S/PV.10037 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czechia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, African Union High Representative for the Silencing the Guns Initiative; Ms. Roraima Ana Andriani, Special Representative of INTERPOL to the European Union; and Mr. Arnoux Descardes, Executive Director, Volontariat pour le développement d’Haïti. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite Mr. Quentin Weiler, representative of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2025/670, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on small arms and light weapons. I now give the floor to Mr. Ebo. Mr. Ebo: Let me begin by thanking Sierra Leone for convening the open debate. It is my pleasure to brief the Council on the Secretary-General’s biennial report on small arms and light weapons contained in document S/2025/670, on behalf of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mrs. Izumi Nakamitsu. Since the Council was last briefed on this matter two years ago (see S/PV.9509), we have witnessed both progress and persistent challenges associated with small arms and light weapons. Let me start with the positive developments. Member States have taken significant steps to strengthen our global instruments. A landmark development was the adoption of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management in 2023, addressing a long-standing gap in international efforts to prevent the diversion of ammunition and mitigate the risks of unplanned explosions at munition sites. In 2024, States reaffirmed their commitment to combating the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of these weapons at the fourth United Nations Conference 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 and set the course forward. The Conference established an open-ended technical expert group to examine developments in the technology and design of small arms and light weapons — an important step in ensuring that our frameworks remain fit for purpose in the light of ever-evolving technological At the regional level, we have also seen strengthened cooperation, notably through the adoption of the Central America and Dominican Republic Road Map to Prevent Illicit Trafficking and Proliferation of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives and the continued implementation of the Western Balkans road map; the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap; the action plan for the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials; the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative and other efforts. However, despite these important advances, significant implementation challenges remain. More than 1 billion firearms are in circulation globally. Their continued proliferation is both a symptom and a driver of the multiple crises that our world is facing. Their widespread availability underscores the urgent need to address the consequences of illicit small arms and light weapons, which are far-reaching. Allow me to highlight three areas of critical impact, which have a cascading effect. First, the illicit trade in and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuel armed violence, terrorism and organized crime. Indeed, the Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670), which we are discussing today, documents persistent violations of arms embargoes in contexts such as Libya, Yemen and Haiti, in which diverted weapons are arming criminal groups and terrorist networks. These are facilitated by poorly staffed borders and, increasingly, by illicit digital activities. Even in countries in which arms embargoes have been partially or fully lifted, such as the Central African Republic and Somalia, diversion risks persist. More broadly, however, weapons diverted from national stockpiles, or at any point through the supply chain, could end up in the hands of non-State armed groups. In parallel, we are witnessing a rise in illicitly manufactured and craft-produced guns. More 3D-printed small arms are available in illicit markets, especially in countries across Western Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean. In the Caribbean, the Caribbean Community declared crime and violence a public health issue as firearms trafficking reached crisis levels. In Haiti, criminal groups expanded their territorial control using trafficked weapons to challenge State authority and deepen insecurity. In Africa, illicit flows of small arms and light weapons in West Africa and the Sahel, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region contribute to a systemic crisis, transforming localized violence into even more complex cross-border conflicts. As the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns and my co-briefer today, Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, rightfully pointed out at the Security Council Arria-formula meeting on small arms and light weapons in March, also convened by Sierra Leone, this crisis is not only an issue of weak supply chains but a symptom of a deep-seated governance crisis. Weak public safety mechanisms and limited State capacity are prompting communities to arm themselves for protection, further fuelling insecurity. While small arms may be intended for civilian protection and self-defence in most countries, they too often become instruments of human suffering when used without effective control. The second impact I wish to underscore is the devastating human cost of small arms. In 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded at least 48,000 conflict-related civilian deaths, representing a 40 per cent increase from the previous year. In certain conflict areas, small arms were responsible for up to 30 per cent of civilian deaths. Meanwhile, between 2022 and 2024, 88 per cent of documented cases of conflict-related sexual violence involved That leads me to the third impact I wish to highlight, which is the socioeconomic toll of small arms proliferation. Small arms violence disrupts education and healthcare systems and, more broadly, undermines sustainable development. This connection was acknowledged at the first-ever joint meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the General Assembly on small arms and light weapons, held earlier this year. At that meeting, the Presidents of the ECOSOC and the General Assembly also highlighted the rising global costs of conflict and military expenditures as a critical concern. To illustrate the scale of this concern, in 2023, the combined revenue of the world’s 100 largest arms companies amounted to $632 billion. In 2024, global military expenditure had surged to $2.7 trillion, representing a 37 per cent increase since 2015. The Secretary-General’s report titled “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future”, issued in response to the Pact for the Future, is a call to action. It urges the international community to rethink priorities and rebalance global investments towards the kind of multidimensional security the world truly needs. While the impacts of illicit small arms and light weapons are profound, the Secretary-General has suggested some concrete actions to, collectively and respectively, turn the tide. First, we must prioritize comprehensive weapons and ammunition management across the entire life cycle of weapons, from the point of manufacture, transfer, transport, retransfer and stockpiling to their eventual use or disposal. States are encouraged to strengthen national capacities and share good practices with each other for secure stockpile management, enhanced marking and tracing systems, recovery of obliterated marking on weapons and enhanced border and maritime controls. Innovative technologies for marking and tracing, such as the use of chemical taggants for ammunition, offer promising tools to deter diversion and support investigations. Effective tracing is also essential for monitoring compliance with arms embargoes. In this regard, the Secretary-General urges Member States to actively support the work of United Nations expert panels by responding promptly to tracing requests and granting access to seized weapons and ammunition for inspection. Beyond sanctions regimes, the Security Council has a central role to play in ensuring effective weapons and ammunition management. I urge the Council to systematically integrate small arms and ammunition considerations into its relevant mandates. That includes United Nations peace operations, in relation to which resolution 2616 (2021) already calls for United Nations entities to assist States in combating illicit arms flows, as well as during disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, in which effective arms control is essential to sustainable peacebuilding. To support this integration, my Office has developed practical tools, including the newly launched third edition of the Aide-memoire on options for reflecting weapons and ammunition management in decisions of the Security Council and an online dashboard, which provide guidance for the drafting of resolutions to effectively include small arms and ammunition considerations. One area in which such integration is especially critical is policy deliberations and action plans related to the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas. As we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the women and peace and security agenda, the time has come to advance gender-responsive arms control. This includes confronting harmful social norms and entrenched conceptions of masculinity that perpetuate armed violence and hinder sustainable peace. Young people, who account for 37 per cent of global homicide victims annually and in some contexts are also involved in committing such violence, must be meaningfully The weapons produced and transferred today risk fuelling the illicit trade and driving the violence and instability of tomorrow. Our responsibility in this regard is clear: we must prevent the diversion and illicit manufacturing of small arms and light weapons, or we will face the consequences of deepening insecurity. Turning this responsibility into action requires practical, forward-looking initiatives centred on international cooperation and targeted technical assistance. One such effort is the recently launched Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons, which builds capacities and strengthens cross-border cooperation to tackle illicit small arms and light weapons. This initiative reflects a broader commitment to equipping Member States with the tools and partnerships needed to implement meaningful change. The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, together with its partners across the United Nations system, stands ready to support Member States in implementing effective, inclusive and sustainable arms control strategies.

I thank Mr. Ebo for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Chambas. Mr. Chambas: Mr. President, coming from Sierra Leone, you are better placed than most to know the havoc that small arms and light weapons can create. They do not cause wars by themselves, but they can fuel them, prolong them and create devastating consequences, as was experienced in the Mano River Union area, from where you come. The passion of the people and the Government of Sierra Leone for preventing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is therefore understood. I appreciate the opportunity to address the Security Council today because one of the principal objectives of the Silencing the Guns by 2030 initiative of the African Union (AU) is to address the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons on the continent. As we meet today, these weapons are being used to unleash horrific violence and suffering in the Darfur region of the Sudan, especially in El Fasher and its surroundings, where we are witnessing acts that may very well amount to ethnic cleansing. I wish to highlight ongoing efforts in Africa towards the fight against illicit small arms and light weapons proliferation and the opportunities that exist to ensure that we win this battle against a cancer that has inflicted untold human loss and suffering across the continent. The Secretary-General’s 2025 report (S/2025/670) reminds us that the diversion and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons continue to fuel terrorism, organized crime and violent conflicts across regions. In Africa, illicit arms flows sustain non-State armed groups from the Sahel to coastal West Africa, from the Horn to the Great Lakes. We are keenly reminded that, in many cases, weapons that are intended to be tools of protection to enhance human security are too often diverted to perpetuate suffering, undermining governance, peacebuilding and the rule of law. Cognizant of this sad reality, the African Union recognizes that controlling small arms and light weapons is a prerequisite for sustaining peace and silencing the guns. That is why it is taking every step to counter the scourge of illicit flows. In this regard, the African Union Strategy on the Control of Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons provides a coherent continental framework aligned with the Silencing the Guns initiative within the context of Agenda 2063 of the AU. This year, the Silencing the Guns initiative and the broader AU and its partners have focused on four key regional strategies for combating illicit small arms and light weapons. These are: first, strengthening regional coordination and policy On strengthening regional coordination and policy coherence, the AU has collaborated during the year with the Regional Centre on Small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies to develop the regional road map on weapons and ammunition management in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration settings. This is the first of its kind in Africa. This road map will support and harmonize policies and data-driven mechanisms for dealing with arms in post-conflict societies, especially in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa regions. The AU has also supported national implementation and amnesty initiatives through coordinated celebrations of the Africa Amnesty Month. Celebrations in 2025 were observed in Uganda, the Central African Republic, Djibouti and Rwanda. The events saw symbolic weapons destruction ceremonies and raised public awareness about voluntary disarmament and community reconciliation. Across the continent, 30,000 small arms and 200,000 rounds of ammunition were retrieved and destroyed through this process, highlighting that regional initiatives can yield successes when they are well-coordinated and executed. I should emphasize that the need to strengthen technical capacities for illicit weapons control is paramount to this fight. The AU and partners’ support have benefited several Member States, including Somalia, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, building their institutional capacities for managing national arms systems. Such support consolidates the Security Council’s decision to lift or adjust arms embargoes when improved compliance is realized. In West and Central Africa, joint border management operations, in partnership with INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime under Operation KAFO IV and Operation KAFO V, enabled seizures of illicit arms in Mali, Benin, the Niger and Chad. Mainstreaming women and peace and security and youth, peace and security into disarmament work has been one of our most beneficial engagements. This is why the African Union endorses the Women Managing Ammunition Network, which is supported by UNIDIR to now include African women technical experts, who contribute to ammunition management across peace operations. The AU also supports young people as peace ambassadors and youth peace advocates in arms control and conflict prevention. An example is our support to the #Youth4SilencingTheGuns initiative. As indicated in the Secretary-General’s report and also explicitly illuminated by the Caribbean Community Heads of Government and the Economic and Social Council respectively, illicit arms flows are not just a security threat; they are a hindrance to development and constitute a public danger that deserves our collective attention and action. Through partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme on Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) 2.0, African countries are aligning the management of weapons with local governance and social cohesion strategies and using the fight against the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons as a catalyst for community resilience. I would like to commend the Council for establishing frameworks for engagement on illicit weapons through thematic resolutions, including resolutions 2370 (2017) and 2616 (2021), and urge greater collaboration around regional efforts such as the Joint United Nations-African Union Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security and the African Union Master Road Map of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns. May I also urge the increased use of data-driven and data-sharing mechanisms As we approach 2030, the message of Africa is loud and clear: Silencing the Guns is not simply an aspiration. It is an imperative for peace, justice and sustainable development towards achieving the Africa we want. It is for this reason that the African Union remains dedicated to working with the Council, the United Nations system and all partners to convert arms control into a cornerstone of lasting peace on our continent. For each illicit weapon that we take out of circulation, we contribute to saving lives, restoring trust and giving peace a fighting chance.

