Conventional weapons issues

Abstract

The year 2006 marked a charged year of events and developments for issues relating to conventional weapons within the framework of the United Nations. The central event was the convening of the United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA) to Prevent Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in All Its Aspects in June-July. Though failing to adopt an outcome document, owing to disagreement over a possible follow-up mechanism, the Conference reaffirmed the relevance of the PoA and its continuing implementation. The lack of an outcome document was mitigated, inter alia, by several developments later in the year. First, the General Assembly at its fall session decided to convene the next biennial meeting of States to consider the implementation of the PoA. Second, the actual implementation of actions flowing from the PoA continued with the start of the work of the Group of Governmental Experts to consider further steps to enhance international cooperation in preventing, combating and eradicating illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons. Third, also at its fall session, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to establish a Group of Governmental Experts to consider further steps to enhance cooperation with regard to the issues of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus. Also in the realm of small arms and light weapons, the Security Council held another open debate on the issue in March, considering ways and means to deal with the issue of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.