U.S. Leadership Needed in Small Arms Control

Global efforts to address the threat posed by nuclear weapons have generated some of the most important international agreements in the last half century.Recognition is growing as well that small arms, sometimes referred to as “weapons of individual destruction,” pose an increasing threat to global and human security.

With an estimated 639 million small arms and light weapons in world circulation, the proliferation of assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades amongst others, fuels violent conflict, inhibits economic development, and menaces the lives of millions. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from wounds caused by these weapons in both war zones and countries at peace.

Despite increased international concern regarding the devastating effects of irresponsible small arms transfers, many governments around the world continue to supply weapons to regions of conflict and human rights abuse. For example, in 2002, countries in the Middle East and Europe transferred small arms to Sudan, which was then under European Union and U.S. arms embargos for human rights abuse and its brutal civil war.

The U.S. has the strictest laws governing small arms exports in the world, but many other countries have little or no controls. And the licit and illicit trade in small arms falls under almost no system of global control. The UN convened an international conference in 2001 to find a way to stop the illicit tradeof small arms. The resulting document, the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (POA) provides a vision for how countries could stop the illicit trade of small arms originating in ortraveling through their territory.

The POA is a substantial step towards stopping the illegal arms trade, yet weaknesses remain. The POA mostly addresses how weapons are traded (record keeping, safe storage, etc.), not who can receive weapons. The POA is due for a five-year review in June 2006, at which time governments can propose improvements. Guidelines on who can receive weapons should be added. Such guidelines need to include restrictions on sales to nations where the weapons are likely to be used to violate international humanitarian or human rights law, inhibit economic development, or destabilize regional peace and security.

Global Control Standards Needed

Global standards are urgently needed to control the trade in weapons. As the world’s largest exporter of small arms, U.S. support for adding strong export standards to the POA is vital. The U.S. should begin to take this threat seriously and take steps within the global arena to save lives. Limiting access to deadly weapons is only one way of preventing the outbreak and continuation of violent conflict and human rights abuse; but it is an important component of the overall effort to reduce the lethality of conflict. Without global action led by the largest weapons suppliers, millions of people will continue to live in daily fear of armed violence in their communities.