On November 1, the Draft Resolution “The Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects,” submitted by Japan together with Colombia and South Africa and co-sponsored by 86 countries, was adopted by consensus in the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. The draft resolution will be considered in the plenary session of the General Assembly in December for its formal adoption.

The draft resolution underlines the importance for States to prevent, combat and eradicate illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, including their diversion to illegal armed groups among others, and the importance of implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA), also with a view to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. The draft resolution expresses States’ commitment to undertake domestic measures for effective implementation of the PoA.

In addition, the draft resolution presents the dates for the Fourth United Nations Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the PoA and the Preparatory Committee to be held in New York in 2024, and reaffirms the direction the international community should take with regard to issues related to small arms and light weapons. The draft resolution is therefore important in building momentum to address these issues in the run-up to next year's United Nations Conference.