United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament Supports Thailand towards Building Capacity to Control Small Arms, in Bangkok, 9-10 March

NEW YORK, 8 March (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, in cooperation with the Government of Thailand, will organize a national workshop on “Building Capacity in Small Arms and Light Weapons Control through the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all Its Aspects and the Arms Trade Treaty” from 9 to 10 March, in Bangkok.  The workshop is made possible with the financial support from the Government of Germany.

The workshop aims to enhance the capacity of approximately 50 Government officials from various ministries and agencies involved in small arms and light weapons control by introducing into national practices acknowledged international standards and effective practices provided by the International Small Arms Control Standards and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines.

Another important expected outcome of the workshop will be to provide recommendations on Thailand’s further preparations for the ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty.  Among issues to be discussed with international experts, including representatives from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, will be small arms and light weapons stockpile management; national legislation; conversion of Programme of Action commitments into Arms Trade Treaty legally binding obligations; reporting requirements; information sharing; national coordinating arrangements and international tools and mechanisms for assistance in small arms and light weapons control; and the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty.

For further information, please contact Yuriy Kryvonos, Interim Director of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, at info@unrcpd.org.