I thank Mr. Chambas for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Andriani. Ms. Andriani: It is an honour to address the Security Council and to convey INTERPOL’s strong commitment to reducing the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. I commend Sierra Leone for its leadership in bringing renewed attention to this issue, and I welcome the Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670), which reinforces the urgent need for collective action. Small arms and light weapons remain among the leading causes of violent death globally. They are diverted from national stockpiles and conflict zones, trafficked across borders and sold to fund criminal, terrorist and armed groups. This is a transnational chain of violence that can be addressed only through transnational cooperation. Allow me to highlight briefly three dangerous trends. First, there are established deep links between illicit trade in small arms and the dynamics of armed conflicts. Conflict zones have become primary sources of weapons being diverted from national stockpiles into the hands of non-State actors. INTERPOL has detected weapons being trafficked from conflict-affected States into neighbouring regions, sparking new cycles of instability. Small arms are both the cause and the consequence of armed conflicts. Secondly, the illicit trade in small arms, as we know and as has been said, is not a stand-alone threat. It fuels and finances a web of transnational organized crimes, from terrorism and drug trafficking to illegal mining and smuggling. In a recent INTERPOL-led operation across Central and West Africa, police uncovered this convergence first-hand. Firearms traffickers were also moving mined gold, with profits being channelled to armed groups and terrorist networks in the Sahel. Thirdly, as we know, modern technology has radically broadened access to weapons. Criminals can now use three-dimensional printing to manufacture ghost guns lacking serial numbers and other identifiers. The Internet has become both a hardware store and a manual, whereby criminals can order parts and find instructions for building inexpensive and, moreover, untraceable weapons. While national authorities can strengthen stockpile security and regulate domestic supply chains, no measure taken in isolation can prevent the flow of such weapons across the globe. The illicit trade in small arms is a transnational and systemic threat that requires a coordinated, global and sustained response. As the world’s largest police organization, my organization, INTERPOL, is uniquely positioned to coordinate this response, connecting 196 member countries to identify, trace and disrupt small arms trafficking. Our response is built on three mutually reinforcing pillars: information-sharing, operations and capacity-building. First, we facilitate the exchange of actionable information to dismantle cross- border trafficking networks. I want to stress that our Illicit Arms Records and Tracing Management System database, the only global database of lost, stolen and trafficked firearms, contains more than 2 million records, enabling police to Secondly, we coordinate multinational police operations, translating intelligence into enforcement. Since 2016, our intelligence-led operations, known as Trigger, have helped to remove tens of thousands of illicit firearms from circulation. Most recently, in Central and South America, 15 countries joined forces under INTERPOL’s coordination to seize more than 9,000 illicit firearms and 300,000 rounds of ammunition and, importantly, dismantled 20 organized crime groups linked to terrorism, human trafficking and fraud. Thirdly, INTERPOL invests in enhancing the capacity of national police forces to sustain these gains. In the past four years, our specialized training programmes have trained more than 550 officers from 76 countries. Very importantly, we provide tools such as the Firearms Reference Table, which enables effective evidence collection, and the Firearms Recovery Protocol, which promotes best practices for investigations. This fight requires alignment between the diplomatic and the operational dimensions of security. We are convinced that diplomatic leadership in the multilateral arena is essential to translate political will into concrete cooperation among countries that makes our work, law enforcement, more effective on the ground. Allow me, in conclusion, to warmly recommend that the Security Council continues engaging with INTERPOL’s expertise and recognizing its role in future resolutions and declarations. INTERPOL’s global policing expertise is an instrument already at the Council’s disposal, in its hands, to give effect to the Council’s decisions on peace and security. It is also important that the Council helps us to urge Member States to make full use of INTERPOL’s tools and to strengthen them.

I thank Ms. Andriani for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Descardes.

At the outset, allow me to thank you, Mr. President, for inviting me to this special meeting on small arms and light weapons. I am delighted to accept this invitation, which was extended to me in my capacity as Executive Director of the Volontariat pour le développement d’Haïti (VDH), a Haitian civil society organization present in all 10 departments of the country, working with and for young people and promoting civil society participation in public policy and the search for stability and consensus in Haiti. My work is, therefore, that of a Haitian professional who, on a daily basis, is confronted with the harsh realities of Haiti, while continuing to provide the services to which he is committed. For example, between November 2024 and November 2025, with the support of my colleagues at the VDH and in partnership with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Organization of American States, we led a national civil society forum on proposals for actions to ensure the success of the transition process and the restoration of democratic institutions. Council members will, therefore, understand that today’s topic of discussion is of the utmost importance to me, given that I am the head of an organization that is on the ground every day, experiencing the anxiety caused by the proliferation of weapons in my country, which is plagued by a growing number of homicides involving firearms. Let me be clear: the possession of firearms in Haiti is permitted by the Constitution, which provides that every citizen has the right to own a firearm, on the condition that they obtain a licence. It is also the Constitution which, in article 268.1, provides that every citizen has the right to armed self-defence within the confines of the home, but does not have the right to carry weapons without the express and justified authorization of the Chief of Police. Today, the massive trafficking of illegal weapons and the circulation of firearms in Haiti is a source of great concern, despite the arms embargo imposed by the Security Council since 2022, with a sanctions regime monitored by the Group of Experts. However, the proliferation of weapons persists, partly owing to weak enforcement mechanisms and the persistence of criminal networks. Indeed, combined sources reveal that the number of small arms and light weapons in circulation is estimated to be between 270,000 and 500,000, of which only 45,000 are legally registered. Everything suggests that these weapons are not only in the hands of the two law enforcement agencies recognized by article 263 of the Constitution, namely the Haitian National Police and the Haitian Armed Forces. It is common knowledge that, on the one hand, there are numerous armed gangs in Haiti, with a large number of firearms, and, on the other hand, many individuals and private security agencies are acquiring firearms, especially in a context of acute and growing insecurity. In any case, small arms and light weapons are widely used in Haiti in cases of community violence and armed conflicts between rival groups, and to commit crime. Their use results in numerous cases of injury, death and intimidation, as well as widespread internal displacement, with incalculable health and humanitarian consequences. Between July 2024 and February 2025, more than 4,200 people were killed and 1,356 wounded, mostly by firearms, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Access to firearms in Haiti also leads to an increase in suicides, homicides and accidental deaths from stray bullets. The proliferation of firearms in Haiti also fuels widespread insecurity, causing dysfunction in the political, economic and social life of the country. Today the security situation is deteriorating to the point that terrestrial communications between the capital and provincial towns are almost paralysed. Haitian families are desperate. Armed gangs and organized crime networks are occupying almost all the territories in the metropolitan area and the Artibonite and Centre Departments and are using young people as recruitment channels and operational arms for acts of kidnapping, armed robbery, summary executions and individual or gang rape. This picture raises questions on the part of some Haitians about whether Haiti will be able to hold, without the presence of an external force, the elections that have been long awaited since the breakdown of institutional order. Haiti does not manufacture weapons; many arrive through illicit trafficking. Two questions arise therefore. What is the relationship between the increase in violence and illicit arms trafficking? And what is the correlation between the illicit Illicit arms trafficking is not only a factor in violence but also an exponential multiplier of the crisis in Haiti. In Haiti, a draft bill on the management of firearms and ammunition has been developed over the past two years with the support of national and international partners, in particular to modernize the legal framework for the control, acquisition and possession of weapons. However, this text has not yet been adopted, leaving in force old provisions that are not adapted to the current reality of illicit trafficking. This lack of legislative update weakens national capacities for regulation, prosecution and international cooperation and renders the fight against the illegal circulation of weapons particularly difficult. Since 2023, Haiti has also had a national action plan on the management of arms and ammunition aligned with the priorities of the Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030. However, political instability and the lack of institutional coordination make it difficult to monitor efforts. To this end, regarding firearms, the Haitian State must adopt the draft bill on firearms and ammunition harmonized with subregional laws under the aegis of the security and justice sub-working group of the interministerial task force on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, including 18 chapters and 187 articles revised with the technical support of BINUH and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The State must also centralize procurement and distribution; strengthen customs and border control; improve cooperation between the police and customs and limit border management to sworn agents; adopt the legal and judicial framework regulating acquisition; carry out targeted operations to dismantle illicit trafficking networks; implement disarmament programmes for the destruction of the weapons seized; raise public awareness about the associated risks; provide training on the rules regarding weapon security, stockpiling and management for the defence and security forces in order to better manage, control and secure stocks of weapons and ammunitions; and improve the weapon management system within the defence and security forces to prevent weapons from ending up in the hands of those not authorized to carry them. Lastly, the State must step up border controls to curb the trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel. The response strategy must also rely on the robust participation of Haiti’s trading partners. To that end, those countries exporting goods to Haiti must exercise greater vigilance upstream to counter the illicit trafficking of arms to Haiti, the current fragility of which is no longer in doubt. In this regard, I welcome the efforts of the United States Administration, which, this year, has already seized 23,000 weapons, along with cash and drugs. May the example set by our American neighbours be followed by our other partner countries. It also remains essential for us to work for enhanced coordination among the various actors in the implementation of the embargo established by the Security Council through its resolution 2794 (2025), which renews the arms embargo regime for an additional year. This regime aims to prevent the supply of arms to non-State actors involved in armed violence and illegal trafficking. The fight against the proliferation of firearms in Haiti cannot be dissociated from the implementation of the national strategy on disarmament, dismantling and reintegration and the reduction and prevention of community violence. This strategy, developed by the former National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Commission with the support of BINUH and national partners, aims to strengthen coherence among disarmament actions, community-based prevention initiatives and the socioeconomic reintegration of young people exposed to violence. Its operationalization is an There must also be international coordination and support for the restoration of security. In this regard, I welcome the contribution of BINUH and UNLIREC, the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the vote by the Security Council on the proposal of the United States of America and Panama of resolution 2793 (2025) mandating a Gang Suppression Force. Naturally, in conclusion, I appeal to the civic virtues of Haitians, regardless of their political or social affiliation, to ask them to join efforts to oppose all illicit trafficking in arms and ammunition with a view to restoring security, peace and non-violence and working together more quickly to build a common path towards restoring democratic governance.

