AG/RES. 1997 (XXXIV-O/04): Proliferation of and Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons

(Adopted at the fourth plenary session held on June 8, 2004)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the Annual Report of the Permanent Council, in particular the section related to hemispheric security issues (AG/doc.4265/04 add.5 corr.1);

RECALLING its resolutions AG/RES. 1642 (XXIX-O/99), AG/RES. 1744 (XXX-O/00), AG/RES. 1796 (XXXI-O/01), AG/RES. 1797 (XXXI-O/01), AG/RES. 1888 (XXXII-O/02), and AG/RES. 1968 (XXXIII-O/03) entitled "Proliferation of and Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons," and the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects;

BEARING IN MIND paragraph 28 of the Declaration on Security in the Americas, adopted on October 28, 2003 at the Special Conference on Security held in Mexico City, Mexico, in which the member states expressed their conviction "… that the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and related materials are a threat to hemispheric security and, when these are used by terrorists and criminals, undermines the rule of law, breeds violence and, in some cases, impunity, exacerbates conflicts, and represents a serious threat to human security", reiterated "… the need for effective cooperation to prevent, combat, and eradicate this threat", and recognized "… the value of the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA)";

BEARING IN MIND ALSO paragraph 29 of the said Declaration on Security in the Americas in which the member states committed to "… combat the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives, and other related materials by, among other actions, destroying excess stocks of firearms designated by each State, securing and managing national stockpiles, and regulating firearms brokering, including sanctions for illicit arms brokering for the purpose of avoiding their diversion through illicit channels and their proliferation", and also to "... strengthen efforts at bilateral and multilateral cooperation and, in particular, coordination and cooperation among the Consultative Committee of the CIFTA, CICAD, CICTE and the United Nations"; and

ACKNOWLEDGING:

The valuable contributions and fruitful results achieved at the First Conference of the States Parties to CIFTA, held in Bogotá, Colombia, from March 8 to 9, 2004, as well as the adoption of the "Declaration of Bogotá on the Functioning and Application of the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA)";

The importance of the work and training programs of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) to develop the capacity of the Member states to address the proliferation of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons and the need to continue and intensify multilateral cooperation to address these issues;

The importance of national regulations and legislation to implement the model brokering regulations approved at the XXXIV Regular Session of CICAD, held in Montreal, Canada, from November 17 to 20, 2003;

The successful outcome and noteworthy contributions of the Seminar on identification, collection, stockpile management and destruction of small arms and light weapons , organized by the General Secretariat and the Inter-American Defense College and hosted by the government of Nicaragua, and held from May 12 to 13, 2004; and

The creation of the United Nations Open-ended Working Group to Negotiate an International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (OEWG),

RESOLVES:

1. To encourage member states to implement the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN Programme of Action).

2. To request that the General Secretariat present the Permanent Council with the report and its recommendations on the Seminar "Identification, Collection, Stockpile Management, and Destruction of Small Arms and Light Weapons," held in Managua, Nicaragua on May 12 and 13, 2004, for its consideration.

3. To request the Permanent Council to hold, at the level of the Committee on Hemispheric Security, an annual meeting on small arms and light weapons which would review the status of implementation of national, regional, and global elements of the UN Programme of Action.

4. To encourage member states which have not done so to consider signing or ratifying the United Nations Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.

5. To encourage member states to report to the United Nations on their implementation of national, regional, and global elements of the UN Programme of Action and to request that they provide a copy of that report to the General Secretariat no later than July 15 of each year.

6. To commend member states which have submitted their reports on the implementation of the UN Programme of Action.

7. To instruct the General Secretariat to convey to the United Nations Department of Disarmament Affairs (UNDDA) the member states' request that the UNDDA conduct an analysis of regional trends in implementation based on national reports on the United Nations Programme of Action.

8. To encourage member states to actively participate in the United Nations Open-ended Working Group to Negotiate an International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (OEWG).

9. To encourage member states to apply, as appropriate, the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) model regulations on arms brokering and incorporate them into their domestic legislation.

10. To encourage States Parties to renew their commitment to implement the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA) and the Declaration of Bogotá on the Functioning and Application of the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA) adopted at the First Conference of the States Parties to the said Convention.

11. To request that CICAD, in consultation with the Consultative Committee of CIFTA, continue its training programs in order to contribute to the capability of member states to implement CIFTA and the UN Programme of Action.

12. To encourage member states to adopt the confidence- and security- building measure proposed in the Consensus of Miami: Declaration by the Experts on Confidence- and Security-Building Measures: Recommendations to the Summit-Mandated Special Conference on Security, in which member states are called upon "… to identify and secure excess stocks of small arms and light weapons as well as seized small arms and light weapons, and, in accordance with their national laws and international agreements in which they participate, to define programs for the destruction of said weapons and to invite international representatives to observe their destruction".

13. To request that the Inter-American Defense Board, with the assistance of its College, prepare a handbook for the Member Sates on best practices for identification, collection, management, security, and destruction of stockpiles of small arms and light weapons, taking into account similar activities in other regional fora, and submit it to the Permanent Council, through the Committee on Hemispheric Security, in the first quarter of 2005.

14. To instruct the appropriate organs, agencies and entities of the Organization to support, through the provision of technical assistance, training, or other means, the efforts of those states which have undertaken commitments to destroy their excess small arms and light weapons.

15. To instruct the Permanent Council and the General Secretariat to carry out, as the case may be, the activities mentioned in this resolution within the resources allocated in the Program-Budget of the Organization and other resources.

16. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the United Nations Secretary-General.

17. To request the Permanent Council and the Secretary General to report on the implementation of this resolution to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session.