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Geneva
Forum Activities
Small Arms and Light Weapons
Index
| Date |
Theme |
Speakers/Participants |
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| 31 May 2007 | In-depth orientation on small arms and light weapons
This
orientation was designed specifically for recently arrived diplomats
and for diplomats who wished to update and refresh their knowledge
of this important issue. Leading experts from the
United Nations, civil society and governments provided concise
briefings on various aspects of the
illicit trade, proliferation and misuse of small arms and light
weapons and on international responses
to these problems. |
Prof.
Keith Krause Mr. Tsutomu Kono Mr. Marc-Antoine Morel Dr. Ronald Dreyer Dr. David Atwood |
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| 16
January
2007 |
Lessening the Demand for Guns: Lessons from Ground Level
This lunchtime seminar was designed to increase the awareness of Geneva actors of field-level developments. While there has been growing attention to the relationship between armed violence and development at the international level, it is at field level that there has been the greatest development of policies and practices related to small arms demand. Such programs are exploring how the demand for small arms, and armed violence itself, can be lessened by projects that integrate aspects of conflict resolution and development with more traditional security programs and that take special account of cross-cutting issues such as youth and gender. The panel featured four experts from different regions of the
world who have illustrated a range of dimensions of this demand-related
work. |
Ms.
Roselyn Mungai Conflict Campaigner, Oxfam GB Ms. Folade
Mutota Ms. Rebeca
Perez Ms. Slu Hlongwa |
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23 August 2006
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Prevention of Human Rights Violations Committed with Small Arms
and Light Weapons
The Sub-Commission on
the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights met in Geneva on
7-25 August. As part of its work, it will hear
the final report of the Special Rapporteur on the prevention of
human rights violations committed with small arms and light weapons,
Prof. Barbara Frey. Prof. Frey will present and discuss in detail
her report, which addresses two international legal principles
that are critical to understanding the nature and extent of the
State’s obligation to prevent human rights violations committed
with small arms: the due diligence responsibilities of States to
prevent small arms abuses by private actors and the significance
of the principle of self-defence with regard to the State’s
human rights obligations to prevent small arms-related violence.
The report brings a new perspective to the controversial debate
within the UN small arms process on States' obligations to regulate
the civilian possession of small arms and light weapons. |
Prof.
Barbara Frey, Special Rapporteur Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights |
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13 June 2006
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The UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: The
State of Implementation on the Eve of the First Review Conference
The UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (the PoA) was going to undergo its first review, five years after it was agreed by UN Member States. The main challenge facing the Review Conference would be to strengthen implementation of the accord so as to reduce the appalling human suffering that results from the illicit small arms trade. But how much progress has really been made over the past five years in implementing the PoA? And what kind of impact has this had on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons? How fearful are those involved in the illicit small arms trade of progress being made by the international community to put them out of business? And how effective are the Review Conference negotiations likely to be in reducing the huge number of people killed each year through the misuse of such weapons? To divine some answers
to these questions, the pre-launch of "Reviewing
Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the
UN Programme of Action" was organised by the Geneva Forum
partner organisations. This third in a series of "red books" has
been produced by Biting the Bullet – a joint project of International
Alert, Saferworld and the University of Bradford. It provides a "comprehensive
and up-to-date review and analysis of progress towards implementation
of the PoA, and of the consequent issues and priorities for the
2006 Review Conference." |
Mr.
Paul Eavis, Director, Saferworld Dr. Owen Greene, Moderator: |
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29-30 May 2006
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The
UN Programme of Action on Small Arms & Light Weapons: Towards
an Effective First Review Conference The UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects was going to undergo its first comprehensive review at UN headquarters in New York on 26 June – 7 July of this year, five years after it was agreed. This Review Conference presented the international community with its first opportunity to strengthen this important global instrument with a view to making it better able to address the serious and wide-ranging human security challenges posed by the uncontrolled proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons around the world. Around 40 participants comprising mostly representatives of a
diverse group of governments along with a number of representatives
of specialised international organisations and NGOs attended this
small, high-level, informal meeting one month before the Review
Conference to take stock of the state of preparations for the Review
Conference and to discuss any difficult issues that may arise at
the Review Conference. |
Meeting held under the Chatham House Rule | |||||
| 16 December 2005 | The Role of NGOs and International Organisations in the first Review
Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms
Before the departure back to New York of the Chair-designate of the Preparatory Committee for the first Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms – H.E. Dr. Sylvester E. Rowe, Ambassador of Sierra Leone to the UN in New York – the Geneva Forum arranged a small working luncheon for him with high-level representatives of key International Organisations and Non-governmental organisations active on the small arms issue. The purpose of this luncheon was to provide some additional space for NGOs and International Organisations to present their views to Ambassador Rowe on the upcoming small arms Preparatory Committee and Review Conference, but also to allow some space to Ambassador Rowe to reflect on what he had heard during his numerous meetings and consultations in Geneva on December 14-16 and to help him formulate his immediate next steps.
