June 14, 2021.
The UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) is the key globally agreed and politically binding framework to counter the negative consequences of small arms and light weapons (SALW).
The glaring gap in the PoA text is the absence of reference to controls on ammunition. During the 2018 Third Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the PoA (RevCon3) a very small step forward was taken toward the inclusion of ammunition in the PoA process. The Outcome document acknowledges that states that apply provisions of the PoA to ammunition can exchange and apply relevant experiences, lessons learned and best practices.
This paper outlines why ammunition needs to be included in the PoA, and what existing commitments and obligations states have in relation to ammunition controls in other frameworks and treaties. It presents the next steps and priorities for states to take appropriate measures to combat the illicit trade in ammunition used in SALW. It seeks to support states in further strengthening implementation of the PoA and “to reduce the human suffering caused by the illicit trade in SALW”. 2 It also outlines the dangers of unsafe storage which warrant specific references to ammunition in the POA.