Statement at on international cooperation, assistance and national capacity building New York, 14 July 2008
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. Allow me first of all to congratulate you on your assumption of office as the Chairman of the Third Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). I would also like to extend my felicitations to the members of the Bureau on their election. We are confident that your able leadership and vast experience will further the work of this important meeting. Before I proceed, I wish to acknowledge the work undertaken by you and the four facilitators during the preliminary process. NAM will extend its cooperation in your task of presiding over this meeting. We also like to thank High Representative of Disarmament, Ambassador Duarte for his remarks and to thank the presentation by Ms. Kerry Maze of UNIDIR on the findings of a global survey which provides a good reference to the issue of international assistance and cooperation. Mr. Chairman, NAM remains deeply concerned about the illicit transfer, manufacture and circulation of SALW and their excessive accumulation and uncontrolled spread in many regions of the world. In this connection, we reiterate the importance of the implementation of the Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW in All Its Aspects (PoA), which we consider to be the main framework for addressing the issue of the illicit trade in these weapons. Mr. Chairman, We call on all States, particularly the major producer-States, to ensure that the supply of SALW is limited only to governments or to entities duly authorized by governments, and to fully implement the legal restrictions preventing the illicit trade of SALW. NAM recognizes the need to establish and maintain controls over private ownership of small arms. NAM underlines the importance of the biennial meetings of States as key follow-up mechanism to support the implementation of the PoA. The PoA clearly determines that States should “convene a meeting of States on biennial basis to consider the national regional and global implementation of the PoA” and this mandate was again reaffirmed by resolution 62/47, which enjoyed near universal support. NAM further calls for the full implementation of the international instrument to enable States to identify and trace, in a timely and reliable manner, illicit SALW. Mr. Chairman, Now I would like to touch on the issue of international assistance, cooperation and national capacity building. NAM believes that this issue is an essential aspect of the full implementation of the PoA. That is why NAM encourages initiatives to mobilize resources and expertise to strengthen the full implementation of the PoA. In this respect, it is also necessary to highlight the issue of international cooperation which contributes to national capacity building and the implementation of the PoA. We believe that the timely exchange of information, among others, is important to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. The critical importance of international assistance in the full implementation of the Programme of Action with regard to Small and Light Weapons (SALW) has never been in doubt. Indeed, some developing countries reported in national reports to previous BMS meetings the receipt of financial and technical support. In order to enhance the flow of such assistance, and therefore improve our chances of success in the implementation of the PoA, NAM has prepared a working paper which can also be found at the Meeting’s website. It offers five recommendations for the consideration of the Third BMS on this subject. The recommendations specify different areas of concern in which States as well as international or regional organizations might target technical and financial assistance, and mechanisms they might establish or improve. They include the areas where assistance is generally required, establishment and improving of mechanism for the mobilization of assistance—such as through Trust Fund arrangements— transfer of relevant technologies required for PoA and ITI implementation, and continued research or studies on the financial and technical needs of developing countries. Mr. Chairman, The working paper also emphasizes three specific issues relating to international assistance that the Third BMS should consider in the effort to implement the PoA. These include individual national and regional plans of action or programmes of work; the commitment of donors; and the challenges involved in matching of assistance requests and offers. Finally, it is our hope that the issue of international assistance, cooperation and national capacity building will continue to receive the priority attention it requires as an essential aspect of the full implementation of the PoA. I thank you.
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