Developments and trends, 2023

The year 2023 saw both positive developments and new challenges in the context of conventional arms. In much of the world, international peace and security continued to suffer from the illicit transfer, diversion, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, as well as their ammunition. In a variety of settings, armed violence and conflict continued to be driven and sustained by the ongoing movement of weapons and ammunition to and between non-State actors, including in the context of organized crime and terrorism.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), world military expenditure rose by 6.8 per cent in real terms in 2023, to a total of $2.4 trillion, which amounts to 2.3 per cent of the global gross domestic product and around $306 per capita. Factoring in plans announced by some Member States to boost military budgets in response to the current security landscape, global military spending is estimated to continue to rise sharply in the coming years.

Figure 3.1.
World military expenditure by region, 1988–2023

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many States continued to provide military assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces, including transfers of arms and ammunition. Conventional arms transfers included heavy weapons and military equipment, such as armoured combat vehicles, anti-aircraft systems, artillery, helicopters, missile systems and uncrewed combat aerial vehicles, as well as small arms and light weapons and their ammunition. In addition, there were reports of States transferring or planning to transfer weapons to the Russian armed forces. Those weapons were reportedly used in Ukraine and said to include uncrewed aerial vehicles, ballistic missiles and ammunition. On eight occasions in 2023, the Security Council considered the issue of arms transfers, including the risks stemming from violations of the agreements regulating the export of weapons and military equipment.

Harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure also remained a significant concern, with most of the civilian casualties recorded in Ukraine continuing to be caused by explosive weapons with wide-area effects. The attacks included shelling from artillery, tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems, and cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as airstrikes.

Furthermore, the Security Council remained actively seized of threats posed by the misuse, illicit transfer and destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, particularly in situations of armed conflict and in relation to their potential diversion.

Efforts to implement the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, along with its 2005 International Tracing Instrument, continued apace in 2023. Preparations for the fourth Review Conference on the Programme of Action also accelerated.

States achieved a major milestone in comprehensively addressing the threats posed by illicit trafficking, diversion and unplanned explosions of conventional ammunition. The Open-ended Working Group on Conventional Ammunition successfully concluded its work in June, leading to the adoption by the General Assembly of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (A/78/111). That new instrument filled the gap in dedicated regulatory instruments for conventional ammunition at the international level. The SaferGuard programme, managed by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, also continued its efforts to promote the application of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) to assist States in advancing safe and secure ammunition management.

Meanwhile, the Security Council continued to devote attention to the issue of improvised explosive devices in its thematic discussions and decisions. The Council addressed the matter in relation to various country-specific situations, including in the context of arms embargoes and peace operations.

Additionally, a growing number of Governments participated in two multilateral transparency instruments on conventional weapons. A total of 63 Member States submitted annual reports to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures during its 2023 reporting cycle, an increase of 50 per cent from 2022. Likewise, 72 States submitted reports to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, up from 62 reports in 2022.

The United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR) funded eight projects aimed at promoting and supporting the implementation of multilateral conventional arms and transparency instruments. As the administrator of the Trust Facility, the Office for Disarmament Affairs provided substantive input for those projects, ensuring their alignment with strategic thematic priorities established by the programme’s strategic planning group. In 2023, the Office selected and launched 10 projects from the 50 responses it received to the 2022 annual call for proposals.

Arms Trade Treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty^[1] was created to establish common standards for international trade in conventional arms and to eradicate the illicit trade in conventional weapons. At the end of 2023, its total number of States parties stood at 113, with 29 signatory States that had not yet ratified the Treaty.

The ninth Conference of States Parties took place from 21 to 25 August, presided by Seong-mee Yoon (Republic of Korea). The Conference was attended by 89 States parties, 18 signatory States and four States not party to the Treaty. In addition, nine international and regional organizations and 43 civil society organizations participated as observers (for the list of participants, see ATT/CSP9/2023/SEC/772/Conf.PartList.Rev1). In preparation, participants held two series of meetings of the Treaty’s three working groups,^[2] and two informal preparatory meetings on 17 February and 12 May.

The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs delivered a video statement during the opening session of the Conference, underlining that the Treaty offered important opportunities to consider humanitarian and human rights perspectives. She welcomed the priority topic chosen by the presidency, “Role of industry in responsible transfers of conventional arms”, noting that by adopting robust procedures, industry entities can make the transfer chain less vulnerable to diversion.

The Conference began with a thematic discussion on the priority theme chosen by the presidency (ATT/CSP9/2023/PRES/766/Conf.WP.Ind). Two of the panellists, the Republic of Korea and Romania, outlined their respective national administrative policies for engaging with representatives of industry. One of the speakers presented the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (A/HRC/17/31, annex), endorsed by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 17/4 of 2011, and stressed that the tool could be used to further industry’s role in upholding human rights. She further underlined that under the Guiding Principles, Governments could use a wide variety of tools to ensure respect for human rights. In a working paper submitted to the Conference, Austria, Ireland and Mexico stressed the complementarity between the Arms Trade Treaty and the Guiding Principles (ATT/CSP9/2023/AUT-IRL-MEX/774/Conf.WP). In its final report, the Conference welcomed the Guiding Principles, encouraging States parties to continue discussions on how the Guiding Principles, human rights and international humanitarian law instruments apply in the context of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT/CSP9/2023/SEC/773/Conf.FinRep.Rev2).

During the week, the Diversion Information Exchange Forum, established by the sixth Conference of States Parties (ATT/CSP6/2020/SEC/635/Conf.FinRep.Rev1), met and provided an opportunity for States parties and signatory States to exchange information on concrete cases of detected or suspected diversion and to share concrete, operational, diversion-related information as contemplated in articles 11 and 15 of the Treaty. The Chair of the Exchange Forum, France, briefed the Conference and welcomed the presentations made by four States. The Conference encouraged all States parties and signatory States to present at forthcoming meetings of the Exchange Forum cases of diversion, which the President of the tenth Conference of States Parties would be expected to organize in accordance with the body’s terms of reference (ATT/CSP6.DIEF/2020/CHAIR/632/Conf.DIEFToRs).

The Conference emphasized the importance of transparency and reporting and expressed its concerns about the low rate of compliance with reporting obligations. In keeping with a decision from the seventh Conference, States parties have the option to ask for Arms Trade Treaty reports to be submitted also to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. The aim is to reduce reporting fatigue and bolster reporting under the Register. In 2023, the Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat transmitted 31 reports to the Office for Disarmament Affairs through this sharing agreement.

In addition, the Conference considered the reports of the Treaty’s working groups on effective treaty implementation, treaty universalization, and transparency and reporting, as well as various documents submitted by the Management Committee.^[3] However, due to financial difficulties and at the recommendation of the Management Committee, the Conference decided to hold fewer meetings in 2024 on a trial basis for one year. Specifically, instead of holding two in-person sessions for the working groups as they had done in previous years, the States parties opted to hold just one session over four days. Likewise, they chose to convene only one in-person preparatory meeting over two days for the tenth Conference of States Parties, diverging from their past practice of having two such meetings.

The Conference decided to hold the tenth Conference of States Parties in Geneva from 19 to 23 August. It elected Razvan Rusu (Romania) as President, and Australia, Japan, Namibia and Paraguay as Vice-Presidents. Furthermore, the Conference decided that the informal preparatory meetings and the meetings of the working groups would also be held in Geneva. The specific dates for those meetings remained undecided, to be confirmed by the President of the tenth Conference of States Parties at a later date.

Small arms and light weapons

In his policy brief A New Agenda for Peace, launched in July, the Secretary-General recognized that small arms and light weapons and their ammunition were the leading cause of violent deaths in conflict and non-conflict settings alike. Their devastating impact includes enabling criminal acts, human rights abuses and gender-based violence, hindering conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and stunting sustainable development. Given the human cost of such weapons, the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects remains a critical framework under which States can cooperatively tackle their illicit proliferation, diversion, trafficking and misuse.

Throughout the year, Member States focused on enhancing the implementation of the Programme of Action. Notably, the General Assembly, in its annual resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (78/46), encouraged civil society, industry and relevant organizations to strengthen their cooperation and work with States in that regard.

Furthermore, Member States accelerated their preparations for the fourth Review Conference on the Programme of Action and its International Tracing Instrument, to be held from 18 to 28 June 2024. In late 2023, States endorsed Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica) as President-designate of the Review Conference.

