Addressing illicit SALW and ammunition in conflict affected areas – The role for peace support operations (virtual)

The proliferation of illicit weapons, especially small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition, continues to contribute to armed violence, crime and instability especially in conflict affected areas. The destabilizing accumulation, illicit transfer and misuse of conventional weapons and ammunition continue to initiate, sustain and exacerbate armed conflict. In addition, poorly-controlled weaponry and associated ammunition are impeding sustainable development and negatively impacting humanitarian assistance, often in the world’s most fragile societies.

The UN Security Council—the primary organ of the United Nations responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security—remains actively seized of these cross-cutting challenges. It has addressed weapons-related issues across its agenda, from Security Sector Reform to arms embargoes to counter-terrorism and sustaining peace, while also treating these matters in country-specific and regionally-focused contexts.

Weapons and ammunition management (WAM) has become an increasingly critical tool of the Security Council in this regard. In recent years, the United Nations has supported national authorities in WAM in places like Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti and Mali.

The Secretary-General has acknowledged the criticality of weapons and ammunition management to “saving lives”, particularly in fragile and conflict-affected settings. In his Agenda for Disarmament, Securing Our Common Future, the Secretary-General acknowledges that the loss of arms and ammunition from storage sites, and their onward proliferation, can be a catalyst for armed violence, conflict and insecurity.

Against this backdrop, the aim of this ad hoc webinar was to allow for an exchange of views and experiences of EU and UN peace operations in addressing illicit weapons, and to provide recommendations to develop further the arms control aspect in the design and mandate of EU and UN peace support operations.

15:15 – 15:30 Introduction and Welcoming Remarks

• Ambassador Marjolijn van Deelen, Special Envoy on Disarmament and Non-proliferation and Head of the EEAS Disarmament Non-proliferation and Arms Export Control Division, EU
• Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, UN
• Mr. Benjamin Hautecouverture, Senior research fellow, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique/EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

15:30 – 16:30 Session 1: The Legal and Political Environment

Chair: Mr. Benjamin Hautecouverture, Senior research fellow, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique/EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium

Speakers:

• Ms. Katherine Prizeman, UNODA
• Mr. Jonah Leff, Conflict Armament Research
• Mr. Eric Berman, former Director, Small Arms Survey

16:30 – 16:45 Break

16:45 – 18h00 Session 2: The Role of Peace Operations in Information Gathering, Tracing and Investigation

Chair: Mr. Ntagahoraho Burihabwa, DPO, UN

Speakers:

• Savannah de Tessieres, UN consultant, former Coordinator of UN Libya Panel of Experts
• David Lochhead, ex-DPKO MINUSMA, UNMISS and UNMIS; Small Arms Survey
• ACOS CJ3 – OF5 Dionysios Mantadakis, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, EU

15:30 – 16:45 Session 3: The Role of Peace Operations in Supporting Weapons and Ammunition Management

Chair: Dr. Sylvain Paile-Calvo, Senior researcher, European Studies Unit, University of Liège

Speakers:

• Alexander Ralf Riebl, UNMAS
• Nora Allgaier, DPO-ODA, UN
• Hardy Giezendanner, UNIDIR
• Lt Col (EL A) Odysseas Loukopoulos, C.2 – Crisis Response Planning and Current Operations, European External Action Service, EU

16:45 – 17:00 Break

17:00 – 18h15 Session 4: Weapons and Ammunition Management Policy and Practices in Peace Operations

Chair: Mr. Michal Adamowicz, European External Action Service, EU

Speakers:

• Mr. Emile Le Brun, Small Arms Survey
• Wing Commander Samatha Gomani, DPO-Office of Military Affairs, Policy and Doctrine Division, UN
• Dr. Jovana Carapic, GICHD’s Ammunition Management Advisory Team (AMAT)

18:15 – 18:30 Concluding Remarks

• Mr. Alexandre Zouev, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions, UN
• Ms. Alison Weston, Head of Division – Partnerships and Agreements (SECDEFPOL.2), European External Action Service, EU
• Mr. Benjamin Hautecouverture, Senior research fellow, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique/EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium