Moving Forward: Success at the Second United Nations Programme of Action Review Conference
On 7 September 2012 the review conference concluded with the adoption of a consensus outcome document. The adoption of the document represented a major achievement.
Lauren
Tracey, Researcher,
Transnational
Threats and International Crime Division, ISS Pretoria
This year, 7 September marked the conclusion of the
two-week-long Second United Nations 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 (UNPoA) and the adoption of a consensus
outcome document. The adoption of the document represented a major achievement
and illustrated the international community’s continued commitment to combating
the impact illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) have on many countries.
The UNPoA is a framework document that countries
adopted by consensus in 2001. It establishes a normative framework for small
arms control and covers a wide spectrum of areas and activities that have been
further elaborated and strengthened through various outcome documents of the
Biennial Meetings of States; the International Tracing Instrument to Enable
States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small
Arms and Light Weapons (ITI); the report of the Group of Governmental Experts
on Brokering; and the chair’s summary of the meeting of governmental experts in
2001.
During the review conference, member states renewed
their pledge to fight the impact illicit SALW have on many parts of the world.
States further emphasised their commitment to mobilise the political will and resources
necessary to implement the UNPoA, as well as the ITI, in a bid to achieve clear
and tangible results by the third review conference, to be held in 2018.
Achieving the outcome document did not come without
a few reservations from member states. Concern was voiced by delegates from
Iran over a lack of accuracy and practicality in some aspects. Venezuelan
delegates expressed concern about the inclusion of new concepts in the outcome
document and the Ghanaian representative said he would have preferred stronger
language on export implementation, and felt that issues such as the role of
ammunition and the effects of armed violence on development should be included.
Israel and the United States disassociated themselves from preambular paragraph
11 of the UNPoA, relating to the right to self-determination of people under
foreign occupation. Some states also voiced concern over the fact that no
agreement was reached on gender mainstreaming and UN resolutions 1325 (2000),
1612 (2005) and 65/69 (2010).
Despite these reservations, progress made in
implementing the UNPoA and the ITI thus far was commended, particularly the
development and implementation of national legislation and the establishment of
national action plans by many member states. In sub-Saharan Africa, for
example, progress in implementing the UNPoA has been considerable, with the
assistance of national agreements such as the Protocol on the Control of
Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Material in the SADC Region and the
Nairobi Protocol for the Prevention, Control and Reduction of Small Arms and
Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa, among others. A
number of member states have developed national action plans and have appointed
a national point of contact to deal with the provisions as outlined in the
UNPoA. In addition, progress has also been seen in the areas of marking, record
keeping and tracing, with a number of member states having received marking
equipment with the help of various regional and international organisations.
Member states are now actively re-marking all firearms under state control. The
training of police personnel and related fringe departments in the proper use
of marking and tracing equipment has also been conducted in a number of
sub-Saharan states, following the acquisition of the equipment. Progress has
also been noted in the areas of collection and destruction, with several
sub-Saharan states engaged in collaborative initiatives with neighbouring countries
to assist them in the collection and destruction of their obsolete and surplus
weapons and ammunition. These efforts are further complemented by the
implementation of amnesty periods, national disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration
programmes, and public awareness-raising campaigns.
The review conference did, however, note that
implementation of the UNPoA remained uneven, and challenges and obstacles were ever-present.
This prevented many member states from fully implementing the provisions of the
UNPoA. In a bid to continue progress made in implementing the UNPoA,
delegations agreed to strengthen implementation at national, regional and
global levels over the 2012–2018 period. To this end, follow-up measures have
been outlined in the outcome document, including a one-week biennial meeting of
states to be held in 2014 and 2016, a one-week open-ended meeting of government
experts to take place in 2015, and the third review conference, which is
scheduled to take place for two weeks in 2018 with a preparatory committee
meeting taking place in the months preceding it.
The overall success
of the second review conference and the successful adoption of an outcome
document demonstrate that a considerable amount of work is being done to
implement the UNPoA by member states around the world, with the assistance of
their national and regional agreements as well as many regional, national and
international organisations. This success could also
be a motivating factor in efforts to reach an agreement on the Arms Trade
Treaty in the near future, which failed to reach a consensus in July this year.
