United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/69/33

by the United Nations

⁠United Nations

A/RES/69/33

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⁠

General Assembly

Distr.: General 11 December 2014

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Sixty-ninth session
Agenda item 96 (s)

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 2 December 2014

[on the report of the First Committee (A/69/440)]

69/33. Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 68/34 of 5 December 2013 on assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them,

Deeply concerned by the magnitude of human casualty and suffering, especially among children, caused by the illicit proliferation and use of small arms and light weapons,

Concerned by the negative impact that the illicit proliferation and use of those weapons continue to have on the efforts of States in the Sahelo-Saharan subregion in the areas of poverty eradication, sustainable development and the maintenance of peace, security and stability,

Bearing in mind the Bamako Declaration on an African Common Position on the Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons, adopted in Bamako on 1 December 2000,^[1]

Recalling the report of the Secretary-General entitled “In larger freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all”,^[2] in which he emphasized that States must strive just as hard to eliminate the threat of small arms and light weapons as they do to eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction,

Recalling also the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, adopted on 8 December 2005,^[3]

Recalling further the expression of support in the 2005 World Summit Outcome for the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects,^[4]

Recalling the adoption, on 14 June 2006 in Abuja at the thirtieth ordinary summit of the Economic Community of West African States, of the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials, in replacement of the moratorium on the importation, exportation and manufacture of small arms and light weapons in West Africa,

Recalling also the entry into force of the Convention on 29 September 2009,

Recalling further the decision taken by the Economic Community to establish the Small Arms Unit, responsible for advocating appropriate policies and developing and implementing programmes, as well as the establishment of the Economic Community’s Small Arms Control Programme, launched on 6 June 2006 in Bamako, in replacement of the Programme for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development,

Taking note of the latest report of the Secretary-General on the consolidation of peace through practical disarmament measures, assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects,^[5]

Recalling, in that regard, the decision of the European Union to significantly support the Economic Community in its efforts to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons,

Recognizing the important role that civil society organizations play, by raising public awareness, in efforts to curb the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons,

Recalling the reports of the United Nations Conferences to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held in New York from 26 June to 7 July 2006 and from 27 August to 7 September 2012,^[6]

Welcoming the inclusion of small arms and light weapons in the scope of the Arms Trade Treaty,^[7] as well as the inclusion of international assistance in its provisions,

1. Commends the United Nations and international, regional and other organizations for their assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them;

2. Encourages the Secretary-General to pursue his efforts in the context of the implementation of General Assembly resolution 49/75 G of 15 December 1994 and the recommendations of the United Nations advisory missions aimed at curbing the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons and collecting them in the affected States that so request, with the support of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa and in close cooperation with the African Union;

3. Encourages the international community to support the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials;

4. Encourages the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan subregion to facilitate the effective functioning of national commissions to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons, and in that regard invites the international community to lend its support wherever possible;

5. Encourages the collaboration of civil society organizations and associations in the efforts of the national commissions to combat the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects;^[8]

6. Encourages cooperation among State organs, international organizations and civil society in support of programmes and projects aimed at combating the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them;

7. Calls upon the international community to provide technical and financial support to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations to take action to help to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons;

8. Invites the Secretary-General and those States and organizations that are in a position to do so to continue to provide assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to consider the matter and to report to the General Assembly at its seventieth session on the implementation of the present resolution;

10. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventieth session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item entitled “Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them”.

62nd plenary meeting
2 December 2014

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1. A/CONF.192/PC/23, annex.
2. A/59/2005.
3. See decision 60/519 and A/60/88 and Corr.2, annex.
4. Resolution 60/1, para. 94.
5. A/69/132.
6. A/CONF.192/2006/RC/9 and A/CONF.192/2012/RC/4.
7. See resolution 67/234 B.
8. Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, New York, 9–20 July 2001 (A/CONF.192/15), chap. IV, para. 24.