I thank Mr. Descardes for his briefing. (spoke in English) I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone. I thank Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, High Representative for the Silencing the Guns initiative of the African Union Commission; Ms. Roraima Ana Andriani, Special Representative of INTERPOL to the European Union; and Mr. Arnoux Descardes, Executive Director of Volontariat pour le développement d’Haïti, for their insightful briefings and recommendations. Our briefers underscored the importance of effective mechanisms to prevent the diversion, proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and the urgent need to mitigate their devastating impact on our communities and people — men, women, youth and children caught in conflict — as well as their broader consequences for international peace and security. Sierra Leone notes the continued attention that the Secretary-General places on this issue, including in his October report (S/2025/670), which rightly recognizes that unregulated small arms and light weapons affect every dimension of human security, public health, human rights, social stability and sustainable development. The report also highlights the destabilizing impact of illicit weapons flows on peace and security, particularly through their linkages to armed conflict, terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime and emphasizes comprehensive life-cycle management from manufacture and transfer to stockpiling, use and final disposal. There is overwhelming evidence that SALW are among the leading causes of civilian casualties in armed conflicts. Because they are relatively cheap and easy to acquire, transport and conceal, they remain weapons of choice in irregular warfare. With an estimated 850 million small arms in circulation globally and approximately 650 million of them in civilian hands, the small arms trade is often cited as among the least transparent of all weapons systems. This demands that the mechanisms we establish, including arms embargoes, remain effective and consistently enforced. At the global level, the 2001 United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, the 2005 International Tracing Instrument, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty, together, provide a comprehensive framework for coordinated action. The instruments guide efforts on manufacturing, marking and tracing, stockpile management, legitimate international transfers and disarmament, In West Africa and the Sahel, the challenges are acute. The illicit flow of small arms and light weapons, enabled by porous borders and weak regulatory systems, has intensified terrorism, organized crime and violent extremism. These realities require coordinated cross-border approaches and the active support of the international community. Recognizing that terrorists and transnational criminal networks increasingly operate in concert and recalling the relevant Council resolutions, including resolution 2370 (2017), which underscores the imperative of preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons, we must address the growing nexus enabled by illicit arms flows, porous borders, weak regulatory mechanisms and emerging threats such as craft-produced and 3D-printed firearms. In the Sahel, terrorist groups and criminal syndicates exploit trafficking corridors that allow movement in both directions, linking conflict zones, artisanal mining sites and coastal hubs, while revenues from illicit economies fund further procurement of weapons and ammunition. In the Caribbean, including Haiti, gangs and criminal networks have expanded territorial control using illicit trafficked firearms, many of which have been diverted from lawful markets or smuggled via maritime routes, thereby eroding the rule of law, overwhelming institutions and impeding development. These dynamics directly undermine the maintenance of international peace and security and demand strengthened management, marking and tracing of weapons and ammunition, enhanced border and maritime interdiction and robust judicial and law enforcement cooperation with regional organizations in Africa and the Caribbean. In response to the report of the Secretary-General and in calling for a robust response to prevent the illicit sale, transfer and export of small arms and light weapons, Sierra Leone wishes to highlight four points. First, global and regional frameworks must support national mechanisms for effective weapons and ammunition management. Operational assistance to strengthen legal and regulatory frameworks, institutional coordination, controls on arms transfers and stockpile management, marking, record-keeping and disposal is critical to reducing illicit circulation and preventing diversion to unauthorized users. Sierra Leone has learned from experience that removing weapons from battlefields is not enough. Long-term peace depends on enduring national systems that regulate weapons, prevent diversion and build public trust. In 2010, we established the Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms by act of Parliament to implement a holistic and integrated system for arms management in line with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials. The Commission has rehabilitated and secured national armouries, implemented marking and registration systems, trained personnel in Secondly, capacity-building remains essential. Many post-conflict States lack the resources or expertise to fully implement international arms control frameworks or manage stockpile safety. Targeted support through training, technology transfer and infrastructure development can make a decisive difference. We welcome in this regard the establishment of a technical expert group at the fourth United Nations Conference 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, in June 2024, to develop recommendations on new developments in small arms technology, manufacturing and design. We also look forward to practical opportunities to apply emerging technologies, including improved digital marking, record-keeping and traceability systems. Thirdly, effective cross-border cooperation is indispensable. As with other States in our region, Sierra Leone faces challenges in regulating small arms flows within and across its borders. Our compliance with international and regional small arms and light weapons commitments has benefited from active participation in ECOWAS mechanisms and collaboration with Mano River Union neighbours  — Liberia, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire — to prevent cross-border arms movements. We are also working closely through the West African Action Network on Small Arms to improve intelligence-sharing, border control coordination and law enforcement cooperation against illicit trafficking. We recall the African Union Peace and Security Council’s 1,085th meeting, of 18 May 2022, which called for a continental strategy to address illicit firearms and emerging weapons systems and emphasized closer coordination with African members of the United Nations Security Council. It is in this regard that we have elevated today’s discussion on the Secretary-General’s report on small arms and light weapons to an open debate so as to generate the appropriate level of attention and action. Fourthly, arms embargoes and DDR must be fully integrated into peace processes. Sierra Leone’s own experience demonstrates this very clearly. During our civil conflict, which was fuelled by the flow of illicit arms and the illicit diamond trade, the Council’s arms embargo imposed in 1997 was crucial in constraining the conflict. Coupled with the efforts of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, it created the conditions for peace to take root. The subsequent DDR programme successfully disarmed more than 70,000 ex-combatants and collected more than 25,000 small arms, 1,000 heavy weapons and nearly 1 million rounds of ammunition  — achievements made possible because weapons were not being replenished during the peace process. Sierra Leone approaches this issue based not on theory but on lived experience. We know the devastation that unchecked arms proliferation can cause, and we also know the hope that can be restored when weapons are silenced, and peace takes hold. We therefore reaffirm our commitment to combating the spread of small arms and light weapons through strong national systems, effective regional cooperation and global solidarity. We underscore the critical role of the Security Council in promoting comprehensive approaches that integrate small arms control into peace operations, conflict prevention, sanctions regimes, maritime security and post- conflict reconstruction strategies. Sierra Leone stands ready to share its experience I now resume my functions as President of the Council.

I too thank Mr. Adedeji Ebo, His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Ms. Roraima Ana Andriani and Mr. Arnoux Descardes for their insightful briefings. This meeting is very timely, as this year marks the tenth anniversary of Security Council resolution 2220 (2015), which reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to preventing and addressing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. However, a decade later, the international community continues to face persistent and increasingly complex patterns of diversion and illicit trafficking, which fuel and prolong armed conflict, organized crime and terrorism, and undermine stability and sustainable development, especially in fragile and conflict-affected contexts. The Republic of Korea reaffirms its steadfast commitment to the effective implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects; the International Tracing Instrument; and the Arms Trade Treaty. We also welcome the launch of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management and recognize its important role in reducing risks posed by inadequately secured or surplus ammunition. We look forward to further strengthening coherence and complementarity among these international instruments. As the body entrusted with the primary responsibility for international peace and security, the Security Council holds a distinct mandate in curbing illicit arms flows through the effective implementation of its arms embargoes. The Republic of Korea strongly supports their full and consistent implementation and continues to contribute to capacity-building to assist Member States in this regard. We also underscore the indispensable role of panels of experts and relevant subsidiary bodies in monitoring and reporting on compliance. Emerging technologies present both opportunities and challenges for small arms and light weapons control. Artificial intelligence-enabled data systems and enhanced marking and tracing tools can strengthen diversion prevention and supply chain monitoring, while additive manufacturing and modular weapon designs complicate enforcement. The Council should, therefore, work to responsibly harness new technologies, while addressing associated risks, to ensure that control mechanisms remain effective and fit for purpose. The effects of illicit small arms flows differ across regions, shaped by varied security dynamics. The Republic of Korea supports tailored, context-specific approaches, including strengthened cross-border cooperation and regional capacity- building. We also note with concern that the diversion and misuse of small arms disproportionately affect women and girls, and we underscore the importance of their full, equal and meaningful participation in arms control and disarmament processes, consistent with the women and peace and security agenda. Likewise, youth, who are often among those most directly affected, play a critical role as community leaders and peacebuilders. Their meaningful engagement is essential to developing sustainable and locally grounded solutions. The illicit proliferation of small arms is a multidimensional issue, intersecting with peace and security, development, human rights and humanitarian concerns. Addressing it requires coordinated and inclusive efforts at the national, regional and multilateral levels. In this regard, the Republic of Korea welcomes the Secretary-General’s biennial report on small arms and light weapons (S/2025/670), The Republic of Korea remains committed to working closely with all partners to translate our shared commitments into concrete progress towards a safer and more peaceful world for all.