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H.E. Dr. Sylvester E. Rowe, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations (New York); Chair-designate of the Small Arms Review Conference Preparatory Committee Participating
Organisations
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17 November 2005
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Small Arms and Light Weapons: Transfer Controls Under the terms of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, States have committed themselves to implement strict controls on small arms transfers (export, import and transit). In particular, they undertake:
On 17 November 2005, the Geneva Forum organised a conference on ‘Small Arms and Light Weapons: Transfer Controls” in order to provide an opportunity for States, international bodies and civil society organisations to discuss transfer controls in the context of the PoA, in an informal setting, with a view to sharing regional experiences on the issue of transfer controls and to identifying steps to be taken to advance the issue before the first PoA Review Conference on 26 June – 7 July 2006. The conference was held at UN Headquarters in Geneva and was attended by over 100 people representing 38 governments, 6 UN bodies or international organisations, and 17 NGOs. The conference was jointly chaired by H.E. Dr. John Freeman, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the Conference on Disarmament, and Dr. Patricia Lewis, Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
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Mr. Henry Smith, Head of Arms and Security, Export Controls and Small Arms Programme, Saferworld Mr. Craig MacLachlan, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations Mr. Richard Nabudere, Commissioner of Police, Uganda National Focal Point on Small Arms Mr. Ernesto Martínez Gondra, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Argentina to the United Nations Mr. Rick de-Caris, Programme Officer, SaferAfrica Mr. Simon Johnson, Security Policy Group, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom Mr. Leonard Onyonyi, Kenyan National Focal Point on Small Arms H.E. Mr. Kari Kahiluoto, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Finland to the Conference on Disarmament Mr. Paulino Franco de Carvalho Neto, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations Ms. Ellen Schut, Arms Control and Arms Export Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands
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30 September - 2 October 2005
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Strategies for Strengthening the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons The United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects will undergo its first comprehensive review on 26 June – 7 July 2006 at UN Headquarters in New York, five years after it was agreed. This Review Conference presents the international community with its first opportunity to strengthen this important global instrument with a view to making it better able to address the serious and wide-ranging human security challenges posed by the uncontrolled proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons around the world. Both the formal and informal components of the second Biennial Meeting of States (BMS2) to consider implementation of the UNPoA went a long way towards identifying the issues that States and civil society consider to be of greatest importance when it comes to increasing the effectiveness of the PoA. These include issues that could not be resolved at the 2001 Small Arms Conference – e.g. the regulation of civilian ownership of small arms and the prohibition of their transfer to non-State groups – as well as issues that subsequent research and policy formulation have highlighted – e.g. common standards for transfer controls, addressing the factors driving the demand for small arms, providing assistance to the survivors of gun violence, etc. Much strategic preparatory work is needed before the summer of 2006 in order to ensure that issues such as these can be adequately addressed at the Review Conference and, if possible, effectively integrated into the global regime on small arms control. Important opportunities for such preparatory work include the meeting of the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Disarmament and International Security (3 October – 4 November 2005) and the meeting of the review conference Preparatory Committee (9-20 January 2006). In order to provide an additional opportunity for focussed discussion and strategising, the Geneva Forum organised an informal, residential seminar on 30 September – 2 October 2005 entitled, “Strategies for Strengthening the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.” The seminar brought together 30 high-level representatives of governments, international organisations and NGOs from New York, Geneva and national capitals at the Harrison Conference Centre in Glen Cove, New York.
