76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
UN Security Council Arria Formula meeting on The threat to international peace and security posed by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons
Statement by DPR Andre Lipand
September 16, New York
I thank Mexico for convening this meeting and for keeping this important issue in the focus of the Council. I also thank today’s briefers for their contribution on the topic at hand.
Preventing and combating the diversion of small arms and light weapons to unauthorised recipients is critical for the Security Council in discharging its primary responsibility to maintain international peace and security. Small arms and light weapons are still the predominant weapons in the majority of armed conflicts; they contribute to massive loss of life, destabilise societies and prevent economic growth and enjoyment of human rights.
Estonia, therefore, supports that the Security Council consistently addresses the wide-ranging impact of the illicit circulation and the misuse of small arms and light weapons when considering geographic and thematic issues on its agenda, including by integrating SALW-related issues into the planning and updating of mandates of UN operations. United Nations peace missions are well placed to support governments’ actions on small arms management and national capacities to track and trace the origins of illicit SALW and ammunition in conflict situations.
Arms embargoes are another crucial tool for tackling the illicit spread of small arms and light weapons. However, their effect remains inadequate without full implementation and unfortunately small arms remain oftentimes available for the armed groups in countries under arms embargoes. We welcome the Council’s practice of linking the assessment on weapons and ammunition management to the review of arms embargo measures. It is important that such reviews are guided by evidence rather than political considerations.
Finally, since sexual- and gender-based violence, within and beyond conflict, is often abetted by armed intimidation, it remains essential to fully integrate the gender perspective into all efforts of preventing and combating the risk of the misuse, diversion and illicit circulation of SALW so that the gendered aspects of armed violence are adequately addressed. It is equally important to improve the role of women as participants and decision-makers in addressing the proliferation and misuse of small arms in disarmament and arms control programmes and policies.
I thank you.