My delegation warmly welcomes your presence, Mr. President, in today’s meeting. I want to thank Sierra Leone for convening this important debate, as well as the briefers, Mr. Ebo, Mr. Chambas, Ms. Andriani and Mr. Descardes, for their insightful remarks. Greece takes note of the alarming key finding of the most recent report of the Secretary-General on small arms and light weapons (S/2025/670), namely that the diversion, illicit transfer and misuse of small arms and light weapons have continued to lead to violence and acts of crime and terrorism, undermining peace and security at the national, regional and global levels. I wish to highlight three points. First, we must uphold the existing instruments designed to prevent the diversion of small arms and light weapons. Greece considers the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects to be the universal framework to address the threat posed by illicit small arms and light weapons. My country remains committed to its implementation and has undertaken the appropriate actions through annual reporting and the provision of additional data on arms transactions. Following the successful outcome of the fourth United Nations Conference 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, we are now calling on all States to implement the political declaration and action-oriented measures for the period 2024–2030, as agreed during the Conference. We also consider the Arms Trade Treaty to be an indispensable tool for curtailing the illicit trade in conventional weapons. We call on all States to ratify or accede to the Treaty without further delay, and on the Parties to comply with their obligations. Moreover, we actively supported the establishment of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management. After the Preparatory Meeting of States, held in June 2025, it is important to work together towards an effective follow-up and review mechanism, ahead of the first Meeting of States, scheduled for 2027. Secondly, the diversion of small arms and light weapons has a strong regional dimension. The Caribbean, the Great Lakes region, the Horn of Africa and, coming to our immediate neighbourhood, the Western Balkans, are regions that suffer the most from the widespread diversion of illicit small arms and light weapons. Greece supports regional instruments, processes and regional cooperation to strengthen border security and export and import licensing systems. We commend the valuable work of the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearing House for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons. Also, we reiterate our support for the implementation of the Western Balkans small arms and light weapons control road map. In Africa, we fully support the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative as an indispensable tool for sharing information, enforcing embargoes and building the capacity of affected States to combat illicit arms trafficking. Thirdly, we must address the impact of new, modern technologies on the production and circulation of small arms and light weapons. As the Secretary-General stated in his report, developments in SALW technology, manufacturing and design present both challenges and opportunities in preventing and combating illicit SALW. In this regard, we hope that the newly established open-ended technical expert group to be established under the Programme of Action on SALW and the International Moreover, we stress the need for the Council to address the role of small arms and light weapons in grave violations against children in its resolutions and deliberations, including through the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, which Greece is honoured to chair. In conclusion, as an elected member of the Council, Greece will continue to work constructively and inclusively towards strengthening the unity and effectiveness of the Council in ensuring the effective control and management of small arms and light weapons and thereby promote peace and security worldwide.

Panama thanks Sierra Leone for its leadership and commitment in keeping the Security Council’s attention on this issue; His Excellency Mr. Musa Timothy Kabba, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, for presiding over this meeting; and the briefers, who honour us with their participation today, for delivering their interesting presentations. In 2024 alone, more than 48,000 deaths related to armed conflict were recorded  — an increase of 40 per cent compared to 2023. Small arms and light weapons are directly linked to the persistence and prolongation of violence. Stemming the flow of such weapons is not only a necessity; it is an indispensable condition for achieving lasting peace. These weapons are veritable weapons of mass murder. They constitute a threat to peace, security and sustainable development. For that reason, not only should we consider making efforts to contain military spending, which reached $2.7 trillion in 2024, but we should hope to redirect it towards development, as a conflict prevention formula, turning that money into longer-term investments in the search for security and peace. It is concerning that hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition end up in the wrong hands, because, as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has warned, they may be enough to assemble a small army. This risk is especially alarming for countries such as Haiti, where illicit trafficking fuels violence and weakens institutions. We also note with concern the growing link among organized crime, armed conflict and terrorism, driven by illicit arms trafficking. This phenomenon increases violence, erodes governance and prevents the reconstruction of trust. We urge all States to strengthen arms controls, especially bearing in mind the Security Council embargoes — both external to curb illicit trafficking in exports and imports and internal to avoid the diversion of State arsenals. In that regard, we underscore the need for the timely exchange of information and cooperation among States to improve traceability, transparency and the early detection of diversions. We are concerned about the emergence of new forms of manufacturing and transfer, such as three-dimensional-printed weapons, modular assembly and digital trade in components, among others, which take advantage of and profit from technological advances. There is an urgent need to move towards clear international standards and updated national frameworks that address these challenges. Panama underlines the importance of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration as a tool for prevention and reconciliation, in particular in post- conflict contexts, where the proliferation of weapons among remaining combatants threatens the protection of civilians. We warn that the proliferation of small arms We also recall that international humanitarian law and human rights must guide all transfers and uses of weapons. Irresponsible supply can lead to serious violations, including attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers. We believe that it is essential that the Security Council systematically integrate arms and ammunition management into its resolutions. We also call on all States to accede to the international instruments, many of which have already been mentioned here, aimed at preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and their ammunition. At the regional level, we highlight the adoption in February of the Central America and Dominican Republic Road Map to Prevent Illicit Trafficking and Proliferation of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives — a concrete step towards cooperation and shared security that we are willing to share with other regions as good practice. We all claim that we are aware that most conflicts have no military solution, and we frequently reiterate that. It is therefore surprising that we remain undaunted, inexplicably complicit, in showing ourselves to be incapable of acting to prevent, time and again, these conflicts from being fuelled with weapons — not only small and light weapons, but worse still, high-calibre weapons  — thereby promoting the continuation of conflicts, the capacity of the belligerents and the escalation of violence, sacrificing civilians and causing the suffering of women and children for the sole benefit of the pockets of manufacturers, suppliers and intermediaries, who thrive happily by feeding off the blood of others. With these comments, we take positive note of the report of the Secretary- General (S/2025/670), and we reaffirm our commitment to continue taking action in close coordination with the countries of our region and with international and regional organizations, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organization of American States and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, to reduce illicit arms flows in line with Sustainable Development Goal target 16.4, including the strengthening and creation of capacities in our institutions related to this issue.

I thank all of our briefers. Addressing illicit small arms and light weapons proliferation is a core peace and security priority  — one that we believe could be more effectively managed through full implementation of United Nations arms embargoes and support for related enforcement mechanisms. For example, the destabilizing activities of the Houthis in Yemen would be more swiftly neutralized if States such as Iran were not supplying arms and other support. This situation is exacerbated by support from their proxies. This includes some on the Security Council who block meaningful actions to implement sanctions. These actions include denying a snapback of United Nations sanctions on Iran, obstructing updates to the United Nations sanctions lists and blocking appointments to panels of experts on sanctions. Arms embargo mandates are often in the cross hairs in Security Council negotiations. States bemoan illicit arms while also seeking to weaken arms embargoes and other United Nations-mandated actions to stem illicit arms flows. In addition, sweeping discussions of topics that have little relevance to the matter at hand, such as gender identity and sustainable development goals, divert attention from the core issue. We do not support efforts to further this trend, such as the Secretary-General’s In that regard, we commend regional initiatives to address illicit small arms and light weapons issues. We encourage Member States to explore additional measures to strengthen implementation, including enhanced cross-border cooperation. We also recognize the useful measures being taken by United Nations bodies such as the Counter-Terrorism Executive Committee Directorate to identify gaps in national, legal and regulatory frameworks on small arms and light weapons control. The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime are also implementing useful capacity-building programmes. We welcome the Secretary-General’s focus on emerging technologies to combat illicit trafficking networks and the opportunities offered by new tracing tools. We urge Member States to explore these tools to enhance stockpile management, improve information-sharing and prevent diversion. A good example of how we can work together to achieve concrete results is transitioning the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti to a Gang Suppression Force. This Force will concentrate on Haiti’s immediate critical security challenges and lay the groundwork for long-term stability. The Gang Suppression Force and the support office will provide support to the Haitian National Police and the Haitian armed forces to combat illicit trafficking and the diversion of arms and related materiel. These are real actions that will have positive effects and provide Haiti with a brighter future. The United States will continue to press forward with initiatives like these — ones that will make a tangible difference in addressing problems within the United Nations remit. This includes upholding and enforcing a snapback of United Nations sanctions on Iran and working to strengthen arms embargo mechanisms for Yemen and Libya. We urge all States to support these efforts.

Allow me to welcome you, Mr. President, to the Council and to commend you and Sierra Leone for putting this important topic on the Council’s agenda. Let me also thank our briefers this morning for their important statements. The uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons remains one of the most persistent threats to international peace and security. These weapons are often the first to appear and the last to disappear in conflict settings. In this context, allow me to raise three key points. First, the impact of small arms and light weapons around the world is wide-ranging and long-lasting. In the Sudan, deadly clashes fuelled by these very weapons are exacting an immense toll on civilians, especially women and children, while also deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. In Yemen, the illicit trafficking of weapons by the Houthis continues to prolong the conflict, with civilians bearing the brunt. And in Haiti, the uncontrolled flow of small arms and ammunition fuels gang violence and undermines the rule of law, as we also just heard from Mr. Descardes. These conflicts, just like others around the world, all have varied causes and consequences. However, it is clear that the proliferation of small arms prolongs them, makes them deadlier and increases the risk of atrocities against civilians. Controlling the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons is therefore not only a security issue but also a question of human rights and the protection of civilians. This human cost must remain at the forefront of our minds and continue to guide our responses. This leads me to my second point. There is an urgent need for the international community to strengthen the implementation of existing regulatory measures. Full and consistent implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, My third and final point is that the control of the flow of illicit arms must be comprehensive and address the underlying causes of conflicts. This requires a multifaceted approach that includes peacebuilding, development, human rights, security sector reform and governance. We welcome the integration of arms control into Security Council mandates, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, as well as peacebuilding and sustainable development initiatives, as was also recommended this morning by the Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, here in the Council. We believe that we can and should continue to mainstream this critical agenda across our work. Partnerships and continued Council support for regional initiatives remain essential. Denmark strongly supports the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, which plays a key role in advancing peace and curbing the illicit flows of arms across the continent, and we welcome the statement by Mr. Chambas here today. In closing, controlling small arms and light weapons is essential to ending the many conflicts on our agenda today. Curbing their illicit trafficking is essential to preventing others from erupting tomorrow. Put simply: addressing this issue goes to the very core of the mandate of the Council.

I welcome you, Mr. President, to New York. France thanks the Sierra Leonean presidency of the Security Council for convening this open debate on a topic, which, it goes without saying, warrants the attention of the Council. I am taking this opportunity to congratulate Sierra Leone on assuming the presidency and to assure it of France’s support. My thanks also extend to the Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Silencing the Guns initiative of the African Union, INTERPOL and Volontariat pour le développement d’Haïti for briefings that illustrated, in concrete terms, that international peace and security is being undermined by the spread of small and light weapons. The Secretary-General concluded as much in the recent report (S/2025/670) that he submitted to us pursuant to resolution 2220 (2015). Illicit trafficking in small arms fuels armed conflict, terrorism and organized crime, particularly drug trafficking and human trafficking. It undermines reconstruction and stabilization efforts, even after conflicts have ended. It causes immense suffering among civilian populations, particularly for women and children. The Secretary-General’s report notes that firearms are used in nearly 90 per cent of documented cases of conflict- related sexual violence. The international community must maintain and amplify its mobilization to respond to this scourge. First, we call on all States to join and implement all relevant international instruments. Foremost among these are the Arms Trade Treaty, which aims to strengthen the prevention of the diversion of conventional arms, and the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. The work of the Programme of Action, which will continue during the biennial meeting next June, must address the challenges posed by emerging technologies, such as additive manufacturing. France welcomes the progress made on the secure management of ammunition throughout its life Secondly, the Security Council must continue to consider the issue of the proliferation of small arms. Resolution 2793 (2025), adopted in September, gives the new Gang Suppression Force in Haiti a robust mandate to support the Haitian Armed Forces and the Haitian National Police in their fight against the diversion of weapons and related materiel and in the implementation of the sanctions regime in this regard. The Council must ensure compliance with the embargoes it has imposed. We are thinking in particular of Yemen, Libya  — where the European Union’s Operation IRINI plays an essential role — and the armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In this regard, France welcomed the adoption of resolution 2783 (2025) in June. The Council should be able to rely on panels of experts, whose role is essential in documenting violations. France reaffirms its support for these panels and calls for the swift recruitment of a Panel of Experts for the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1737 (2006), whose mandate will include monitoring an embargo on arms to and from Iran. Thirdly, regional initiatives can also make a significant contribution, aligned with realities on the ground, to efforts to prevent and eradicate illicit trafficking in small arms. In partnership with Germany, France launched a road map in 2017 to coordinate the fight against firearms trafficking in the Western Balkans, which was recently extended until 2030. The continuation of this initiative will help us to support the States in the region in strengthening and harmonizing their legislation on small arms control. The briefings we heard today remind us of the human, economic, social and political costs of the proliferation of small arms. In line with the ambition set out in the Pact for the Future, it is our common responsibility to act together to respond to this scourge.