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Meeting held under the Chatham House Rule | |||||
14 & 15 July 2005
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Preparing for the 2006 Review Conference of the UN Programme of
Action on Small Arms
During the second Biennial Meeting of States (BMS2) to consider implementation of the PoA, which was held at UN Headquarters in New York on 11-15 July 2005, the Geneva Process on Small Arms and the New York Small Arms Forum built upon their existing cooperation by jointly organising two informal brainstorming meetings to examine substantive and procedural issues related to preparations for the 2006 conference to review implementation of the PoA, scheduled to take place in New York on 26 June – 7 July 2006. The seminars took place on the margins of BMS2 and were held in an informal atmosphere to encourage the freest possible exchange of views. Participants in the Geneva Process on Small Arms and the New York Small Arms Forum, as well as all other participants in BMS2, were invited to participate in the discussions. A total of 111 representatives of 32 governments, 6 UN or International Organisations, and 26 NGOs participated in the seminars. The first seminar, held on Thursday July 14, was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, Permanent Representative of Mexico the United Nations, Geneva. It focused mainly on substantive issues for consideration in the run-up to the 2006 review conference. The second seminar, held on Friday July 15, was chaired by H.E. Mr. Sylvester E. Rowe, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, New York. It focused mainly on procedural considerations and strategies in the run-up to the 2006 review conference.
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Co-Chairs:
H.E. Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, Permanent Representative of Mexico the United Nations, Geneva H.E. Dr. Sylvester E. Rowe, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, New York Participants:
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27 June 2005
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Implementing the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms: How much
progress after four years?
Four years since UN Member States agreed on a "Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects" (PoA) and two weeks before States met in New York to assess their implementation of the PoA commitments, this lunchtime seminar provided a platform for civil society organisations to offer their own assessment, based on data gathered by over 100 NGO researchers in over 180 countries. The implementation evaluation report, prepared by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) and the Biting the Bullet (BtB) project, provides a comprehensive review of progress towards implementing the important commitments contained in the PoA. It aims to provide a relatively comprehensive, analytical and reliable overview, to illustrate implementation experiences across each of the regions, and to identify emerging strengths and weaknesses in implementing the PoA. The report was subsequently formally launched in New York during the second Biennial Meeting of States on 11-15 July. At this Geneva "pre-launch," advance copies of the report will be made available to participants. |
Ms.
Rebecca Peters, Director, International Action Network on Small
Arms (IANSA)
Dr.
Owen Greene, Director, Centre for International Cooperation
and Security, University of Bradford, UK (a "Biting the Bullet" partner
organisation) |
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7 April 2005 |
Securing Haiti's Transition: Reversing Human Insecurity through
Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)
Seminar organised in association with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery of the United Nations Development Programme, and the Small Arms Survey This seminar launched, discussed and drew lessons from a new study – commissioned by Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and conducted by the Small Arms Survey – on "Securing Haiti's Transition: Reversing Human Insecurity and Promoting Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR)." Copies of the report, in English and French, were available at the seminar. The report, which was presented by its author, Robert Muggah, provides an overview of the human security crisis currently facing Haiti as it prepares for local, legislative and presidential elections scheduled for November 2005. It highlights the impact on civilians of escalating armed violence, examines the distribution and dynamics of the arms trade in Haiti, and analyses recent attempts to disarm, demobilise and reintegrate Haiti's numerous armed groups and to reform Haiti's security sector. The report calls for a "concerted focus" on DDR and Security Sector Reform in securing Haiti's transition and makes a number of concrete recommendations to this end. Presentations by other participants shed light not only on current efforts to reverse human insecurity in Haiti, but also on efforts more generally to employ DDR programmes in the context of broader peacebuilding strategies.
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Mr.
Stefano Vescovi, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Mr Alix Richard, President of the Haitian National Commission on Disarmament; Head of the Prime Minister's Office Dr. Adama Guindo, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) Mr. Robert Muggah, Senior Researcher, Small Arms Survey Mr. Desmond Molloy, Chief of Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Section of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
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8 November 2004 Report |
Firearm-related Violence in Brazil This seminar launched and discussed a major new study, supported by the World Health Organization and the Small Arms Survey, to document and analyse firearm-related death and injury in Brazil. The study was conducted by the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and was supported by the Geneva International Academic Network and the by Government of Canada. The study is unique in several respects, in particular with regard to the breadth of information sources used, the rigour with which the analyses were conducted, and the time period over which trends in firearm-related violence were studied. The study’s Joint Coordinator, Dr Nancy Cardia of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of São Paulo, presented its main findings and recommendations. Dr. David Meddings of the WHO commented on the study’s relevance to the UN process on small arms and light weapons. Dr. Peter Batchelor of UNDP reflected on how to move forward with the recommendations of the report, and on the specific contribution of the joint WHO/UNDP Armed Violence Prevention Programme.
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Dr.
