Security Council Resolution 2616 (2021) [on Consideration During Mandate Renewals of Role of Peace Operations in Supporting National Authorities in Combating Illicit Transfer and Diversion of Arms in Violation of Arms Embargoes]

S/RES/2616 (2021)View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Security Council, under agenda item 193Maintenance of international peace and security, published in 2021.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 topics

Arms Embargo Illicit Arms Trafficking Peacekeeping Operations Sanctions Compliance Stockpile Management Weapons Tracing

What does this mandate say?

14 operative paragraphs

Resolves to consider, on a case-by-case basis and when appropriate, during the renewal of mandates of peace operations that coincide where arms embargoes have been mandated by the Security Council, whether and how the peace operations could support relevant national authorities in combating the illicit transfer and diversion of arms in violation of the arms embargoes in their respective areas of operation;

Also encourages its peace operations and relevant United Nations entities to assist in reinforcing capacities of host nation authorities, at their request, in data collection and training to counter the illicit transfer of arms and related materiel of all types, where appropriate and consistent with their mandates;

Emphasizes that the capacity of States under Council-mandated embargoes to exert effective control over their existing arms and ammunition stockpiles and future imports with a view to preventing such weapons from being diverted to the illicit market will be duly considered by the Council when evaluating the possible lifting of an arms embargo;

Stresses that subject to the particular exemptions to each arms embargo, arms and related materiel of all types that are supplied, sold or transferred as security or disarmament assistance under exemptions should not be resold to, transferred to, or in other ways made available for use by parties other than the designated end user or other users explicitly permitted under the relevant embargo, and should not have end uses other than those specified or otherwise explicitly permitted under the relevant embargo;

Encourages, as a best practice, the establishment of baseline arms inventories by States under Council-mandated embargoes, as well as arms marking and registration systems, in situations where a United Nations arms embargo coincides with disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts;

Encourages Member States to ensure adequate marking and record-keeping measures are in place to trace arms, including small arms and light weapons, as required by the international and regional instruments to which they are parties, and consider how best to assist, where relevant and upon their request, neighboring countries of States under Council-mandated embargoes in preventing and detecting illicit trafficking and diversion in violation of embargoes;

Encourages regional land, air, and maritime cooperation, as applicable, to detect and prevent violations of Council-mandated arms embargoes as well as to report cases of violations in a timely manner to the corresponding sanctions committees;

Requests the full cooperation of Member States, in particular those under Council-mandated arms embargoes, with the corresponding Panel of Experts, and further stresses the importance of allowing such Panels of Experts, whenever and wherever possible, to conduct inspections, or to be provided with samples, of seized military equipment transferred illicitly in contravention of the respective embargoes;

Affirms its resolve to designate, where appropriate and under applicable sanctions regimes, those individuals who have been involved in activities prohibited by Council-mandated embargoes;

Encourages Member States to undertake due diligence measures concerning the export of the commercially-available components of weapons systems to States under Council-mandated embargoes that may be used by designated individuals and entities or armed groups in contravention of the respective embargoes;

Encourages Member States, as well as relevant international organizations, in a position to do so, to provide capacity building and the training of national customs, border control, and other such relevant agencies, to carry out inspections regarding Council-mandated embargoes;

Recognizes the value of Member States’ engagement with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders and sharing information about the implementation of the provisions and obligations contained in resolutions establishing arms embargoes;

Requests the Secretary-General to consider recommendations in his regular country specific reporting to the Security Council, as and when appropriate, on tasks that could be performed by peace operations and relevant UN entities that coincide where arms embargoes have been mandated by the Security Council, in accordance with their mandates, to provide assistance to relevant national authorities, inter alia, in monitoring of said embargoes, identification of illicit sources of arms, and tracing seized, found and surrendered arms, as well as tasks to support relevant sanctions committee expert panels;

Requests the Secretary-General to include further information on general trends of illicit trafficking and diversion in contravention of Council-mandated arms embargoes, as well as further recommendations on this matter, in the biennial reports pursuant to resolution 2220 (2015).

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