We thank Sierra Leone for convening this important briefing, and we would like to thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over it. We express our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his latest biennial report (S/2025/670), and we thank all the briefers for providing us with a very holistic picture of this problem. Every minute, somewhere in the world, a life is taken by a small arm; not by chance, but because these weapons are easy to find, easy to hide, easy to use and, too often, as we heard earlier from the representative of INTERPOL, impossible to trace. The havoc that they create takes place daily and is quiet and almost invisible. Nevertheless, their cumulative toll surpasses that of most wars. The Secretary-General’s report confirms what we already know. These weapons thrive in the shadows, in the cracks of governance, in the silence of law, in the failures of accountability. They move where institutions are weakest, where borders are most porous and where hope is most fragile. The briefing by Mr. Descardes, of Haiti, was an illustration of that. We all know that large-scale wars capture the headlines. But it is small arms and light weapons that sustain the silent, everyday wars on the streets, in homes and in refugee camps, long after peace agreements are signed. They determine whether children can go to school safely, whether women can live free from fear, whether elections can be held without intimidation and whether peace agreements endure or fall apart. We also stress the importance of the integration of ammunition management into disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, ensuring that former combatants and affected communities can rebuild their lives free from the threat of rearmament. We live in a time of great and rapid technological advancement. However, we believe that technology should be used wisely and responsibly. The same innovations that make it easier to produce untraceable weapons can also enable better tracing, data-sharing and transparency. We must, therefore, make technology part of the solution, not part of the problem. These tools should be used to prevent diversion and strengthen oversight. Slovenia believes that arms control must go hand in hand with the implementation of the women and peace and security and youth, peace and security agendas, a point emphasized earlier by the High Representative of the African Union. Women should be meaningfully involved in all processes related to the management of small arms and light weapons. Sexual and gender-based violence are fuelled by the proliferation and widespread availability of small arms and light weapons in almost all conflict settings. At the same time, many of today’s young people have grown up surrounded by firearms, in conflict zones, in communities affected by crime and violence, and in digital spaces that glamourize violence. What if, instead, they were empowered to lead efforts related to disarmament and to become agents of change? In the end, this is about the protection of civilians. It is about whether people can live without fear, whether a community can rebuild after war and whether peace is simply declared or truly experienced.

We would like to thank Sierra Leone for convening this open debate. We are very pleased to see you, Mr. President, preside over the Council today, reflecting the importance attached by your country both to this forum and the topic under discussion. I would also like to join colleagues in thanking Mr. Ebo, Mr. Chambas, Ms. Andriani and Mr. Descardes for their insightful briefings, which highlighted the security, human, socioeconomic and many other dimensions of this issue. The illicit transfer and unchecked use of small arms and light weapons, in addition to their destabilizing accumulation, have a direct impact on intensifying and prolonging conflicts, endangering socioeconomic progress and undermining the prospects for peace and security, particularly at the regional and subregional levels. In terms of their impact on local communities, small arms and light weapons are neither small nor light. Illicit weapons impede development prospects, contribute to human rights abuses and imperil peace, security and stability. According to empirical data, small arms are the second most used weapons in global terrorist attacks after explosives. As highlighted by the Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670), Africa is one of the regions most severely affected by the illicit trade, misuse and diversion of small arms and light weapons. Illicit arms have fuelled conflicts, amplified internal security threats, served as tools for terrorism, organized crime, political violence and the erosion of the rule of law, thus emerging as one of the foremost drivers of instability on the continent. Small arms and light weapons have also emerged as Pakistan is seriously concerned about the presence of stockpiles of sophisticated arms and ammunition in Afghanistan, as noted in the findings of the Secretary- General’s reports. These sophisticated weapons pose a direct threat to neighbouring countries. We also have credible information regarding attempts to smuggle these arms to neighbouring countries for terrorist activities. Weapons confiscated at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border have been traced back to stockpiles of weapons left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan and illegal weapons being sold across black markets in Afghanistan. The movement of unmarked or unregistered weapons across the international border sustains and aids non-State armed groups, terrorist networks and criminal gangs, undermining regional security and stability. We are also deeply concerned about the acquisition and use of these mostly abandoned modern and potent weapons by terrorist groups based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose a serious challenge to peace and security in Pakistan and the broader region. Terrorist entities, including Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant- Khorasan, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan Fitna al-Khawarij — a United Nations-listed terrorist organization  — and the Baloch Liberation Army and Majeed Brigade, which operate with impunity from Afghanistan, enabled by the external financing and support of a principal destabilizing actor in the region, have used these weapons against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies, leading to the loss of thousands of innocent lives. We call for stronger international efforts to prevent armed terrorist groups in Afghanistan from accessing illicit arms and to ensure that the Afghan interim authorities adhere to their international obligations and commitments in that regard. The international community needs to step up its efforts and plug gaps in its response to effectively address these threats to international and regional peace and security. The evolving nature of warfare and the advent of new technologies present serious challenges in combating the proliferation of increasingly lethal small arms, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial-intelligence-based weapons, three-dimensional-printed small arms and high-tech night vision equipment. Criminal groups and terrorists are increasingly utilizing technologies such as cryptocurrency for anonymous transactions and employing the dark web to evade detection when acquiring such weapons. While new technologies have introduced new challenges in manufacturing and the proliferation of illicit arms manufacturing, new avenues of effective control and international cooperation have also opened up, which need to be fully utilized. Traditional arms control measures, designed for another era before the advent of these new technologies, must keep pace with new developments. We firmly believe that the issue of illicit small arms and light weapons should be addressed comprehensively and in a balanced manner. The United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects strikes a balance between the legitimate security requirements of States and the imperative to address the issue of illicit arms on both the supply and demand sides. We remain committed to its implementation at the national level and call for its full execution at the global level to safeguard and promote international and regional peace and security.

At the outset, Somalia would like to commend Sierra Leone’s presidency for convening this important open debate and to welcome you, Mr. President, Your Excellency Mr. Musa Timothy Kabba. We listened carefully to the briefers’ statements and thank them for their contributions. Africa confronts unique vulnerabilities, including extensive and often artificial borders that facilitate illicit trafficking, coupled with the exploitation of ungoverned spaces by non-State armed groups and criminal actors. Effective responses must be rooted in respecting African priorities, strengthening regional mechanisms and fostering partnerships that genuinely empower African solutions. Regional organizations play a crucial role in addressing these challenges. The African Union’s flagship Silencing the Guns by 2030 initiative and the African Union Strategy represent a continent-wide commitment to ending conflicts and controlling the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons. These initiatives are a testament to our continent’s unwavering commitment to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons in an integrated and holistic manner across the regions of Africa. Somalia supports these initiatives and calls for enhanced cooperation among the United Nations, the African Union and subregional organizations. We believe that this cooperation should include information-sharing, coordination strategies and enforcement measures to disrupt and dismantle transnational trafficking networks that engage in the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons. On a national level, Somalia has been working tirelessly to address the threat posed by the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons and to effectively manage weapons and ammunition, as documented in the Secretary-General’s report, which recognizes progress in this regard. Somalia has been at the forefront of implementing robust mechanisms to ensure that all weaponry remains under stringent State control and has undertaken initiatives, such as enhancing traceability and accountability within our national stockpiles. The establishment of the Central Monitoring Department within the National Security Office serves as a testament to our commitment to transparent and accountable arms management. Furthermore, the comprehensive efforts in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration continue, prioritizing enhanced Federal-State coordination, supporting voluntary defections and facilitating the sustainable reintegration of former combatants into civilian life. These actions are integral to breaking cycles of violence and fostering sustainable peace in Somalia and in Africa. To conclude, Somalia calls on all Member States to renew their commitment to effective arms control within the existing United Nations and international frameworks. Somalia stands ready to work with all partners towards this goal. The weapons that fuel conflict know no borders. Our response must be equally unified and resolute.