Meanwhile, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to fulfil its mandates on a range of issues, such as developing a new fellowship training programme on small arms and light weapons. Additionally, the Office worked on several proposals for enhancing the implementation of the Programme of Action, such as a structured procedure for processing requests for assistance, as well as options for a technical expert group to address new developments in small arms and light weapons manufacturing, technology and design. The Office planned to share its proposals with States for consideration at the fourth Review Conference.

The Security Council recognized the negative impact of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition in various country contexts on its agenda, integrating weapons-related language into its resolutions on the Abyei area, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

In December, the Security Council, presided over by Ecuador, held an open debate on the thematic agenda item “small arms”, in view of the release of the Secretary-General’s eighth report on the topic (S/2023/823). Ecuador titled the meeting “Addressing the threat posed by diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition to peace and security” and requested a briefing from the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The other briefers were Cécile Aptel, Deputy Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, and Folade Mutota, Executive Director of the Women’s Institute for Alternative Development in Trinidad and Tobago. In the ensuing discussion, more than 60 speakers took the floor, recognizing the cross-cutting and multifaceted challenge posed by small arms and light weapons and their ammunition, as well as the need for collaborative, comprehensive and gender-responsive approaches to address that serious threat to international peace and security.

The Security Council continued to recognize the nexus between small arms and light weapons, organized crime, terrorism and armed violence, holding an open debate in December on the theme “Threats to international peace and security: transnational organized crime, growing challenges and new threats”. By a presidential statement (S/PRST/2023/6), the Council expressed serious concern over the trafficking of small arms and light weapons to organized criminal groups and terrorists that threatened peace and security, urging States to strengthen judicial, law enforcement, border control and investigation capacities. The Security Council also emphasized the importance of national, regional and international measures to prevent criminal and terrorist groups from acquiring weapons through diversion and illicit supply, stressing the value of international cooperation in that regard.

In November, the Secretary-General published his eighth report to the Security Council on small arms and light weapons (S/2023/823),^[4] in which he lamented the deteriorating security environment, the escalation of armed conflicts and the related surge in civilian casualties, as well as the impact of small arms and light weapons on peace, security and sustainable development. In the report, the Secretary-General underscored efforts undertaken over the past two years at the global, regional, subregional and national levels in support of small arms and light weapons control.

Referencing A New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General outlined recommendations for advancing comprehensive approaches, such as developing and strengthening national and regional instruments and action plans, setting voluntary targets, and integrating small arms and light weapons control into initiatives for national development, prevention and peacebuilding. Encouraging the Security Council to mainstream the issue of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition across its work, the Secretary-General outlined several relevant thematic areas, including the protection of civilians; human rights; women, peace and security; children and armed conflict; and transnational organized crime and terrorism. He also welcomed the increasing integration of weapons and ammunition management into the Security Council’s country-specific resolutions and the work and mandates of its peace operations. Welcoming Security Council resolution 2616 (2021) on illicit arms trafficking and diversion in violation of Council-mandated arms embargoes, the Secretary-General provided specific recommendations to improve the implementation and enforcement of those embargoes. Additionally, he addressed the challenges and opportunities of new and evolving technologies related to small arms and light weapons control.

The Security Council continued to integrate considerations related to weapons and ammunition into the work and mandates of peace operations, including in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, South Sudan and the bordering Abyei area, and Yemen. In December, the Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) through resolution 2717 (2023), urging the Mission to work with the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes to seek political solutions to stop the cross-border flows of armed combatants, arms and natural resources, by aligning strategies, sharing information and coordinating their respective reporting. It further mandated the Mission to provide enhanced support in strengthening the capacities of the Congolese security forces, including on weapons and ammunitions management, countering improvised explosive devices and explosive ordnance disposal, as well as on basic investigation and forensics exploitation related to improvised explosive devices. The Security Council further requested the Mission to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo, in particular to observe and report on flows of arms or related materiel across the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and to seize, collect, record and dispose of arms or related materiel brought into the Democratic Republic of the Congo in violation of the arms embargo.

