that he hoped the small arms agreements will guide discussions at the September Summit of the Future in search of “action-oriented and forward-looking solutions for a more peaceful future.”
In a statement to participants earlier in the month, Guterres said that the summit was taking place during a “difficult and dangerous moment for humanity,” where millions of people are in risk due to ongoing wars in which light weapons play a significant role.According to UN statistics, small weapons are the primary source of violent deaths and are used as the primary weapon in almost half of all homicides worldwide.
Recent advancements in small arms production, technology, and design, including 3D printing, are contributing to the illicit spread of light weapons.The New Agenda for Peace policy brief from the Secretary-General acknowledges the role that small weapons control plays in averting war and fostering peace. It offers suggestions for enhancing supply and demand-side regional, national, and international control initiatives.
During the discussion, Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram expressed grave concerns about terrorist organizations like the TTP, a group that is on the UN terrorist list and is said to use safe havens in Afghanistan to carry out lethal cross-border attacks inside Pakistan. These groups have been acquiring and using sophisticated small arms of late.
The Pakistani envoy informed the delegates, “These weapons are not made by terrorists or criminals; rather, they are obtained from illegal arms markets or from organizations seeking to destabilize a specific area or nation.”Ambassador Akram stated, “It is imperative to look into how terrorist groups and criminal organizations obtain such sophisticated weapons.” “All States and the UN must take action to stop the illegal transfer, sale, and diversion of these weapons.”
He added that hundreds of thousands of lives are lost annually, terrible suffering is inflicted on civilians, economies and societies are destroyed, and conflicts, terrorism, and peace and security are all threatened by the illicit proliferation, excessive accumulation, and misuse of small arms and light weapons.
