The ineffective management of conventional ammunition poses serious and multifaceted threats to peace, security, stability, and development at national, regional, and global levels. Ammunition transfer chains that are not properly secured throughout their life-cycle are vulnerable to diversion to illicit markets and unauthorized actors. At the same time, unplanned explosions at munition sites threaten communities in over 100 countries, causing significant direct and indirect harm, including humanitarian crises, environmental damage, and socio-economic disruption.
In response, the UN General Assembly adopted the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management in December 2023 - the first international instrument dedicated to conventional ammunition, which complements the existing normative framework for conventional arms including small arms and light weapons control and management. Member States have committed to 15 objectives aimed at promoting safe, secure and sustainable through-life conventional ammunition management at all levels.
To support implementation of this Framework, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), UNIDIR’s Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme, the Ammunition Management Advisory Team of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD-AMAT), and Conflict Armament Research (CAR) have jointly developed this voluntary guide. The guide is intended to assist stakeholders in turning the Framework’s objectives into practical, context-specific actions. It unpacks the 15 objectives, elaborates on common and additional enabling measures, and provides examples, existing good practices and case studies to inspire effective implementation of the commitments.
Support from UNIDIR’s core funders provides the foundation for all of the Institute’s activities. This joint project and the guide were made possible through financial support received by the European Union, France, Germany and Switzerland.
Citation: UNIDIR, UNODA, CAR, GICHD-AMAT. "Implementing the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management A Voluntary Guide", Geneva, 2025.