UNSC briefing on “Small arms and light weapons”

(October 6, 2021; 1000 hrs)

Statement by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

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I thank you Mr. President.

Firstly, let me take this opportunity to congratulate you for the successful Chairmanship of the Biennial Meeting of States (BMS-7). India stands ready to contribute to a progressive approach that would help consolidate the gains made during BMS-7.

I thank Under-Secretary-General Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Lt. Gen. Badreldin Elamin Abdelgadir, Executive Secretary of Regional Centre on Small Arms and Mr. David Lochead from Small Arms Survey for their briefings.

The threat posed by the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons is a matter of concern to the entire international community. As a complex and multidimensional problem, it has cross-cutting impact on development, security, humanitarian and socio-economic aspects.

India attaches high importance to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. We consider that the primary responsibility for addressing this problem lies with the Member States. In this regard, India supports the redoubling of efforts at the national and global level to strengthen the implementation of the UN Program of Action and the International Tracing Instrument, including through national legislative measures and enforcement, export controls, information sharing and capacity building.

We take note of the observations and recommendations in the recent Secretary-General’s report on small arms and light weapons. As mentioned in the report, the safety of UN peacekeepers is directly affected by the steady and illicit supply of small arms and light weapons to the warring parties in armed conflict situations. The Council is aware of numerous incidents in the past, where killings and attacks on peacekeepers have been perpetrated through the use of these weapons. Hence, it is important for the Council to address the danger posed by such illicit transfers to the safety and security of peacekeepers by giving due attention to this issue in the consideration of peacekeeping mandates.

It is a well-known fact that the flow of illicit arms and weapons to non-state actors and terrorists drives and sustains conflicts. In this regard, arms embargo is an important tool that the Council holds at its disposal to curb the flow of such weapons to situations of armed conflict. It is a matter of concern that embargoes continue to be blatantly violated, as repeatedly reported by the various Panel of Experts supporting the subsidiary bodies of the Council. It is important that all Member States respect and strictly enforce existing arms embargoes and strengthen measures against illicit transfer of arms.

UN Peacekeeping Missions could support host countries in addressing the issue of illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons through strengthening the capacities of the law enforcement and security agencies in safe handling, upkeep and stockpile management of arms and weapons, including those recovered from non-State actors. In this regard, we welcome Secretary-General’s recommendation to establish a dedicated component or a unit within peacekeeping Missions to handle such assistance.

The illicit possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons by non-State groups and terrorists is a violation of State sovereignty. In post-conflict situations, we often witness that non-State actors continue to possess these weapons illegally, which hinders disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts. The Council must ensure effective and timely action against such actors to ensure that post-conflict peace building efforts are not jeopardized while advancing security sector reforms, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, promotion of rule of law and good governance.

Let me also strongly underline the need for the Council’s focus on transfer and trafficking of arms and weapons to terrorists and terrorist groups. These weapons become more sinister and lethal in the hands of terrorists, who deliberately and indiscriminately use them to target innocent civilians, including women and children. For several decades, my country has suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism and violence carried out by terrorist groups using these illicit weapons smuggled across our borders, including now through the use of drones. The increase in volume and the quality of the arsenal acquired by these terrorist organizations reminds us time and again that they cannot exist without the sponsorship or support of States. This aspect needs to be unequivocally condemned.

India’s External Affairs Minister, in his address to the Security Council earlier this year, had presented an eight-point action plan to counter-terrorism, two of which are directly relevant to the discussion of today – the need to address the linkages between terrorism and transnational organized crime and combating terrorist financing. These linkages have also been brought out clearly in the Secretary-General’s report. I urge the Council to have zero tolerance to terror actors, their possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their sponsors.

I thank you Mr. President.

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