IANSA welcomed the resurrection of the UN small arms process on 18 July, as states strengthened their commitment to work together to curb the illicit trade in small arms.

134 states voted for the outcome of the Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms. No state voted against it. Iran and Zimbabwe abstained.

The agreement provides guidance on several key areas of small arms control, including arms brokering legislation, the marking and tracing of firearms, and the management of arsenals.

Rebecca Peters, director of IANSA said: ‘Today’s agreement is a significant step forward for the international effort to tackle the illicit gun trade. Gun violence is a global problem that can only be tackled if all countries work together, with common guidelines across the world.’

IANSA member Charles Nasibu said: ‘Illegally smuggled guns have wreaked unlimited havoc in my homeland of DR Congo. They have fuelled over ten years of conflict, stolen childhoods and facilitated the rape of tens of thousands of women. Sustainable peace and development will only come to Central Africa once the illegal trade has been curbed and a serious gun destruction program initiated.’

Key aspects of small arms control covered in the report of the meeting include:

• The marking of firearms at the point of manufacture to help trace their destiny and identify points of diversion from the legal to the illicit trade.

• Recommendations on the management of state arsenals. Thousands of people have died in explosions at arms depots since 2001 due to poor management and regulation of stockpiles.

• Recommendations on legislation on arms brokering. Only 40 countries have passed laws on arms brokering, meaning that unscrupulous dealers simply operate from territories without legislation.

The substance of the report is weaker than IANSA members and most gun-affected countries had hoped. For example, the recommendation on stockpile management does not mention ammunition, despite this being the main cause of explosions. There is also no obligation for countries to mark firearms at the point of import, which would significantly increase the effectiveness of tracing.

At least 5000 people have been shot dead worldwide during the 5 days of negotiations, illustrating the severity and scope of the problem.