As the Secretary-General’s report highlights, diversion of illicit small arms and light weapons persists across the entire weapon lifecycle – from the point of manufacture, transfer, and storage, to their eventual use or disposal.
This is exacerbated by porous borders, poor stockpile management, and emerging challenges such as 3D printing. Disrupting this pattern is critical to protecting lives in conflict zones and preventing armed violence.
I will make three points.
First, illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons is a transnational threat. The UK supports capacity-building and cross-regional collaboration to enforce arms embargoes, improve tracing, and strengthen stockpile management.
Through the UK-supported AmTag pilot programme, Somalia has become the first country to deploy chemical taggants which will begin to render its national ammunition stockpiles fully traceable.
We commend and support regional and sub-regional approaches, including the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative. The UK is proud to fund the Nairobi Protocol review, led by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) and the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), underlining our commitment to tackling this threat at the regional level.
Second, multilateral instruments and transparency mechanisms remain vital. The Programme of Action, the Arms Trade Treaty, the Global Framework, and the UN Register of Conventional Arms all play a role in preventing diversion, promoting responsible transfers, and strengthening national controls.
The UK looks forward to contributing to the Programme of Action’s expert group on emerging technologies to address challenges posed by polymer, modular, and 3D-printed weapons and to explore opportunities for improved marking and tracing.
Finally, illicit weapons diversion disproportionately affects women and girls. The UN estimates that 70 to 90 percent of conflict-related sexual violence incidents involve weapons and firearms.
As we commemorate this year the 25th anniversary of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, effective conventional arms control can play a vital role in prevention. Women should be at the centre of these efforts.
The UK remains committed to working to strengthen sanctions enforcement, enhance arms control, and support disarmament and post-conflict stabilisation efforts.