Nancy Cardia, Centre for the Study of Violence,
University of São Paulo Prof. Keith Krause, Programme Director, Small Arms Survey Mr. Randall Harbour, Executive Secretary, Geneva International Academic Network (GIAN-RUIG) H.E. Mr. Paul Meyer, Permanent Representative of Canada to the Conference on Disarmament Dr. David Meddings, Department of Injuries and Violence Prevention, World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Peter Batchelor, Team Leader, Small Arms and Demobilisation Unit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
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| 13 October 2004 |
Conflict Goods: Perpetuating Violent Conflict and Fuelling the Demand for Weapons The trade in precious goods such as gem-stones, hardwood, narcotics, rare animals and plants, etc., has long been recognised as playing a central role in many parts of the world in perpetuating violent conflict and fuelling the demand for weapons, including small arms and light weapons. This seminar took a closer look at how these so-called “conflict goods” are exploited to finance or otherwise maintain the war economies of contemporary conflicts. Neil Cooper of the University of Plymouth provided an overview of the strategies used by actors in conflicts to exploit the trade in conflict goods in order to sustain weapons acquisition and war economies. Alex Yearsley of Global Witness – a UK-based NGO working on resources, conflict and corruption – focused specifically on the challenge of eradicating the trade in “blood diamonds” in West Africa and on how this trade is exploited by organised crime and terrorist networks. Both speakers commented on the effectiveness of existing international efforts to control the trade in conflict goods and offered additional policy recommendations.
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Dr.
Neil Cooper, Principal Lecturer in International Relations,
University of Plymouth, UK.
Mr. Alex Yearsley, Senior Manager, Investigations, Global Witness. |
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| 1 July 2004 |
“Rights at Risk”: Launch of the Small Arms Survey 2004 Yearbook The 2004 edition of the Small Arms Survey focuses on the linkages between the abuse of human rights and the widespread proliferation, availability and use of small arms. It explores the impact of arms exports to human rights abusers, the role of weapons in global violence and crime, and the implementation of human rights standards in police forces worldwide. The Survey also includes new and updated information and analysis on global small arms production, stockpiles, and transfers. This edition also focuses on new issues such as the proliferation of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), the role of arms brokers, and the impact of weapons proliferation in the Pacific Islands region.
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Ambassador Christian Faessler, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Ambassador François Rivasseau, Permanent Representative of France to the Conference on Disarmament Mr. Thomas Greminger, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Dr. Daniel Warner, Deputy to the Director, Graduate Institute of International Studies Prof. Keith Krause, Programme Director, Small Arms Survey Dr. Glenn McDonald, Senior Researcher and Yearbook Coordinator, Small Arms Survey
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29-30 January 2004 Report |
The Role of Regional Organisations in Stemming the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons: Sharing Experience and Drawing lessons This initiative of the Geneva Forum brought together for the first time senior representatives of regional organisations with significant programmes to tackle the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. As its title suggests, the aim of this intensive two-day residential seminar was to encourage the sharing of experience, best practice and lessons learned with a view to developing more effective action at the regional level to combat the illicit small arms trade. Governmental and nongovernmental action at the regional and sub-regional levels is particularly important in addressing the global scourge of illicit small arms. Coherent and well-coordinated regional strategies can facilitate the adoption by governments in the region of effective national strategies, which in turn can have a positive impact on grass-roots efforts to address the problem. Yet regional realities differ a great deal, as do the challenges facing regional attempts to address the illicit small arms trade. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism that allows regional organisations to share information on how they are dealing with the problem and to learn from each other’s experience. This seminar was a first step toward filling this gap. Participants provided a candid appraisal of the illicit small arms trade in their respective regions, outlined the range of activities that their organisations are undertaking to combat this trade, and commented on the impact of these activities and how this is being measured. Participants also focused on the main gaps or shortcomings in their programmes, highlighted the principal lessons that they have learned and considered which “best practices” might be transferable to other regions. Finally, participants placed their regional work on small arms within the context of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and discussed how similar exercises in sharing of experience between regions might take place.
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Participants: Andean Community - Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Canada - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) - Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue - Interpol - Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) - Japan - League of Arab States - Mercosur - Nairobi Secretariat - Netherlands - Organisation of American States (OAS) - Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) - Pacific Islands Forum - Programme for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development in Africa (PCASED) - Regional Human Security Center, Jordan - Saferworld - South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) - Small Arms Survey - Switzerland - United Kingdom - UN Development Programme (UNDP) - UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America (UN-LiREC) - West African Action Network on Small Arms - Geneva Forum Partner Organisations - |
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| 28 January 2004 | Regional Approaches to Stemming the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons This lunchtime seminar provided an opportunity for diplomats and representatives of international and nongovernmental organisations to interact with senior representatives of regional organisations that the Geneva Forum had invited to take part in a residential seminar on the role of regional organisations in stemming the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (see entry for 29-30 January 2004, above). The seminar provided an insight into the approaches of three different organisations to addressing the illicit small arms trade in their respective regions. In addition, representatives from the following regional organisations also participated in the seminar’s discussion: The Andean Community, ASEAN, the Caribbean Community, ECOWAS, EU, Mercosur, Nairobi Secretariat, OAS, OSCE, Pacific Islands Forum, PCASED, Regional Human Security Centre (Jordan), UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the West African Action Network on Small Arms.
