A/RES/60/68 GA

United Nations A/RES/60/68 General Assembly Distr.: General 6 January 2006 Sixtieth session Agenda item 97 05-49168 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 8 December 2005 [on the report of the First Committee (A/60/463)] 60/68. Addressing the negative humanitarian and development impact of the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation The General Assembly, Reaffirming its respect for and commitment to international law and the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, Recognizing that, as stated in the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects,1 the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation have a wide range of humanitarian and socio-economic consequences and pose a serious threat to peace, reconciliation, safety, security, stability and sustainable development at the individual, local, national, regional and international levels, Concerned by the implications that poverty and underdevelopment may have for the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, and determined to reduce the human suffering caused by the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects and to enhance the respect for life and the dignity of the human person through the promotion of a culture of peace, Reaffirming the urgent necessity for international cooperation and assistance, including financial and technical assistance, as appropriate, to support and facilitate efforts at the local, national, regional and global levels to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, Recalling the second biennial meeting of States to consider the implementation of the Programme of Action at which States, while welcoming the significant progress made in that regard, recognized that further action was required to fulfil the commitments undertaken in the Programme of Action,2 _______________ 1 See Report of the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, New York, 9–20 July 2001 (A/CONF.192/15), chap. IV, para. 24. 2 A/CONF.192/BMS/2005/1, para. 17. A/RES/60/68 2 Recognizing that, in 2005, world leaders expressed grave concern at the negative effects on development, peace and security, and human rights posed by, inter alia, the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, and that they committed themselves to supporting the implementation of the Programme of Action,3 Noting, in that regard, that the 2006 review conference on the Programme of Action represents an opportunity to address interconnected peace and security and development challenges, which are relevant to the agenda of the conference, Placing particular emphasis on the regions of the world where conflicts have come to an end and where serious problems with the excessive and destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons have to be dealt with urgently, 1. Calls upon States, when addressing the issue of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, to explore ways, as appropriate, to more effectively address the humanitarian and development impact of the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation, in particular in conflict or post-conflict situations, including by: (a) Developing, where appropriate, comprehensive armed violence prevention programmes integrated into national development strategies, including poverty reduction strategies; (b) Building on the commitment by States and appropriate international and regional organizations in a position to do so to, upon the request of the relevant authorities, seriously consider rendering assistance, including technical and financial assistance where needed, such as small arms funds, in order to support the implementation of measures to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, as contained in the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects;1 (c) Encouraging United Nations peacekeeping operations to address the safe storage and disposal of small arms and light weapons as an integral part of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes; (d) Systematically including national measures to regulate small arms and light weapons in longer term post-conflict peacebuilding strategies and programmes; (e) Ensuring, where appropriate: that the activities mentioned in subparagraphs (c) and (d) above take full account of the roles that women and women’s organizations could play in small arms disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes; the requirement that the needs of women and girl combatants and dependants be addressed in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes; and the commitment to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children in armed conflicts. 61st plenary meeting 8 December 2005 _______________ 3 See resolution 60/1.

UN Project. “A/RES/60/68.” UN Project, https://un-project.org/votes/resolution/A-RES-60-68/. Accessed .

Copy citation