AG/RES. 1972 (XXXIII-O/03): Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials

(Resolution adopted at the fourth plenary session, held on June 10, 2003)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

REITERATING the urgent need for all member states to take the appropriate measures and to cooperate with one another to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials, because of the harmful effects of these activities on the security of each state and the region as a whole, since they jeopardize the well-being of peoples, their social and economic development, and their right to live in peace;

UNDERSCORING the importance of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA) for promoting and facilitating cooperation and the sharing of information and experiences among the states parties with a view to preventing, combating, and eradicating the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials;

REAFFIRMING the importance of the CIFTA entering into force in all member states of the Organization of American States as soon as possible in order to facilitate and guarantee the achievement of its purposes throughout the Hemisphere;

HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.4156/03 add. 4) and the report of the Secretary General on the status of signatures and ratifications of CIFTA (CP/doc.3729/03); and taking note of the fact that this Convention has been signed by 33 member states of the Organization of American States and ratified by 19 of them, which means that four more states ratified it in the past 12 months;

CONSIDERING the progress made over the past year by the Consultative Committee of CIFTA, including progress made at its meetings at OAS headquarters on August 28, 2002; March 10, 2003; and April 3 and 4, 2003;

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the valuable contributions of the Consultative Committee to the Special Conference on Security;

RECALLING resolutions AG/RES. 1 (XXIV-E/97), AG/RES. 1621 (XXIX-O/99), AG/RES. 1750 (XXX-O/00), AG/RES. 1800 (XXXI-O/01), and AG/RES. 1874 (XXXII-O/02), regarding the CIFTA;

ACKNOWLEDGING the usefulness of the Model Regulations for the Control of the International Movement of Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission and the related cooperation programs developed by the General Secretariat; and

BEARING IN MIND 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 the hemispheric contribution to its implementation, and the importance of taking concrete measures in the Hemisphere toward implementation of the national, regional, and global components of that Programme of Action,

RESOLVES:

1. To urge all member states of the Organization of American States that have not already done so to give prompt consideration to signing and ratifying, or ratifying, the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), as appropriate, and to adopting the necessary measures for its implementation.

2. To thank the Consultative Committee of the CIFTA for its contributions to the Special Conference on Security; and to acknowledge the assistance provided by non-states parties in the preparation of those contributions.

3. To note with satisfaction the Work Program (CIFTA/CC-IV/doc.5/03 rev. 1), adopted by the Consultative Committee at its fourth regular meeting; and to express its support for the work of the Secretariat pro tempore.

4. To support the convocation of the Conference of States Parties to the CIFTA on March 8 and 9, 2004, in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, to review the functioning and application of the Convention, as provided for in Article XXVIII thereof; and likewise to support any pertinent preparatory meetings during the second half of 2003.

5. To request states and international and regional organizations interested in the subject to consider the possibility of providing assistance, including technical and financial assistance, to support the implementation of measures to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials.

6. To stipulate that the Conference of States Parties and the meetings of the Consultative Committee, including preparatory meetings for the Conference, be held within the resources allocated in the program-budget of the Organization and other resources; and to request the General Secretariat to continue to provide the administrative and technical secretariat support required by the Consultative Committee for these purposes.

7. To request the Secretary General to present a report to the General Assembly, at its thirty-fourth regular session, on the status of signatures and ratifications of the Convention.

8. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.