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Mr. Wa’el Al-Assad, Director, Department of Disarmament Affairs, League of Arab States Ms. Jakkie Potgieter, Director, Arms Unit, SaferAfrica Mr. Adrian Wilkinson, Head, South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) |
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| 19 June 2003 |
The UN Programme of Action on Small Arms: How much progress have we made? This seminar provided a preview of the “Biennial Progress Report” published by IANSA and produced by the Biting the Bullet partners - Saferworld, International Alert and the University of Bradford. The report is the first substantive review of progress by States towards implementing the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms. It draws on data gathered from 156 countries by Biting the Bullet partner organisations and IANSA members and analyses relevant national, regional and international processes across the world. It assesses what progress has been made, focusing in particular on a range of countries with different experiences in advancing the small arms agenda.
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Dr. Kuniko Inoguchi, Ambassador, Delegation of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, Chair Designate of the First UN Biennial Meeting to consider implementation of the Programme of Action on small arms. Mr. Owen Greene, University of Bradford, UK (member of the Biting the Bullet consortium) Ms. Rebecca Peters, Director, International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) |
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| 9 April 2003 |
This seminar launched and discussed the latest Small Arms Survey occasional paper (number 8), written by Philip Alpers and Conor Twyford, which examines a wide range of small arms-related issues in 20 nations of the southern Pacific. The study investigates the status of existing firearms legislation, the extent of legal stockpiles and illicit trade, and the socio-economic impacts of armed conflict on Pacific communities. Case histories examine more closely the disarmament process in Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, along with the widespread disruption wrought with small arms in Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Current initiatives to combat small arms trafficking in the region are also examined, as is the place of the regional “Nadi Framework” in the context of the UN Programme of Action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
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Mr. Philip Alpers, Senior Fellow, Harvard Injury Control Research Centre, Harvard School of Public Health, USA. Mr. David Capie, Centre for International Relations, University of British Columbia, Canada.
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| 27 March 2003 |
The question of the trade, carrying and use of small arms and light weapons in the context of human rights and humanitarian norms While small arms proliferation is not a new phenomenon, there is a growing concern in the international community about the grave human toll that results from easy access to firearms and other lethal weapons. In addition to the deaths and injuries caused by small arms, there are also serious concerns about the barriers to social and economic development that are created by small arms-related violence. This seminar discussed the need for the international community to evaluate the role of small arms in more and graver human rights and humanitarian violations. Prof. Barbara Frey outlined the findings of the Working Paper she presented in August 2002 to the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights entitled "The question of the trade, carrying and use of small arms and light weapons in the context of human rights and humanitarian norms" (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2002/39).
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Ms. Barbara Frey, Director, Human Rights Programme, University of Minnesota, USA Shortly after this seminar, the UN Commission on Human Rights endorsed the decision of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights to appoint Prof. Frey as Special Rapporteur to prepare a study on the prevention of human rights violations caused by the availability and misuse of small arms.
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| 20 February 2003 | The Role of International Organisations at the First Biennial Meeting to Consider Implementation of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons In preparation for the first biennial meting to review implementation of the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons, the Geneva Forum organised a consultation between H.E. Dr. Kuniko Inoguchi – the Japanese Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament and the Chair-designate of the first biennial meeting – and representatives of Geneva-based International Organisations to discuss the shape and substance of the first biennial meeting and the modalities of International Organisation participation in it. This meeting constituted part of an extensive series of consultations by Ambassador Inoguchi with UN member states and international and nongovernmental organisations.
