Problems Arising From the Accumulation of Conventional Ammunition Stockpiles in Surplus

A/RES/76/233No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 100uProblems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus, published in 2021.

What other versions does this mandate have?

10 versions · 2006–2021

2021A/RES/76/233Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplusLatestCompare with previous version
2019A/RES/74/65Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplusCompare with previous version
2017A/RES/72/55Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplusCompare with previous version
2015A/RES/70/35Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplusCompare with previous version
2013A/RES/68/52Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplusCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 topics

Ammunition Conventional Weapons Groups of Experts Risk Assessment Stockpile Management Technical Cooperation

What does this mandate say?

23 operative paragraphs

Encourages all interested States to assess, on a voluntary basis, whether, in conformity with their legitimate security needs, parts of their stockpiles of conventional ammunition should be considered to be in surplus, and recognizes that the security of such stockpiles must be taken into consideration and that appropriate controls with regard to the security and safety of stockpiles of conventional ammunition are indispensable at the national level in order to eliminate the risk of explosion, pollution or diversion;

Appeals to all interested States to determine the size and nature of their surplus stockpiles of conventional ammunition, whether they represent a security or safety risk, their preferred means of destruction, if appropriate, and whether external assistance is needed to eliminate this risk;

Encourages States in a position to do so to assist interested States within a bilateral framework or through international or regional organizations, including through activities conducted under the umbrella of the SaferGuard knowledge resource management programme, on a voluntary and transparent basis, in elaborating and implementing programmes to eliminate surplus stockpiles or to improve stockpile management;

Encourages all Member States to examine the possibility of developing and implementing, within a national, regional or subregional framework, measures to address accordingly the illicit trafficking related to the accumulation of such stockpiles;

Notes with appreciation initiatives at the international, regional and national levels that shed light on improving the sustainable management of ammunition, including through the implementation of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines, recognizing the relevance of continued discussions and coordination in this regard;

Welcomes the release of the updated version of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines in 2021 and the intention to update the Guidelines on a regular basis, as well as the continued implementation of the SaferGuard programme, managed by the Office for Disarmament Affairs of the Secretariat;

Also welcomes the continued application of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines in the field, including the online implementation support tools and training materials, takes note of the support guides and the availability of translations of the Guidelines in various languages, which encourages States in a position to do so to offer support to the SaferGuard programme, and calls upon all United Nations entities to make full use of the Guidelines when supporting national authorities;

Encourages consideration of the integration of ammunition management measures, where relevant, in the mandates of peacekeeping operations, including through the training of personnel of national authorities and peacekeepers, utilizing the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines;

Welcomes the ongoing work carried out by the SaferGuard programme to operationalize its quick-response mechanism, which allows ammunition experts to be deployed to assist States, upon request, in the management of ammunition stockpiles, and encourages States in a position to do so to provide technical expertise or financial support to the mechanism;

Encourages States wishing to improve their national ammunition stockpile management capacity, wishing to prevent the growth of conventional ammunition surpluses and wishing to implement wider risk mitigation to contact the SaferGuard programme, as well as potential national donors, regional organizations or other organizations, as appropriate;

Encourages States, as appropriate, to consider ammunition management as an intrinsic part of their actions for achieving relevant targets of the Sustainable Development Goals related to the reduction of illicit arms flows and the prevention of violence through strengthened national institutions, and to consider, where relevant, developing national, regional and subregional indicators based on this understanding;

Also encourages States, where relevant, to develop voluntary national action plans on the safe and secure management of conventional ammunition, and acknowledges the utility of information-sharing and the benefit of good practices among States, as appropriate;

Recalls with appreciation the series of informal consultations convened within the framework of its resolution 72/55 throughout 2018 and 2019 that focused on matters of conventional ammunition management within the United Nations system and beyond and that sought to identify urgent issues pertaining to the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus on which progress can be made;

Recalls the informal paper presented by Germany on the informal consultative process undertaken within the framework of resolution 72/55, as well as the inputs, both written and oral, received from Member States on the same matter;

Welcomes the report of the Group of Governmental Experts established pursuant to resolution 72/55 contained in document A/76/324 and the substantive recommendations contained therein;

Encourages States to consider the recommendations contained in the report of the Group of Governmental Experts established pursuant to resolution 72/55, in particular regarding steps to address the safety and security challenges arising from conventional ammunition in a comprehensive manner;

Decides to establish an open-ended working group to elaborate a set of political commitments as a new global framework that will address existing gaps in through-life ammunition management, including international cooperation and assistance, without prejudice to national legal systems addressing national ammunition ownership, possession and use, and will be part of a comprehensive framework to support safe, secure and sustainable through-life ammunition management at the national, subregional, regional and global levels, building upon and complementing existing frameworks, whereas cooperation at the regional and subregional levels should be considered on a voluntary basis;

Also decides that the open-ended working group shall take into account the recommendations contained in the report of the Group of Governmental Experts established pursuant to resolution 72/55 and the views of all participating States and be informed by the series of informal consultations convened within the framework of its resolution 72/55 throughout 2018 and 2019, the informal paper presented by Germany on the informal consultative process and the inputs, both written and oral, received from Member States on the same matter;

Further decides that the open-ended working group shall convene for two 5-day sessions in New York in 2022 and for one 5-day session in Geneva in 2023, preceded by informal consultations as required, within available time frames and with the contribution of relevant international and non-governmental organizations, and shall hold a two-day organizational session in advance of the first meeting;

Decides that the open-ended working group shall submit a report on its work, including recommendations on a set of political commitments as a new global framework on conventional ammunition, to the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide the support necessary to convene the sessions of the open-ended working group;

Reiterates its decision to address the issue of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus in a comprehensive manner;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-seventh session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item entitled “Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus”.

54th (resumed) plenary meeting

24 December 2021

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