Ammunition control is included in the UN small arms process. It was included in the definition of 'small arms and light weapons' in the report of the 1997 UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on small arms. But ammuntion was not included within the scope of the 2005 UN Instrument on Marking, Recordkeeping and Tracing. Partly in response to this, the UN established a GGE on surplus ammunition, which will meet during 2008.
2008 Group of Government Experts on Ammunition
In 2006, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proposed by France and germany, to address problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus.
The resolution established a GGE that should report to the General Assembly by December 2008. It also requested the Secretary General seek the views of Member States. These views are available online, and in a Report of the Secretary General
The GGE schedule is: 14 - 18 January (session 1, Geneva), 7-11 April (session 2, New York), 7-11 July (session 3, New York). Experts have been appointed by the following countries:
Africa: Cameroon, Morocco, South Africa,
Asia: Bangladesh, China, Korea (South)
Eastern Europe: Czech Republic, Russia, Serbia
South America: Bolivia, Chile, Peru
Western Group: Canada, France, Germany, Norway, United Kingdom, United States
Examples of ammunition stockpile explosions
Deadly blast in Iran caused by munitions
14 April 2008
Mozambique armoury explodes: nearly 100 killed
23 March 2007
Ammunition stockpiles explode again in Ukraine
25 July 2005
29 dead in Afghan ammunition explosion
2 May 2005
Ammunition Explosions 1997-2004
Previous UN Action on Ammunition
In December 1997, the General Assembly adopted small arms resolution 52/38J that requested that the Secretary General appoint a Group of Experts to prepare a report on the problems of ammunition and explosives in all their aspects.
In April 1998, on the basis of their expertise and on equitable geographical representation, the Secretary General appointed a group of 8 experts. The report was prepared between 27 April 1998 and 5 June 1999, during which the group held three sessions at UNHQ in New York.
On 25 June 1999 the report of the Group was submitted to the General Assembly.
UN Documents:
Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus
Report of the UN Secretary General, July 2007
Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus
Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, December 2006
Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus
Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly, December 2005
Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus
Decision adopted by the UN General Assembly, December 2004
Methods of destruction of small arms, light weapons, ammunition
and explosives
Report of the UN Secretary General, November 2000
Report of the Group of Experts on the problem of ammunitions and explosives
June 1999
More Information:
Trade flows and controls of small arms ammunition transfers in Africa
GRIP, October 2006
Ammunition: the fuel of conflict
Oxfam International, June 2006
Ammunition Stocks: Promoting safe and secure storage and disposal
Biting the Bullet, 2005
Small arms ammunition - Light at the end of the barrel?
Christophe Carle - Disarmament Forum, 2005
OSCE document on stockpiles of conventional ammunition
November 2003
|