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Participants: Japan - United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) - World Health Organisation (WHO) |
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| 29 January 2003 | Consultation with UN Agencies and Intergovernmental Organisations on Small Arms-related Work This sixth in the series of Geneva Forum consultations with United Nations Agencies and Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) focused on sharing information on the latest developments in the small arms work of Agencies and IGOs and strategising in advance of the first biennial meeting to review implementation of the UN Programme of Action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, scheduled to take place on 7-11 July 2003 in New York. UN Agencies and IGOs played an important role during the July 2001 UN conference that agreed and adopted the UN Programme of Action on small arms by highlighting the adverse humanitarian, human rights and development consequences wrought by small arms. Participants agreed that similar interventions in July 2003 would be important to highlight the enduring extent of the problem and to assess the impact that the UN Programme of Action was having on people in the most affected countries.
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Participants: Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue - International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - Small Arms Survey - United Nations Development Programme - Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
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| 3 December 2002 |
Making Global Public Policy: The Case of Small Arms and Light Weapons This seminar discussed the latest Occasional Paper from the Small Arms Survey, co-authored by Edward Laurance of the Monterey Institute of International Studies and Rachel Stohl of the Center for Defense Information in Washington, DC. The seminar explored how states, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations have taken up the challenge set by the UN Programme of Action on small arms in a broad series of meetings, programmes and policies. It went beyond this description, in both the presentations and the discussion that followed, to assess the extent to which action on small arms can be analysed in terms of a global public policy framework, as has been applied to other global problems such as pollution, HIV/AIDS, nuclear proliferation and anti-personnel landmines. Dr. Laurance concluded with the observation that, while the efforts made to date are encouraging and must continue, work in this area must become more inclusive and multidimensional if it is to be truly effective.
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Mr. Edward Laurance, Professor of International Policy Studies, Monterey Institute of International Studies Dr. Camilo Reyes, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations |
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| 24 June 2002 |
Small Arms Survey 2002: Counting the Human Cost The Geneva Forum arranged the Geneva launch of the 2002 edition of the Small Arms Survey, which focuses on the humanitarian and human dimensions associated with the widespread proliferation, availability and use of small arms. It includes new and updated information and analysis on global small arms production, stockpiles, and transfers and a review of national, regional and international measures to address the issue of small arms proliferation. It also focuses on some new issues such as the humanitarian impacts of small arms availability and use, a review of weapons collection and destruction programmes, and a detailed assessment of the outcome of the 2001 UN Small Arms Conference. The Small Arms Survey, published by Oxford University Press, is recognised as the leading international source of impartial and public information on all aspects of the small arms issue. Its blend of data and analysis makes it an indispensable tool for diplomats, policy-makers, activists and researchers around the world. It is produced annually by a team of researchers based at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, and a worldwide network of local researchers and partners.
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Mr. Christopher Westdal, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Canada to the Conference on Disarmament Mr. Thomas Greminger, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland Prof. Keith Krause, Programme Director, Small Arms Survey Mr. Peter Batchelor, Project Director, Small Arms Survey
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| 4 June 2002 |
Informal Consultation with UN Agencies and Intergovernmental Organisations on Small Arms-related Work This meeting followed up on one held on 25 October 2001 (see below) and moved this regular series of Geneva Forum consultations into the post-UN conference phase. The meeting welcomed two representatives of the Small Arms and Demobilisation Unit of UNDP's Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, which recently moved to Geneva from New York. Participants updated one another on small arms work being carried out by their respective organisations. In particular, UNDP informed about the regional small arms activities it is carrying out in the Balkans and in the Great Lakes region of Africa; the Geneva Forum gave an update on its recently launched "Geneva Process" to support implementation of the small arms Programme of Action; WHO made a presentation on a new project - in cooperation with the Small Arms Survey and the Institute for Legal Medicine at the University of Geneva - with the aim of understanding what moves people to acquire arms and then to use them; and the Small arms survey described a study it is conducting on how field staff of humanitarian organisations perceive the dangers created by the wide availability of small arms.