I welcome the participation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Kabba, who is presiding over this meeting, and thank the briefers for their statements. The issue of small arms and light weapons has a bearing on peace and development. Properly addressing this issue is of great significance in combating terrorism and transnational organized crime, maintaining regional peace and security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. According to the recent First, we must take a comprehensive approach to tackling both the symptoms and the root causes. Small arms and light weapons are not only an issue of security but also a development and governance issue. Regions such as the Horn of Africa and the Sahel lag behind in economic development, and their people continue to be afflicted by poverty and severely affected by the proliferation of weapons and violent conflict. The international community should take concrete measures to promote economic development and social stability in the countries concerned, eliminate the root causes of poverty, violence, instability and conflict and foster conditions conducive to fundamentally resolving the issue of small arms and light weapons. All countries should uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable approach to security, commit to peaceful dispute resolution and eliminate global and regional security threats through dialogue and consultation so as to prevent the emergence of new sources of conflict. Secondly, we must engage in multilateralism and improve the governance architecture. The United Nations should take the lead in promoting the comprehensive and effective implementation of the international legal instruments governing small arms and light weapons, enhancing the authority, universality and effectiveness of the relevant mechanisms and creating synergies among the various mechanisms for greater collective efforts. The Security Council should provide political support for peace, reconciliation and the post-war reconstruction of the countries concerned and help them to address effectively the proliferation of small arms and light weapons through processes such as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform. Thirdly, we must strengthen capacity-building to ensure through-life management. The countries concerned should bear primary responsibility for the manufacture, storage and transfer of small arms and light weapons. In line with their national circumstances, they should adopt and enhance legislation, regulations and institutional arrangements, strengthen the effectiveness of law enforcement and control, and eliminate the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons within their borders. The international community, under United Nations coordination and in line with the will of the countries concerned, should promote bilateral and multilateral exchanges of experience and practical cooperation among States and the relevant international organizations so as to enhance countries’ capacity to control small arms and light weapons. Fourthly, we must exercise prudence in arms exports to avoid heightening risks. Countries should adopt responsible arms export policies, cease using the arms trade to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, exercise caution in exporting arms to conflict zones and refrain from transferring arms to non-State actors. With gang violence still rampant in Haiti and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, the countries from which those illicit arms and ammunition originate should take concrete action to ensure the effective implementation of the Council’s arms embargoes. Terrorist organizations and extremist forces in Syria are growing stronger, and the risk of their resurgence is increasing. Countries should earnestly Fifthly, we must focus on technological challenges and promote the use of technology for good. Emerging technologies create development opportunities for countries but also pose security challenges. Issues such as 3D printing, the modular manufacture of firearms and craft-produced weapons are becoming increasingly prominent, complicating the control of small arms and light weapons. The extensive application of artificial intelligence and big data offers an additional means of controlling small arms and light weapons. China advocates for “technology for good” and calls for enhancing exchanges and cooperation within the framework of the United Nations, advancing the process of controlling small arms and light weapons in line with the times and supporting the practical discussions of the open- ended technical expert group of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and thereby achieve constructive results. China has consistently supported and participated constructively in small arms and light weapons governance, earnestly fulfilling its international obligations, strengthening legal and institutional safeguards, adopting a prudent and responsible attitude towards arms exports and continuously promoting international exchange and cooperation. Currently, China is working with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the African Union through the China-United Nations Peace and Development Fund to support capacity-building for African countries in relation to small arms control, contributing to the implementation of the Pact for the Future and the African Silencing the Guns initiative. Addressing the issue of small arms and light weapons is a long-term task and an important mission of the international community. China stands ready to work with all parties to further advance the process, strive for lasting peace, shared security and a world free from gun violence and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Let me welcome you, Mr. President, to the Council and thank Sierra Leone for convening this important debate. I also thank all the briefers for their valuable contributions. As the Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670) highlights, the diversion of illicit small arms and light weapons persists across the entire life cycle of weapons — from the point of manufacture, transfer and storage of the weapons through 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 for protecting lives in conflict zones and preventing armed violence. I will make three points. First, the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons is a transnational threat. The United Kingdom supports capacity-building and cross-regional collaboration to enforce arms embargoes, improve tracing and strengthen stockpile management. Through the United Kingdom-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 subregional approaches, including the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative. The United Kingdom is proud to fund the review of 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, led by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, underlining our commitment to tackling this threat at the regional level. Lastly, illicit weapons diversion disproportionately affects women and girls. The United Nations estimates that 70 to 90 per cent of conflict-related sexual violence incidents involve weapons and firearms. As we commemorate the twenty- fifth anniversary of the women and peace and security agenda this year, effective conventional arms control can play a vital role in prevention. Women should be at the centre of these efforts. The United Kingdom remains committed to working to strengthen sanctions enforcement, enhance arms control and support disarmament and post-conflict stabilization efforts.

We welcome you, Minister, to the President’s seat. We are grateful to our Sierra Leonean colleagues for choosing such a pertinent topic for our open debate. We thank today’s speakers for their briefings. We have carefully reviewed the report (S/2025/670) prepared by the Secretary- General on small arms and light weapons (SALW). We note that, on the whole, it adequately reflects the particulars of the topic under consideration. The issue of controlling the supply of conventional arms and military equipment, including small arms and light weapons, continues to be relevant. The problem of the proliferation of, and illicit trafficking in, such weapons and their falling into the hands of criminals and terrorists are a feature of conflicts worldwide. SALW are the most widely used type of weapon, and it is precisely their use in combat that causes the greatest human toll, including among the civilian population. Despite the efforts made by the international community at the national, regional and global levels, it must be acknowledged that these efforts are often insufficient. Some States still lack sufficiently strict legislation, and there are persistent gaps in export control regimes. International transfers of SALW to non-State actors who have not obtained the necessary authorization from their governments are commonplace. In the pursuit of profit and sometimes for purely political motives, suppliers of SALW do not consider where, by whom and for what purposes a given consignment of weapons will be used. Such indiscriminateness is particularly characteristic of States with excessive stockpiles of SALW, for whom offloading is a profitable alternative to disposing of them. A further issue is that of the manufacture of SALW under expired licences or absent licences from the countries that own the technology. Weapons thus manufactured are usually sent to third countries, the existence of such transfers being carefully concealed. The lack of transparency means that the end users of SALW are actors upon whom the Security Council has imposed arms embargoes. In this context, the Russian Federation has been consistently paying much attention to the issue of controls over the supply of military hardware, including SALW. Our country has been steadily strengthening the relevant national legislation and stands ready to share its experience with other interested States. We fully support the relevant initiatives in Africa and Latin America. At the same time, we are convinced that the management and circulation of SALW, standard-setting for the The Secretary-General mentioned the international Arms Trade Treaty in his report. In our view, this instrument is, frankly, weak, so much so that it simply does not allow the tasks that it sets to be accomplished. A case in point is the Treaty’s lack of direct prohibitions on unlicensed arms manufacturing and transfers to non-State actors and lack of regulation of the re-exporting of military hardware. In essence, these gaps entail the risk of weapons falling into the hands of organized criminals and terrorist groups. Moreover, the implementation of the Treaty in practice leaves much to be desired, to say the least. Some of its participants continue to supply arms and military equipment directly or indirectly to conflict zones. We therefore regard references to this instrument to be unnecessary, given that the standards that it contains not only fail to reflect reality but are also being construed very broadly by some countries. We remain highly sceptical about the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, adopted by a resolution of the General Assembly (resolution 78/47) in 2023. Its quasi-controlling and politically binding nature and the format of its wording in the context of certain “political commitments” regarding the management of national ammunition stockpiles call for serious criticism. Against this backdrop, we consider it necessary to focus the efforts of the international community on truly effective measures to combat the illicit trafficking of SALW. The Russian Federation has consistently proposed a number of specific steps in the relevant forums, among them a universal ban on the transfer of SALW of all kinds to entities that are not authorized by the Governments of receiving States; strict regulation and direct control by States over brokering activities related to arms exports within their jurisdiction; mandatory end-user certificates for arms export transactions; and prohibitions on the manufacturing of SALW under expired licences or without a licence from the country that owns the technology for their production, including an end to the practice whereby weapons previously produced under licence undergo slight modification without the developer’s consent and are exported as proprietary designs. We have consistently advocated for discussions on these and other issues related to the control of SALW circulation to continue at the United Nations. Of particular importance in this regard is the implementation of the only specialized global instrument for combating the illicit trafficking of these types of weapons: the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects. We support greater cooperation in the General Assembly within the framework of the Programme of Action. In addition, if necessary, the relevant Security Council sanctions committees could be involved to consider specific violations of the arms embargoes imposed by the Council on certain countries. We are open to cooperating on these issues with all constructively minded States, and we also stand ready to provide, upon request, advisory assistance to States interested in studying Russia’s experience in the area of SALW control.