In November, the Council, in its resolution 2709 (2023), extended the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), including its support on weapons and ammunition management. It tasked the Mission to monitor the implementation of the arms embargo, including by inspecting all arms and related materiel regardless of location. The Council further called on the national authorities and the authorities of neighbouring countries to cooperate at the regional level to investigate and combat transnational criminal networks and armed groups involved in arms trafficking and the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

On the situation in Libya, the Security Council, in its resolution 2702 (2023), expressed concern at the threat posed by the diversion and proliferation of arms and ammunition in Libya and other countries in the region. Renewing the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, it called on key Libyan institutions, with support from the United Nations, to take steps to secure and effectively manage stockpiles, clear explosive ordnance and explosive remnants of war from hazardous areas and protect civilians from the risks of unplanned explosions at munition sites.

In June, the Security Council, in its resolution 2687 (2023), renewed the authorization of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia, calling on the Government of Somalia to focus on implementing its weapons and ammunition management commitments at the federal and state levels. By the resolution, the Council requested the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia and the United Nations Support Office in Somalia to support their host country in developing its capacity in logistics and warehouse operations, including distribution of weapons and ammunition to and from the front lines and weapons and ammunition management. The Security Council also requested the Secretary-General to continue United Nations support to Somalia in countering the threat of improvised explosive devices.

The Security Council addressed weapons and ammunition issues in the context of Haiti in several resolutions. In July, through the adoption of resolution 2692 (2023), it renewed the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti to support Haitian authorities in combating illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel. The Council requested the Secretary-General to report to it on options that the United Nations could provide to enhance the security situation, including through support for combating illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel. It further requested the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to provide updates every three months on sources and routes of illicit arms and on relevant United Nations activities and recommendations. By the same resolution, the Security Council welcomed the signing by Haiti of the National Action Plan to implement the Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030 (Caribbean Firearms Roadmap), an effort designed to help address the proliferation of illicit weapons and ammunition. The Council also called upon the Government to swiftly implement the National Action Plan. Recognizing the strong correlation between the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition in Haiti and the expansion of territorial control by gangs and the extreme levels of armed violence, the Council urged Member States to prohibit the supply, sale or transfer of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to non-State actors engaged in gang violence, criminal activities or human rights abuses in Haiti, as well as take all appropriate steps to prevent their diversion and illicit trafficking.

In October, the Security Council adopted resolution 2699 (2023), authorizing the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti, headed by Kenya in close cooperation and coordination with the Government of Haiti. Recognizing the importance and urgency of curbing the illicit trafficking of arms and ammunition and creating a safe operating environment for international security support, the Council requested the mission to cooperate with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and other relevant United Nations entities to support the efforts of the Haitian National Police to combat the illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel and to enhance management and control of borders and ports.

Later, by its resolution 2700 (2023), the Council called on the Multinational Security Support mission to implement management processes and oversight mechanisms for its own weapons and ammunition, and to report to the Panel of Experts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022) any diversion of weapons and ammunition. The Security Council further called upon the mission to cooperate with the Government of Haiti to reinforce their weapons and ammunition management.

To support reviews of arms embargoes, assessing the progress towards benchmarks related to weapons and ammunition management remained a focus under various sanctions regimes. In 2023, assessments of progress achieved on benchmarks were conducted in the context of the Central African Republic (S/2023/356), Somalia (S/2023/676) and South Sudan (S/2023/300). The sanctions regime on Haiti also introduced weapons- and ammunition-related benchmarks to measure trends in illicit trafficking and diversion of arms. In October, the Security Council asked the Secretary-General, in resolution 2700 (2023), to conduct a benchmark assessment by October 2024, including progress achieved towards a weapons- and ammunition-related benchmark measured by a decrease in the number of incidents of illicit trafficking and diversion of arms, including by increasing the number and volume of arms seizures. In the context of the arms embargo on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, by resolution 2688 (2023), the Security Council welcomed the report of the Government on its efforts to ensure safe and effective weapons and ammunition management, pursuant to resolution 2667 (2022). The Council called for continued efforts by the Government in that area and encouraged the United Nations and international partners to increase their support to the Government.