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Participants:
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| 7-8 February 2002 |
Implementing the UN Programme of action on Small Arms: What needs to be done? The Geneva Forum gathered 36 experts from governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations and research institutes to discuss, over two days, the implementation of the UN "Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects" adopted in July 2001 in New York. The meeting had three goals: To generate an overview of small arms work that is already underway in different parts of the world, to highlight the main challenges and opportunities facing this work and, finally, to come up with concrete proposals on how to advance the implementation of the Programme of Action. The workshop provided participants with an opportunity to share information on and compare experiences of their efforts to stop the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in their respective countries and regions. The discussions underlined three main points: that a significant amount of political will has been generated by the adoption of the Programme of Action, that numerous initiatives are already underway in various parts of the world in an effort to implement its provisions, and that there is a strong desire among numerous governments, regional organisations and non-governmental organisations to coordinate and cooperate with one another in fighting the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
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Meeting held under the Chatham House Rule
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| 14 November 2001 |
Following up on the UN Small Arms Conference: Some Examples of Effective Action Four months after the United Nations adopted a Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects, the Geneva Forum invited three experts - one from a government, one from a nongovernmental organisation and one from a UN Agency - to present examples of ongoing work aimed at addressing the problem of small arms and light weapons. The main aim of this seminar was to demonstrate that the UN small arms conference was not the end but just the beginning of a long process aimed at stopping the illicit trade in small arms and that the Programme of Action provides a mandate for important work to be carried out at the regional and national levels as well as in the area of data-collection. Thomas Markram of the South African Permanent Mission first reported back on small-arms related work at the recently concluded UN General Assembly First Committee in New York. Elisabeth Clegg of Saferworld gave an overview of the Szeged Small Arms Process in South-eastern Europe as well as small arms initiatives in Southern Africa and East Africa. Etienne Krug outlined WHO's multi-year project, in cooperation with the Small Arms Survey, to collect data on the health impacts of small arms, especially in badly effected countries.
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Ms. Elisabeth Clegg, Arms and Security Programme Manager, Saferworld, London. Dr. Etienne Krug, Director, Department of Injury and Violence Prevention, World Health Organisation. Mr. Thomas Markram, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of South Africa.
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| 25 October 2001 |
Following Up the UN Conference on Small Arms & Light Weapons: The Programme of Action and Beyond This meeting followed up on three earlier consultations that the Geneva Forum had held with UN Agencies and intergovernmental organisations on their preparations for the UN small arms conference held on 9-20 July 2001 in New York. The purpose of this meeting was to provide participants with an opportunity to air their general views on the Programme of Action adopted by the conference, to share information on work related to small arms that is already underway or is being planned within their organisations, and to discuss appropriate coordination measures and Geneva-based small arms initiatives.
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Participants:
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| 21-23 June 2001 |
Advancing the Agenda of the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects Organised in cooperation with the Biting the Bullet project This residential seminar, held over three days in Jongny s/Vevey, brought together a diverse group of governments and some NGOs to discuss, in an informal manner, the main issues of contention for the July 2001 UN small arms conference (these issues had been identified during the Geneva Forum debriefing seminar of 19 April 2001, see below). Over half of the government representatives came from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the rest from Geneva permanent missions. All will play central roles in their government's delegations to the UN 2001 Conference. Issues discussed included:
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Countries
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| 30 May 2001 |
Consultation with UN Agencies on their preparations for the UN 2001 conference on small arms and light weapons This third in a series of Geneva Forum consultations with UN Agencies and other bodies focused mainly on Agencies' final preparations for the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (9-20 July 2001). With a view to improving coordination, Agencies shared information on such issues as special events they planned to organise throughout the conference, including the release of specially commissioned reports; the overall format of the conference, including time allocated for Agency and NGO presentations; as well as their plans for post-conference follow-up.
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Participants:
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| 15 May 2001 | Weapons for Development: An innovative approach to micro-disarmament and peace-building in Cambodia Speaking from his direct experience as Weapons for Development Advisor to the European Union programme of Assistance for Curbing Small Arms and Light Weapons in Cambodia (EU ASAC), Dr. Poulton described in detail the elements of the project which include: a new draft arms law; the dissemination of public information in cooperation with civil society organisations; the newly-devised civil-military code of conduct; improved storage and record keeping that is being introduced for official arms stocks; and the voluntary weapons collection programme that has been started, offering "weapons-for-development." Ms. Lindahl Kenny of the Swedish Permanent Mission provided introductory remarks on behalf of the European Union.
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Mr. Robin-Edward Poulton, Senior Research Fellow, UNIDIR / Weapons for Development Advisor to the European Union ASAC Programme in Cambodia Ms. Anneli Lindahl Kenny, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Sweden
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| 19 April 2001 |
Consultation with UN Agencies on their preparations for the UN 2001 conference on small arms and light weapons This meeting followed up on a similar one held after the completion of the 2nd PrepCom for UN 2001. Agencies reported back on their impressions of the 3nd PrepCom, at which most had made presentations, and shared their plans for small arms-related activities during the period running up to the conference and beyond. Agencies requested that the Geneva Forum organise two further meetings before the July 2001 conference - one at the end of May to focus on post-conference follow-up activities and one in mid June to facilitate a final exchange of information before the conference.