Guyana commends your decision, Mr. President  — Your Excellency, Mr. Musa Timothy Kabba  — to convene this open debate on a subject of critical importance in the overall effort to maintain international peace and security. We also thank the Secretary-General for this year’s annual report (S/2025/670) and express our appreciation to Mr. Ebo, His Excellency Mr. Chambas, Ms. Andriani and Mr. Descardes for their invaluable insights. As outlined in the Secretary-General’s report, the uncontrolled proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons remain among the most persistent threats to peace and sustainable development, particularly in regions emerging from conflict or grappling with fragile governance structures. These weapons, by virtue of being Small arms and light weapons are also the second most prevalent weapons used in terrorist attacks around the globe. We have seen first-hand in our own region — Latin America and the Caribbean — how illicit arms flows intersect with transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and piracy, fuelling insecurity that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, including women and children, and, as and, as Mr. Descardes reminded us, in the case of Haiti. Small arms do not merely perpetuate conflict; they delay recovery, disrupt livelihoods and erode confidence in State institutions. Guyana reaffirms its unwavering support for resolution 2220 (2015), which reaffirms the responsibility of the Security Council to strengthen arms embargo monitoring mechanisms. The resolution also underlines the need for Member States to put in place adequate laws, regulations and administrative procedures to exercise effective control over the production of small arms and light weapons, within their areas of jurisdiction, and over the export, import, transit or retransfer of such weapons. These measures are aimed at preventing their illegal manufacture and illicit trafficking or their diversion to unauthorized recipients. Guyana shares the view that the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition can only be effectively addressed through a comprehensive and integrated strategy that includes national, regional and international measures. In this vein, we endorse the Secretary-General’s recommendation for Member States to strengthen efforts to implement relevant Security Council resolutions related to small arms and light weapons and to bring national legislation in line with emerging trends and developments. We further urge Member States to subscribe and adhere fully to the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and the International Tracing Instrument, along with other multilateral and regional frameworks. We further call upon those States that have not yet done so to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty and fully implement its provisions. We have taken positive note of regional initiatives, namely the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative; the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030; the Central America and Dominican Republic Roadmap to Prevent the Illicit Trafficking and Proliferation of Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives; and other models of regionally driven arms control efforts. We believe that global support for these mechanisms, as highlighted by Mr. Chambas, will contribute to the overall advancement of a comprehensive strategy to address the illicit trade and misuse of small arms and light weapons. We in CARICOM have consistently underscored the human and economic toll of gun-related violence. The region’s small island and coastal States, situated along major trans-shipment routes, bear heavy burdens as victims of weapons that are neither manufactured in nor exported from the region. Guyana, therefore, joins the call for strengthened international cooperation and technology transfer to enhance border management, tracing mechanisms and forensic capabilities. Suppliers of such Given the number of ongoing conflicts, it is imperative for us to renew global commitment, not only to control the supply of small arms, but to address the demand drivers that sustain illicit markets, such as poverty, inequality, lack of employment opportunities, the effects of climate change and weak governance. Guyana also believes that effective arms control must be integrated into peacekeeping, post‑conflict peacebuilding and development strategies, as Mr. Ebo underscored. We are convinced that sustainable disarmament requires both political will and practical support. The United Nations must continue assisting national authorities through capacity‑building, stockpile management and cross‑border information‑sharing frameworks. Finally, Guyana reiterates that global peace and security will remain elusive as long as weapons designed for battlefields continue to devastate communities in peacetime. We stand ready to work with all Member States, regional organizations and civil society to advance concrete and cooperative measures against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, in the spirit of shared responsibility and collective security.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Republic of Sierra Leone for convening this open debate on small arms and light weapons. I also wish to express my appreciation for the comprehensive and insightful briefings delivered by Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the High Representative of the African Union for the Silencing the Guns initiative; and Ms. Roraima Ana Andriani, Special Representative of INTERPOL to the European Union. We also listened attentively to the civil society briefer. The issue of the illicit flows of and trafficking in small arms and light weapons currently remains one of the gravest threats to international peace and security. This is a source of concern based on the clear reality. Our continent, Africa, continues to grapple with the devastating consequences of illicit arms flows. The most recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2025/670) paints a deeply troubling picture. Conflicts have been exacerbated, fuelled by small arms and light weapons; transnational organized crime networks have grown more complex; and terrorist groups have exploited weak border controls to acquire increasingly lethal capabilities. In the Sahel region alone, small arms were used in 70 per cent of all terrorist attacks. Algeria’s commitment to combating illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons is based on our deep conviction in this field. This is reflected in the strengthening of our national frameworks through robust legal mechanisms; increased human, technical and financial resources; and deepening regional and international cooperation. Algeria enforces a strict national regulatory framework that covers the entire weapons life cycle, from point of manufacture and importation to transfer, storage and disposal. In this context, Algeria reiterates its continued commitment to the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and the International Tracing Instrument. Algeria also continues to fulfil its obligations as a party to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Firearms Protocol. In addition, Algeria systematically contributes to information-sharing, through INTERPOL, to support tracing efforts and criminal investigations. We also closely cooperate with regional The challenges we face today have grown more complex. The emergence of firearms made using additive manufacturing, home-made weapons and the online circulation of digital blueprints to manufacture weapons pose serious challenges to regulatory frameworks. In this vein, we welcome the establishment of the open-ended technical expert group to address developments in small arms and light weapons manufacturing, technology and design. We must develop concrete recommendations to address these emerging threats. On the other hand, the Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670) confirms what we have long observed, namely, that terrorist groups systematically exploit the poor stockpile management of certain entities and porous borders in order to acquire weapons. We must therefore strengthen the physical security of stockpiles, improve border controls and work to dismantle the illicit supply chains that enable terrorists to access weapons. Algeria would like to highlight the following three priorities for strengthening international action. First, while the international community has long focused on measures that address the supply side, the Secretary-General’s report rightly emphasizes the need to address the drivers of both supply and demand for illicit weapons. This requires addressing the root causes, foremost among which are poverty, inequality, poor governance and lack of economic opportunities. Arms regulation must therefore be integrated into broader development strategies, conflict prevention efforts and peacebuilding processes. Secondly, regional and subregional approaches are the cornerstones of addressing the cross-border nature of illicit arms flows. Algeria therefore strongly supports the African Union’s Silencing the Guns by 2030 initiative and calls for its full implementation. We urge the Security Council to provide sustained support to regional mechanisms and road maps. Thirdly, the gap between needs and resources continues to widen. Many developing countries lack the technical and financial capabilities and capacities needed to implement comprehensive arms control systems. The international community must therefore provide sustained, predictable and needs-based assistance. In this context, we express our appreciation for the United Nations Disarmament Fellowship Programme, which is a vital tool for national capacity-building and training experts in developing countries. In conclusion, we call for concerted efforts and decisive action at all levels in order to shift the balance from instability to security and to eliminate the threat of illicit small arms and light weapons.

I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than three minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Flashing lights on the collars of the microphones will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after three minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of the Philippines.

The Philippines thanks you, Mr. President, for convening this important debate and commends Sierra Leone’s leadership in highlighting the impact of illicit arms flows, transnational crime and terrorism in Africa and the Caribbean. We also wish to thank the briefers for their valuable insights. The Philippines aligns itself with the Secretary-General’s 2025 report on small arms and light weapons (S/2025/670) and reaffirms that curbing illicit arms flows As both a donor country to and an active member of the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR), the Philippines reaffirms its strong commitment to advancing global arms control and disarmament initiatives. Through UNSCAR, the Philippines actively supports cooperation with the African Union in alignment with the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative. UNSCAR-sponsored projects have produced tangible results: the destruction of unserviceable weapons and ammunition in Angola; the elimination of more than 1,000 seized, surrendered or obsolete weapons in Malawi; and the establishment of tracing systems to support Sustainable Development Goal indicator 16.4.2 reporting in countries of the Economic Community of West African States, including Benin, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Other initiatives include training for member States of the Economic Community of Central African States on implementing the Programme of Action on Small Arms and the Kinshasa Convention, livelihood training for blacksmiths in Sierra Leone and emergency response in Chad following an ammunition explosion. These efforts demonstrate how practical cooperation, while supported by modest yet strategic investments, can save lives, build trust and advance regional stability. Our own experience has shown that collective approaches are most effective. In Southeast Asia, the Philippines works closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) under the 2023 declaration on combating arms smuggling and through the ASEAN Association of Heads of Police to strengthen border control, tracing mechanisms and law enforcement cooperation. Domestically, we have reinforced firearms regulation and improved data integration among customs, defence and police authorities. As the Philippines assumes the ASEAN chairmanship next year, we will continue these regional and national efforts to curb the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, consistent with our vision of a peaceful, rules- based and interconnected Indo-Pacific. The Philippines remains steadfast in its commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. We will continue to work with all partners, within and beyond the Security Council, to strengthen the global framework against illicit arms flows, uphold the Programme of Action and the Arms Trade Treaty and ensure that the promise of silencing the guns becomes a reality for all regions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Indonesia is deeply concerned about the grim reality of the increasing diversion, illicit transfer and misuse of small arms and light weapons. These activities continue to fuel conflicts, terrorism and organized crimes, which inflict untold human suffering, particularly on the most vulnerable. Therefore, addressing challenges emanating from the diversion and illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition should be an integral part of the overall effort to create a sustainable peace. There are three points that I would like to offer. First, compliance with, and the implementation of, the multilateral framework to curb the illegal trafficking of weapons and ammunitions must be ensured. Existing international mechanisms, such as the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, must be implemented in a balanced, full and effective manner. This requires enhanced capacity-building, information exchange and tracing support. Moreover, all countries must strictly adhere to their treaty obligations by, among other means, preventing Secondly, national and regional capacities to prevent the diversion, illicit transfer and misuse of emerging technologies in small arms and light weapons must be bolstered. Capacity-building and practical cooperation that are tailored to the unique conditions and needs of each country should be developed to reinforce the capacity of countries to regulate and manage the circulation of weapons. Regional cooperation also remains vital in ensuring a coordinated approach against the transnational aspect of illicit transfers. In our region, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been implementing the declaration on combating arms smuggling through improved border management and information-sharing. We encourage greater United Nations support for such ASEAN-led initiatives. Thirdly, post-conflict weapon management must be integrated with sustainable development. The continued circulation of small arms and light weapons undermines peacebuilding and the rule of law in post-conflict settings. Drawing from our own experience, we believe that disarmament is not merely a logistical task but a profound social process. It is therefore vital to strengthen peacebuilding efforts, including through peacekeeping operations, by integrating disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and security sector reform. Addressing the diversion of, illicit trade in, and misuse of, small arms and light weapons requires collective efforts from all of us. The Council can rest assured that Indonesia’s commitment to work together with all Member States in addressing such challenges will remain strong.

I now give the floor to the representative of Austria.

Austria commends Sierra Leone and the Security Council for addressing the complex challenge posed by small arms and light weapons, a persistent threat to international peace and security. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. The Secretary-General’s report (S/2025/670) clearly underscores that the misuse, illicit trafficking and diversion of small arms and light weapons continue to fuel conflict, hinder sustainable development and endanger civilian lives. These weapons undermine peace, good governance and human rights, with devastating humanitarian consequences that obstruct access to education, healthcare and justice, thereby weakening progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. We wish to highlight three priorities today. First, Austria underscores the importance of the full and effective implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, so as to ensure that gender perspectives are integrated across all aspects of our work. Between 70 and 90 per cent of conflict- related sexual violence incidents involve weapons and firearms — a stark reminder of the connection between arms control and prevention efforts. Women, children and other vulnerable groups remain disproportionately affected by armed violence. Austria, together with the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team, has been conducting the United Nations SaferGuard training on the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines for women ammunition technical experts, in Vienna for three years in a row, with participation from all regions. For more than a decade, Austria has contributed to weapons and ammunition logistics, focusing on secure storage and regional cooperation, notably in Africa and the Western Balkans. Secondly, the international arms control framework must be strengthened. Austria recalls that in the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace, the urgent need Finally, science and innovation must be leveraged. Austria views science and innovation as powerful tools to reinforce arms control and disarmament efforts. Our active participation in the Science for Peace and Security programme illustrates Austria’s leadership in integrating innovation into global security efforts. Together with our partners, we are, for instance, developing small portable nanosensors and laser-printed early warning sensors that harness quantum detection to identify chemical and biological agents. Through the Black Sea security initiative, Austria is also contributing to regional and maritime cooperation to enhance human and environmental security. Looking ahead, Austria remains firmly committed to working with United Nations entities, regional organizations and civil society to advance global arms control mechanisms. Dialogue, partnership and trust must guide our collective efforts to curb armed violence, prevent proliferation and build lasting peace and security for all.

I now give the floor to the representative of Chile.

Chile thanks the presidency of Sierra Leona for convening this important open debate and wishes it every success in its presidency. Our thanks likewise extend to Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Ms. Roraima Ana Andriani and Mr. Arnoux Descardes for their valuable input. Small and light arms continue to be the most widely used weaponry in modern- day conflict. The diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse of such arms fuel armed violence, compound political instability and undermine peacebuilding efforts. In many settings, these arms are the common thread between organized crime, terrorism and human rights violations. From a Latin American standpoint, we can attest to how the illicit trafficking of small arms affects human security, bolsters transnational organized crime networks and impedes sustainable development. Chile is therefore of the view that tackling the issue demands a comprehensive, preventive and multilateral approach that marries international cooperation, the strengthening of institutions and responsible regulation of the arms trade. Chile underscores the importance of full compliance with the Council’s resolutions on the subject, including resolutions 2220 (2015) and 2616 (2021), and the enforcement of the arms embargoes established by the Council. The priority must therefore be to boost national capacities in relation to the management, storage and marking of stockpiles and traceability and border control mechanisms. In that connection, we appreciate the endeavours of the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African Union and Economic Community of West African States in moving the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative forward. By the same token, Chile considers it crucial for the Council to promote the implementation of the recommendations set out in the Secretary-General’s biennial report on small arms and light weapons (S/2025/670), specifically those concerning support for the processes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and the responsible management of stockpiles through the lifting of arms embargoes. Lastly, the international community cannot remain indifferent in the face of a reality that claims thousands of lives every year and prolongs the cycle of violence. Genuine security is fostered not with more weapons but with more rights, more justice and more cooperation. Chile reaffirms its commitment to a multilateralism that is effective and to a Council that takes consistent and pre-emptive action vis-à-vis the structural causes of insecurity, putting human dignity at the forefront of its decisions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Australia.

