September 19, 2023.
Tagged: UNPoA
The United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (UNPoA) is an international framework that enables the regular consideration of a wide range of measures at national, regional, and international levels to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons “in all its aspects.”
This briefing paper focuses on key outcomes and implications of deliberations at the eighth Biennial Meeting of States (BMS8) on the UNPoA, held in New York from 27 June-1 July 2022. The paper is intended to provide background information for diplomats, officials, and civil society. The aim is to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of key BMS8 outcomes that are of particular concern to IANSA. It includes some suggestions on how to make further progress on those outcomes at the fourth Review Conference on the UNPoA (RevCon4), which is scheduled to be held from 17-28 June 2024.
Overall, the BMS8 outcome document makes progress on many issues. In several cases, States built on previous advances on key issues such as gender, setting national targets, and the need for sustained international cooperation and assistance to fully implement the UNPoA and the ITI.