News

At the initiative of the Lithuanian Presidency, the United Nations Security Council held an open debate on small arms and light weapons on 13 May.

According to Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN, Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, the subject of small arms and light weapons does not find itself often on UN Security Council agenda and yet it is a matter of life and death every single day for hundreds of thousands of people in conflict affected zones, with civilians and in particular women, children, refugees and the displaced facing increased risks caused by the much too easy availability of these arms.

“The international community must urgently address the problem of the spread of weapons. Every year, these weapons kill more than half a million people.   In 2013, this Council adopted a landmark resolution 2117 that established a framework for UN action on small arms-related issues. We believe it is urgent to put this framework into practice by taking concrete measures that would translate the Council’s efforts to tackle the devastating effects of illicit arms trade into more concrete action,” said the Permanent Representative of Lithuania.

According to Ambassador Murmokaitė, the United Nations should never lose sight of the fact that the fundamental aim of its action is the protection of human beings, human lives. All the UN’s numerous tools – peacekeeping operations, special political missions, country teams, and sanctions committees – should be further encouraged to work as one in fighting the illicit arms trade. Peacekeeping operations should share information with sanctions panels and contribute to the implementation of arms embargoes. Lithuania’s Permanent Representative also stressed the importance of the effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty and called on all countries, including member states of the United Nations Security Council, to ratify it.

The World Bank estimates that more than 900 million of small arms and light weapons are in circulation globally. For more information about the debate please read here: http://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc11889.doc.htm

Lithuania's statement at the UN Security Council open debate on small arms: http://mission-un-ny.mfa.lt/missionny/en/news/lithuanias-statement-at-the-un-security-council-open-debate-on-small-arms

Photo: UN