We thank Sierra Leone for convening this open debate on small arms and light weapons. The devastating human cost of the illicit flow of these weapons is clear. They are intrinsically linked to terrorism and conflict-related sexual violence and impede peacebuilding efforts. The impacts of illicit weapons are well known, but the means by which they flow and the technologies used to produce them continue to evolve. We cannot be complacent. Our commitment is enduring. Australia is proud to have introduced, during its 2013 presidency of the Security Council, the very first resolution on small arms and light weapons to be adopted in this Chamber (resolution 2117 (2013)). In 2013, Australia also chaired the Final United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty, which led to the adoption of the Treaty — an important tool in preventing the diversion of conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons. On this twenty-fifth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), Australia remains committed to the full implementation of the women and peace and security agenda, including protecting human rights and reducing sexual and gender-based violence. Australia wants peace and stability. Building trust is important to peacebuilding and conflict prevention, a key Australian priority. We are pleased to be actively engaged with the Peacebuilding Commission and to have tripled our contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund. We are encouraged by consensus outcomes at the 2024 United Nations Conference 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 and at this year’s Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty. Australia wants to build on this positive momentum and is pleased to be nominated to chair next year’s ninth Biennial Meeting of States. Australia welcomes the adoption of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management. As Vice-Chair of the first Meeting of States in 2027 we will work to advance this important Framework. We know that regulating licit firearms significantly reduces the risk of diversion. In 2024, Australia announced a National Firearms Register to facilitate national tracking of licit firearms in near-real time, enhancing police and community safety. This is the most significant uplift in our firearms management systems in more than 25 years. Australia is committed to addressing the threats posed by illicit small arms and light weapons to prevent conflict and build a more peaceful, stable and prosperous world.

I now give the floor to the representative of Spain.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Sierra Leone presidency for convening this important, appropriate and timely open debate. The transnational nature of organized crime and terrorism makes it impossible for any single country to tackle these issues in isolation. International cooperation is essential in combating transnational crime, particularly the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and in adopting the necessary preventive measures to halt the proliferation of such weapons. This multilateral framework provides an ideal forum for addressing this problem. The first point I would like to emphasize is the recirculation of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition on the black market. Data show that most illegally trafficked weapons are not detected at the time of diversion or trafficking, but only when they reappear in other criminal contexts. This is largely because investigations and prosecutions tend to focus on crimes other than arms trafficking, such as drug trafficking or terrorism, relegating the tracing of a weapon’s origin to the background. In many cases, the most common charge is illegal possession of a weapon, which is easier to prove than trafficking or illegal manufacturing. This practice limits investigations, as the opportunity to identify the sources and routes of illicit trafficking is lost. To address the root causes of illicit arms trafficking, a proactive investigative strategy is required, with arms at the centre of the investigative process. This involves establishing specific procedures for collecting and analysing information on arms; incorporating international cooperation and financial intelligence tools from the outset; and providing investigators with adequate technical resources, such as comprehensive national arms registries that include information on manufacturers, transfers and users. Investigations into firearms offences, in addition to gathering evidence common to other criminal offences, require the collection and detailed recording of specific data on firearms, their components and ammunition. This identification is essential to establish whether firearms have been illegally manufactured or transferred, to support investigations and to substantiate legal proceedings against those responsible. At the multilateral level, we have the United Nations instruments against arms trafficking, which provide a common legal framework for the prevention, detection and punishment of this phenomenon. Treaties such as the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects; the International Tracing Instrument; and the Firearms Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime establish international standards that promote cooperation between States. At the regional level, through information exchange and regular meetings, it has been found that cooperation platforms focused on illicit arms trafficking or related crimes, such as organized crime or terrorism, contribute to a better understanding In this regard, Spain has taken on a leading role in prioritizing and implementing actions to combat illicit arms trafficking within the 2022–2025 cycle of the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats, which is the European platform for operational cooperation on organized and transnational crime. Through its Civil Guard, Spain has taken a leading role in operations involving the detection, monitoring and dismantling of firearms trafficking routes, as well as the advanced control of their components and their use in criminal activities. Only through international cooperation, technical expertise and information-sharing will it be possible to weaken illicit arms markets and thereby reduce the operational capacity of transnational organized crime and terrorism.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

I wish to congratulate Sierra Leone on assuming the presidency of the Council in November and commend the Secretariat on its presentation of the report of the Secretary-General on small arms and light weapons (S/2025/670), drafted pursuant to resolution 2220 (2015). In recent years, illicit flows of small arms and light weapons have become a menace of a multifaceted nature, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, owing to the diversion of these weapons to non-State actors in a way that causes instability, threatens State institutions and erodes momentum towards achieving development. This is a phenomenon that requires immediate attention and more tangible measures by the United Nations, including by the Security Council. We note the need for this discussion to be addressed in a comprehensive manner that balances both conventional and non-conventional tracks. Cognizant of the detrimental impact of illicit flows and transfers of weapons, Egypt has always been a staunch supporter of strengthening the legal framework and operational tools to face this recurrent threat. Accordingly, allow me to reflect Egypt’s position, in the following four points. First, we must preserve the sovereign right of States to acquire and manufacture conventional arms for their self-defence and security needs, in line with the Charter of the United Nations, and ensure that the supply of small arms is limited only to Governments or to entities duly authorized by them. Secondly, the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and the International Tracing Instrument are central, as essential instruments in the eradication of illicit trafficking of small arms. Thirdly, the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management provides added value as a voluntary instrument for addressing existing gaps. We underscore the need to maintain separate tracks between processes covering small arms on the one hand and ammunition on the other hand. Fourthly, and lastly, we stress the importance of regional efforts in tracking the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons and the need to maintain solid and predictable financing to assist States at the national and regional levels. We highlight the pivotal role of the African Union Roadmap on Silencing the Guns in this regard and Egypt’s long-standing commitment in supporting its implementation and engaging in all balanced discussions that aim at tracking this imminent threat. I know that my dearest brother, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, our leader on that, is listening to us.

I now give the floor to the representative of Portugal. Portugal wishes to highlight three points. First, the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons constitute a threat to international peace and security. Some of the challenges in this context are long-standing. For example, transnational organized criminal networks or violent extremist groups exploit weak border control and poor stockpile management to transfer and divert arms. In turn, these arms fuel conflict and regional instability, notably in fragile contexts such as the Sahel, the Great Lakes, Syria, Yemen or Haiti, while also contributing to sexual and gender-based violence. Some challenges are more recent. 3D printing, modular weapon design, the use of polymer materials and the growth of craft-produced arms have made the situation more complex. These new and emerging technologies complicate tracing efforts and effective arms control. Secondly, the international community already has the instruments at its disposal to tackle these challenges. The Arms Trade Treaty and the Firearms Protocol have already established a robust normative framework. We call on all Member States to ratify these treaties. These legally binding instruments are further complemented by initiatives such as the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and its International Tracing Instrument, the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management. Portugal was proud to be a member of the Bureau of the fourth United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action, the consensual outcome of which must be thoroughly implemented. In the area of peacekeeping, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, coupled with Security Council arms embargoes, are also important instruments and must be effectively enforced. Part of implementation is sustainable funding, and this is why Portugal is a traditional contributor to the Arms Trade Treaty voluntary trust fund and the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation. Thirdly, State-to-State cooperation is key. Regional and subregional processes to strengthen border security, monitor cross-border arms trafficking, share information on best practices and coordinate on export and import licensing systems must be supported by the United Nations and by the Security Council in particular. Apart from strong cooperation within the European Union, Portugal is also proud that cooperation within the framework of the Community of Portuguese-speaking countries (CPLP) is increasing. The recent establishment of a CPLP network of national focal points on firearms and explosives, a CPLP commission on arms and explosives and the translation into Portuguese of the European Union’s Frontex handbook on firearms are examples of this enhanced cooperation. In conclusion, while the challenges posed by small arms and light weapons remain and continue to threaten international security, we must make full use of the multilateral instruments at our disposal, while also investing in greater cooperation. If elected to the Council for the 2027–2028 term, Portugal will certainly build upon this useful discussion and work towards developing and implementing effective arms control mechanisms.

I now give the floor to the representative of Germany.

We thank Sierra Leone for convening this important open debate today. When Kofi Annan said that small arms are the real weapons of mass destruction, he captured the profound impact of these weapons on peace, security and human First, we have seen renewed commitment to addressing the threat of small arms, especially during last year’s United Nations Conference 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, which was diligently chaired by Costa Rica. We therefore call on all Member States to continue their engagement, just as we want to do. Let us work towards achieving tangible results and keep the topic high on the agenda. Secondly, we are encouraged by the overwhelming support for this year’s First Committee draft resolution on through-life conventional ammunition management (A/C.1/80/L.19), which shows that there is an international consensus. We commend South Africa’s leadership in the successful preparatory meeting on the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, following the Framework’s adoption in 2023 during Germany’s chairmanship of the open-ended working group. We must maintain this spirit and momentum, and we call upon all States to actively engage in the upcoming reporting process to ensure the Global Framework’s effective implementation. Finally, we are inspired by the growing engagement of civil society actors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), whose efforts are vital in tackling the small arms challenge through research, innovative solutions and grassroots awareness-building. Supporting them is one of Germany’s key priorities. We are grateful for the work of the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation in supporting NGOs, and we are proud to be the largest contributor to it this year. To ensure that our efforts remain effective, we do need to address challenges posed by new and emerging technologies such as 3D-printed small arms. These fuel illicit markets, organized crime and armed violence, and we are proud to provide financial support to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research workshop series on this issue. Let me end by saying that Germany is ready to continue contributing and that we lead, as the second largest global donor to small arms control and ammunition management, and support projects with a combined value of $20 million annually. We are committed to driving progress in the field, including through strong political engagement, and I think that it is very good that this matter is on the agenda of the Security Council. I want to assure the Council that if Germany is elected to the Council, it will ensure that the fight against the proliferation of small arms, light weapons and ammunition continues to receive the attention that it deserves.

There are still a number of speakers remaining on my list for this meeting. I intend, with the concurrence of the members of the Council, to suspend the meeting until 3 p.m.