The summer of 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and the Firearms Protocol. These instruments recommend and require States to put in place robust national transfer control systems to regulate authorised arms transfers and prevent the diversion of small arms and light weapons and firearms and mitigate their destabilizing impact on peace and security.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversaries, and under the framework of the EC Decision 2023/46 on Small Arms and Light Weapons, a UN inter-agency task force comprising of UNIDIR, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has conducted a joint research study on small arms flows and export control mechanisms.
This hybrid side event will take place on the sidelines of the 9th Biennial Meeting of States (BMS9) on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and the International Tracing Instrument in New York and the 35th session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna. It will launch a new study that examines both authorized transfers of small arms and light weapons and their leakage into illicit markets. It will highlight emerging trends, key challenges and recommendations for enhancing UN efforts to strengthen national control frameworks and reinforce safeguards against diversion.
Speakers
Opening remarks
- Representative from UNODA
Panellists
- Claudia Garcia Guiza, Political Affairs Officer in the Conventional Arms Branch, UNODA
- Simonetta Grassi, Chief of the Firearms Trafficking Section, UNODC
- Paul Holtom, Head of Conventional Weapons Programme, UNIDIR
Moderated by a representative from UNDP.
Closing remarks
- Simonetta Grassi, Chief of the Firearms Trafficking Section, UNODC
When and where
This event will be conducted simultaneously in New York, Vienna and online. Below are the dates and times for each location:
- New York: Tuesday, 2 June | 09:00 to 10:00 EDT | Room S-1519, UN Headquarters
- Vienna: Tuesday, 2 June | 15:00 to 16:00 CEST | Room M0E79, Vienna International Centre
Check your local time here.
Participants
The co-organizers encourage the participation of representatives and experts from States, the United Nations sub-/regional organizations, NGOs, civil society and academia who are interested in SALW and firearms transfer controls and efforts to counter diversion and illicit trafficking.
RSVP
For in-person participation in New York, please contact UNODA at conventionalarms@un.org.
For in-person participation in Vienna, registration is not required.
For online participation, please join here.
In partnership with
