Government representatives are meeting at United Nations Headquarters to review global action to address the illegal flow of revolvers, pistols, assault rifles, machine guns and other similar weapons.
The United Nations Security Council today adopted a resolution urging stronger cooperation in stemming the “illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse” of small arms and light weapons, underlining the suffering they caused to civilians.
The Security Council today, meeting at the ministerial level, voiced its grave concern at the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, which perpetuate conflict and instability worldwide and cause significant loss of life.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomes the “successful” conclusion of the Second Review Conference of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, which ended on Friday with the adoption of a final report, according to Mr. Ban's spokesperson.
Some 600 small arms and light weapons have been wiped out in Côte d’Ivoire over the last two days by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) as part of the country’s first weapon destruction exercise since the 2011 post-election crisis.
The number of private security guards is now almost twice that of police officers, as governments around the world outsource many of their security functions, according to a new report based on data compiled by the United Nations.
Keeping track of small arms in conflict, post-conflict and conflict-prone areas is a key to identifying where such weapons and ammunition may be diverted for illicit use, and thus improve the security of stockpiles and shipments, says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Central African nations to ratify as soon as possible a regional convention curbing light arms and small calibre weapons, pledging United Nations support for the measure in the furtherance of peace and stability.
Zambia has backed the convening of a United Nations conference to discuss an international agreement to regulate trade in small arms and light weapons, saying uncontrolled trade in such arms threatened the country’s security and social development.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has teamed up with Norway in a new drive to try to reduce armed violence, which kills more than 2,000 people every day, most of them civilians.