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Patricipants
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| 19 April 2001 |
The 3rd Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects; a Progress Report This seminar followed up on a similar one held on February 9 following the completion of the 2nd PrepCom for UN 2001. With all PrepComs for the UN 2001 Conference now having taken place, Stefano Toscano of the Swiss Federal Dept. of Foreign Affairs began the discussion by outlining the reactions that the latest version of the draft Plan of Action (Doc. L.4/Rev.1) had elicited and identified the most controversial issues that remain to be addressed at the conference itself. Sarah Meek of International Alert provided an NGO perspective on the process and proposed a number of possible outcome scenarios ranging from agreement on L.4/Rev. 1 to the failure of the conference due to an excessive watering-down of the plan of action.
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Ms. Sarah Meek, Manager, Security and Peacebuilding programme, International Alert Mr. Stefano Toscano, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
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| 1 March 2001 |
Humanitarianism
Under Threat: The speakers presented the results of a study of the humanitarian impact of small arms commissioned of the Small Arms Survey by the Reference Group on Small Arms of the United Nations Inter-Agency Standing Committee. The study was based on data on civilian mortality and injury, forced displacement, declining access to entitlements, targeting of humanitarian personnel, refugee camp militarisation and opportunity costs to Agencies collected in Kenya, Colombia and East Timor. The study demonstrates, i.a., that indicators of the humanitarian impacts of small arms can be recorded and are, to some extent, quantifiable and that the humanitarian impacts of small arms are so pervasive and systemic that they are often not recognised for what they are.
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Mr. Eric Berman, Independent Consultant Mr. Robert Muggah, Researcher, Small Arms Survey
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| 9 February 2001 |
The 2nd Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects; a Progress Report The speakers gave their personal interpretations of the work conducted at the 2nd PrepCom for the July 2001 UN conference on small arms and light weapons. John Borrie set the UN 2001 process in context by outlining its relationship with other related processes such as the Vienna negotiations on curbing the illegal trade in firearms in connection with transnational organised crime and the overarching process of globalisation. J.S. Mukul argued, i.a., that more procedural issues - such as the modalities of NGO participation - should have been resolved at the PrepCom and stressed that the final outcome of the conference process would be a political document or declaration. Peter Batchelor, presenting an NGO perspective, outlined in more detail the state of play in deciding upon how NGOs would participate in the July conference and argued that donors should support the participation at the conference of NGOs from the South and that governments should add small arms experts from NGOs to their delegations.
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Mr. Peter Batchelor, Project Director, Small Arms Survey Mr. John Borrie, Deputy Head of Mission, New Zealand delegation to the Conference on Disarmament Mr. Jagdish Saksena Mukul, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of India
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| 9 February 2001 | Consultation with UN Agencies on their preparations for the UN 2001 conference on small arms and light weapons At this first informal consultation with representatives of UN and other Agencies convened by the Geneva Forum, the organisations present provided overviews of their work on the issue of small arms and light weapons and, in particular, of their preparations for the July 2001 UN Small Arms Conference. They also discussed ways of (1) improving inter-Agency coordination in the run-up to the UN 2001 conference, (2) mobilising public opinion in support of combating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and (3) highlighting the humanitarian and development aspects of the small arms problem. The Agencies requested the Geneva Forum to compile an email list of small arms focal points in Agencies in both Geneva and New York in order to facilitate coordination (this was duly completed). They also requested that the Geneva Forum convene another such informal consultation following the 3rd PrepCom for UN 2001 (see 19 April 2001 above).
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Participants:
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December 2000 |
Publication
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| 9 November 2000 |
Setting Course for the 2001 Conference on Small Arms One-day conference organised in collaboration with the International Action Network on Small Arms - Small Arms Survey - Geneva NGO Committee for Disarmament - “Biting the Bullet” Project (International Alert, British American Security Information Council, Saferworld) - Geneva Action Network on Small Arms (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Quaker United Nations Office, International Peace Bureau, the World Council of Churches and others) This conference brought together a diverse group of experts from governments and non-governmental organisations to discuss issues to be addressed by the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects to be held on 9-20 July 2001. Discussion centred around the following issues:
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Ms. Geraldine O'Callaghan, British American Security Information Council (BASIC). Ms. Virginia Gamba, Institute for Security Studies, South Africa. Ms. Martine Bernard; Amnesty International, France. Mr. Owen Greene, Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University, UK. Ms.Florella Hazeley, Christian Council of Churches, Sierra Leone. Mr. Ed Laurence, Monterey Institute for International Studies / International Action Network on Small Arms. Mr. Paul Eavis, |
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