{"id":284058,"date":"2025-03-17T10:41:46","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T14:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/79\/?p=284058"},"modified":"2025-03-17T10:41:58","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T14:41:58","slug":"pga-remarks-at-the-joint-general-assembly-economic-and-social-council-meeting-on-small-arms-and-light-weapons-control-for-preventing-violence-and-advancing-sustainable-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/79\/2025\/03\/17\/pga-remarks-at-the-joint-general-assembly-economic-and-social-council-meeting-on-small-arms-and-light-weapons-control-for-preventing-violence-and-advancing-sustainable-development\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA Remarks at the Joint General Assembly – Economic and Social Council Meeting on \u201cSmall arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Remarks by the President of the UN General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. Philemon Yang<\/strong><\/p>\n

at <\/strong>the Joint General Assembly – Economic and Social Council Meeting on \u201cSmall arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Monday, 17 <\/strong>March 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n

[As Delivered]<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

Good morning,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thank you for joining today\u2019s joint General Assembly – Economic and Social Council Meeting. This meeting is about small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I thank H.E. Mr. Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council, for co-convening this important meeting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I extend my appreciation to Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. I appreciate her office\u2019s technical support and collaboration in preparing and convening this meeting.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is not a meeting to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. The Programme of Action has a dedicated cycle of meetings for that purpose.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Our objective today is to focus on the destructive impact of the illicit flows and misuse of small arms and light weapons on development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This is a topic of great interest to both the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. We recognize that it is relevant to the work of the First and Second Committees of the United Nations General Assembly. We, therefore, take pride in bringing together the delegates of these two Committees to search for solutions to a common problem.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Because of their easy availability and relatively cheap nature, small arms and light weapons can be acquired by individuals and groups \u2013 outside of Government services. No state actors easily acquire these weapons. The illicit trafficking and misuse of these weapons is the primary driver of instability and conflict across the world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is estimated that 580,000 people died violently in 2021, half of them by firearm.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Indeed, small arms constitute\u00a0the weapon of choice in nearly half of all homicides globally.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Statistics also show that women and girls are disproportionately affected by the use of small arms. In fact, it is estimated that between 70 and 90 per cent of incidents of sexual violence during conflict involve small arms and light weapons.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In conflict and post-conflict situations, such as in Haiti, South Sudan, Sudan and many parts of the Sahel, illicit small arms and light weapons jeopardize peace and sow the seeds of future instability, creating a vicious cycle of violence and conflict that obstructs sustainable development.<\/p>\n

The widespread availability of these weapons fuels crime, undermines governance, and hinders access to essential services. Such arms jeapordize education and healthcare, which perpetuates poverty and deepens instability.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The economic toll is equally staggering: in 2023, violence linked to these weapons is estimated to have cost the global economy $22.6 billion.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Imagine what these resources could do if they were deployed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellences,<\/p>\n

Mesdames et messieurs,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Le d\u00e9fi des armes l\u00e9g\u00e8res et de petit calibre n’est pas nouveau.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Des m\u00e9canismes et des instruments internationaux et r\u00e9gionaux ont \u00e9t\u00e9 sp\u00e9cifiquement cr\u00e9\u00e9s pour faire face aux probl\u00e8mes engendr\u00e9s par ces armes. Ces instruments comprennent, entre autres, le Programme d\u2019action sur les armes l\u00e9g\u00e8res et de petit calibre, le Protocole sur les armes \u00e0 feu ou encore le Trait\u00e9 sur le commerce des armes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cependant, la mise en \u0153uvre de ces instruments pr\u00e9sente encore des insuffisances qui ne permettent pas l\u2019endiguement du ph\u00e9nom\u00e8ne.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nous esp\u00e9rons que la discussion d’aujourd’hui sera une occasion de revitaliser le d\u00e9bat sur les flux illicites et le mauvais usage des armes l\u00e9g\u00e8res et de petit calibre et leurs effets sur le d\u00e9veloppement socio-\u00e9conomique.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nous devons trouver de nouvelles fa\u00e7ons collaboratives d’aborder efficacement et de mani\u00e8re significative cette probl\u00e9matique.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nous devons aussi nous engager \u00e0 mettre en \u0153uvre pleinement les\u00a0m\u00e9canismes et instruments\u00a0disponibles.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Le Pacte pour l’avenir que nous avions adopt\u00e9 en septembre 2025 nous y engage.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dans ce Pacte, les \u00c9tats membres ont clairement reconnu que les efforts de d\u00e9sarmement et de contr\u00f4le des armes sont des \u00e9l\u00e9ments fondamentaux du cadre de paix et de s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des Nations Unies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Les Etats membres ont \u00e9galement soulign\u00e9 le lien entre ces efforts et ceux en mati\u00e8re de d\u00e9veloppement, de promotion des droits de l’homme et d’action humanitaire.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

En effet, dans le Pacte, les \u00c9tats membres se sont sp\u00e9cifiquement engag\u00e9s \u00e0\u00a0honorer\u00a0les engagements existants.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cela inclut le renforcement des efforts nationaux et internationaux pour combattre, pr\u00e9venir et \u00e9liminer le commerce illicite des armes l\u00e9g\u00e8res et de petit calibre, de leurs pi\u00e8ces et munitions sous\u00a0tous leurs aspects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Profitons de cet engagement renouvel\u00e9 pour explorer ensemble des nouvelles pistes pouvant nous conduire vers des r\u00e9sultats concrets dans notre combat commun pour l\u2019\u00e9tablissement d\u2019un environnement propice pour le d\u00e9veloppement durable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Excellencies,<\/p>\n

Ladies and gentlemen,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In many parts of the world, the issue of small arms and light weapons is not only linked to insecurity and the corresponding negative impacts on development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It is also linked to the painful fact that arms purchases can easily reach 30% of the gross domestic product, particularly in conflict and post-conflict countries.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Given the enormity of this share, we simply must ask the following questions: Can weapons guarantee true security and sustainable development? Should we not give priority to and fully utilize dialogue to solve our problems?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today, I invite delegations to focus on two areas:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First, the dangers to development caused by all forms of small arms-related insecurity; and<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Second, the dangers to development caused by excessive military expenditures.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Article 26 of the United Nations Charter calls for the least diversion of the world\u2019s human and economic resources to armaments.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I strongly suggest that you find viable proposals for operationalizing the relationship between disarmament and development.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I warmly welcome and look forward to the invaluable insights of our panellists today in articulating the questions above.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Our discussion should include issues such as:<\/p>\n