On June 18, at the United Nations headquarters in New York City (USA), the 4th Review Conference on the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action against Illicit Traffic in Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and the International Tracing Tool (ITI) opened.
According to a VNA reporter in New York, the conference was attended by representatives of 193 United Nations member countries, including police representatives.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Head of the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the United Nations, led the Vietnamese delegation including representatives of the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend the Conference.
In his opening speech at the conference, UN Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said that small arms and light weapons are the leading cause of human loss in violence around the world , and the harm caused by illegal weapons is neither “small” nor “light,” so new strong actions are needed to effectively combat illegal arms trafficking, including the abuse of new technologies, enhancing the role of women and youth, as well as international cooperation and support in this field.
The President of the Conference, Ambassador of Costa Rica Maritza Chan, called on countries to work together to promote consensus for the success of the conference, on the basis of full awareness of the responsibility to prevent and reduce human losses from conflicts and the spread of illegal small arms into the hands of criminals and terrorists.
In that spirit, the statements of the countries on the opening day of the conference all affirmed the need for cooperation in preventing and combating the illegal trade of small arms and light weapons, fully implementing the Action Program adopted in 2001, building an effective mechanism to handle new challenges such as the management and tracing of combined arms, polymer-framed guns and guns manufactured using 3D printing technology, while affirming the rights of countries to have weapons for security and defense purposes, and promoting compliance with national and international laws in international cooperation.
Speaking at the conference, Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang affirmed the significance of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and shared concerns about the risks from the spread of illegal weapons during and after conflicts.
The Ambassador clarified Vietnam's commitments, measures and experiences in strictly managing weapons, including the promulgation and updating of relevant legal documents, especially the draft amendment to the Law on the management and use of weapons, explosives and support tools being considered by the National Assembly , to ensure strict management of weapons throughout the stages from production, marking, storage, maintenance, transfer, legal trading activities, as well as the recovery and destruction of illegal weapons, preventing weapons from falling into the hands of criminals.
Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang emphasized the importance of international cooperation and support at the regional and global levels and shared experiences of active cooperation between Vietnamese authorities and partner countries in border control and transnational crime prevention and control, including mechanisms within the ASEAN framework.
Based on national experience and regional practices, the Head of the Vietnamese delegation proposed that the United Nations conference focus on discussing three main solutions.
First of all, not to increase armed conflicts in the world, preventing and resolving conflicts is the best way to combat illegal arms trafficking.
Second, there needs to be unity and joint efforts among countries in implementing the United Nations Programme of Action, including properly addressing emerging challenges.
Third, the fight against illegal arms trafficking must not negatively affect the defense, security and social order of nations.
International cooperation and assistance activities must comply with the United Nations Charter and international law, including the principles of respect for sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of countries.
The conference will take place over two weeks from June 18-28, 2024 to review the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action against Illicit Traffic in Small Arms and Light Weapons for the 2018-2024 period, as well as propose measures to strengthen international cooperation in implementing commitments for the 2024-2030 period.
The United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, adopted by all United Nations members in 2001, is a strong international political commitment, providing a framework for regular review of measures and promoting regional and international cooperation to prevent illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
The International Tracing Instrument (ITI), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005, is a complementary framework for the implementation of the Programme of Action, which sets out regulations and measures related to the marking, record keeping and data retrieval of small arms and light weapons./.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/viet-nam-thuc-hien-nhieu-bien-phap-dau-tranh-chong-buon-ban-vu-khi-bat-hop-phap-post959901.vnp
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