There are six committees of the UN General Assembly. The First Committee deals with disarmament and international security, and meets annually at UN Headquarters in New York (US) during October.
In 2008, there are several resolutions at the First Committee relating to small arms and light weapons control. In addition, the Control Arms campaign promoted a resolution on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). This resolution will establish an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the ATT.
Click here to see highlights of the First Committee related to small arms.
After approval in the First Committee, these resolutions will be transmitted to the General Assembly for a final vote. To learn more about the First Committee, and to find out what your government said, visit the website of Reaching Critical Will.
Resolutions adopted at the First Committee
Towards an Arms Trade Treaty
Voting result: 145 in favour, 2 against, 19 abstain (2 more States registered 'yes' after the vote)
Voting result on operative paragraph 3: 141 in favour, 1 against, 19 abstain
Voting result on operative paragraph 4: 142 in favour, 1 against, 18 abstain
Voting result on operative paragraph 5: 141 in favour, 1 against, 19 abstain
This resolution establishes an Open-Ended Working Group to move the ATT process forward. It will be open to all States and will meet for a maximum of six sessions, beginning in early 2009.
Click here to read the resolution.
The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects
Voting result:166 in favour, 1 against, 0 abstain
Voting result on operative paragraph 4: 164 in favour, 2 abstain
Voting result on operative paragraph 13: 164 in favour, 1 against, 1 abstain
This resolution sets the schedule of UN small arms meetings for the next 6 years: a Biennial Meeting of States in 2010, an expert meeting in 2011 and a Review Conference in 2012.
Click here to read the resolution.
Preventing and combating illicit brokering activities
Voting result: Adopted with consensus (no vote)
This resolution calls on States to establish national laws and measures to prevent illicit arms brokering activities.
Click here to read the resolution.
Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional
ammunition stockpiles in surplus
Voting result: 172 in favour, 0 against, 0 abstain
This resolution strongly encourages States to implement the recommendations of the 2008 Group of Governmental Experts on Surplus Ammunition (click here for more information). It also encouraged States to review their ammunition stockpileto determjne the size and nature of their surplus stock.
Click here to read the resolution.
Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them
Voting result: Adopted with consensus (no vote)
This resolution encourages sub-Saharan African States to facilitate effective functioning of their National Commissions on Small Arms. It also calls for international support to these efforts, and encourages States and other international organisations to cooperate with and support the work of civil society on small arms control.
Click here to read the resolution.
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