As in the past, such assessments helped the Security Council to evaluate whether improvements in the national capacities of States to exert effective control over national arms and ammunition stockpiles could merit lifting or easing certain arms embargoes. In 2023, the Council continued its practice of selectively easing and partially lifting arms embargoes, including in the Central African Republic (resolution 2693 (2023)), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (resolution 2688 (2023)) and South Sudan (resolution 2683 (2023)). The Security Council lifted the arms embargo on Somalia by adopting resolution 2714 (2023), recognizing the progress made against the weapons and ammunition management benchmarks. In doing so, it called on Somalia to implement the national weapons and ammunition management strategy, promote further professionalization, training and capacity-building for all Somali security and police institutions, and take all measures necessary to prevent the diversion of weapons, ammunition and military equipment. Furthermore, the Council requested the Mine Action Service of the United Nations (UNMAS) and the international community to each provide Somalia with support related to weapons and ammunition management.

In October, the Security Council adopted resolution 2699 (2023), expanding the scope of the targeted arms embargo on Haiti established in 2022 to a territorial arms embargo. The Council later reaffirmed that decision in its resolution 2700 (2023).

Throughout 2023, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to implement the joint project “Effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context”, which serves as a critical bridge between arms control, peacekeeping, conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Their aim was to support disarmament, demobilization and reintegration practitioners in designing and implementing tailored weapons and ammunition management activities in line with international arms control standards and guidelines.

The implementing partners maintained their efforts to facilitate the use by peacekeeping operations and special political missions (as well as in non-mission settings) of guidance developed under the joint project. In 2023, for example, they published and disseminated the Arabic, French and Spanish translations of the standard operating procedure for weapons and ammunition management in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration contexts. The Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards modules on disarmament (4.10) and transitional weapons and ammunition management (4.11) were also translated into Arabic, French and Spanish, with their publication scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.

In 2023, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to raise awareness and help to operationalize the robust policy and guidance tools developed through the joint project. They also focused on strengthening relationships with national authorities, United Nations entities, regional organizations and civil society organizations to promote the integration of weapons and ammunition management policies into disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes.

The partners collaborated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the Folke Bernadotte Academy and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team to successfully organize the annual training course “Effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context”, held in October. Conducted at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, in Accra, the course brought together disarmament, demobilization and reintegration practitioners, as well as experts in weapons and ammunition management from various peacekeeping operations, special political missions, international and regional organizations and non-governmental organizations. Those participants acquired the knowledge and skills essential to plan and implement safe, secure and effective disarmament operations and transitional weapons and ammunition management initiatives in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration settings.

Meanwhile, a joint technical assistance mechanism established under the project continued to provide weapons and ammunition management support relevant to various disarmament, demobilization and reintegration settings. Through that process, the implementing partners successfully engaged with stakeholders to integrate weapons and ammunition management provisions into relevant strategies, such as the National Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation Strategy, in Chad. Additionally, in December, the process led to the finalization of a study on “Weapons and ammunition dynamics in the context of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration in Somalia”. Developed in close collaboration with Somalia, the study contains recommendations for national authorities and the United Nations to guide the development and implementation of transitional weapons and ammunition management initiatives as part of community violence reduction. The authors also considered key challenges and ground realities in the context of the national defector rehabilitation programme.

In addition, the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Committee of Cameroon benefited from the joint project’s support in developing the country’s first manual of procedures on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, as well as in engaging with United Nations entities on issues related to small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region. That assistance included contributions to several activities. In March and April, the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section of the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, which is part of the Department of Peace Operations, conducted a joint assessment mission with the Central and Southern Africa Division of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, and Folke Bernadotte Academy. In October, the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section took part in the “Regional roundtable dialogue to strengthen national institutions in the implementation of weapons and ammunition management (WAM) in the context of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR)”, with assistance provided through the joint project. Organized by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons in partnership with the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, the event brought together member States of the Regional Centre (Burundi, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, the Sudan and Uganda) to identify key challenges and gaps in existing national frameworks for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and for weapons and ammunition management, as well as to explore the possibility of developing a regional action plan. In July, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs contributed through the joint project to the Secretary-General’s fourth assessment on weapons and ammunition management and arms embargo measures in relation to Somalia (S/2023/676). The assessment included an update for the Security Council on progress against the indicators set out in its resolution 2662 (2022), to help to guide the body in reviewing the restrictions.

The Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC) consists of a series of modules that offer practical guidance on small-arms-control measures. Governments and civil society organizations have made wide use of the publicly available modules, which together provide guidance on managing and controlling small arms throughout their life cycle. Developing and reviewing the modules are the responsibilities of technical experts from around the world, including individuals from civil society, industry and international organizations who form a dedicated expert reference group. MOSAIC helps to achieve the objectives of key global agreements aimed at preventing the illicit trade, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons. Moreover, implementing the MOSAIC guidance can support efforts to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The General Assembly, in its resolution 78/46 of 4 December on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, again noted the role of web-based tools developed by the Secretariat, including MOSAIC. The Assembly also noted the utility of those tools in assessing progress made in implementing the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

In 2023, two additional MOSAIC modules were adopted by the Coordinating Action on Small Arms mechanism, covering the following topics: small arms and light weapons control in the context of gun-free zones; and criminal justice responses to the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

MOSAIC modules continued to support training activities, particularly those of the regional centres of the Office for Disarmament Affairs.

The United Nations Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA) is a mechanism established in 1998 to foster a coherent and cohesive approach within the United Nations system to small-arms policy and programming. In recent years, CASA had accommodated a growing number of relevant policy issues, such as the arms trade, armed violence and sustainable development, through-life management of conventional ammunition, and impacts on human rights. Twenty-four United Nations partners^[5] jointly address those and other issues from a wide variety of perspectives, including economic and social development, disarmament, organized crime, terrorism, conflict prevention, peacekeeping, human rights and international humanitarian law, safety of human settlements, public health, the environment, gender and children.

In its three working-level meetings of 2023, CASA collaborated with other contributors in formulating the Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council on the issue of small arms, as well as in implementing Executive Committee decision 2023/46. That decision, adopted on 3 November, was expected to bolster ongoing CASA efforts to strengthen research in the field of small-arms and export control; data collection related to target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals on reducing illicit arms flows; regional cooperation, including on implementing regional road maps; and the integration of small-arms control into national development frameworks. Notably, CASA also convened a special dedicated meeting on its possible contribution to the development of the Secretary-General’s policy brief A New Agenda for Peace. In that regard, the perspectives of its partners were reflected in the policy brief, particularly Action 7 (Reduce the human cost of weapons).

Furthermore, CASA continued to function as a forum to adopt draft MOSAIC modules at the working level and to discuss and exchange information on the following:

• Implementation of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, the United Nations SaferGuard programme and IATG;
• Updates on the Working Group on Firearms and the illicit arms flows questionnaire;
• Implementation of the “Effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context” initiative;
• Relevant developments in the Human Rights Council, including around the impact of arms transfers on human rights;
• Regional activities aimed at countering the possible use of improvised explosive devices or small arms and light weapons by terrorists;
• Operations of United Nations funding mechanisms, such as the Saving Lives Entity trust fund (SALIENT) and UNSCAR.

The General Assembly adopted the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Firearms Protocol) on 31 May 2001 to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among States parties so as to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition.

In 2023, China acceded to the Firearms Protocol, bringing the number of parties to 123.

On 3 and 4 May, the open-ended intergovernmental Working Group on Firearms held its tenth meeting in a hybrid format in Vienna. The Working Group, which meets annually, was established by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, as a standing mechanism of the Conference.

The tenth meeting addressed the following topics: strengthening international and inter-agency cooperation and coordination mechanisms in accordance with the Firearms Protocol and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime; and implementation of article 3 (Use of terms) and article 4 (Scope of application) of the Firearms Protocol.

Building on the provisions of the Firearms Protocol, the Working Group adopted various recommendations, including the following:

• Consider engaging with the private sector to discuss further improvements in firearms marking techniques with the aim of addressing and preventing the obliteration, removal or alteration of original markings, and to discuss methods for identifying firearms on which the markings have been erased;
• Evaluate the possibility of establishing national coordination mechanisms comprising government officials and all other relevant stakeholders, as well as national firearms focal points or other bodies to trace firearms;
• Post liaison officers in countries located along firearms trafficking routes in order to establish communication channels with the relevant authorities of those countries;
• Consider developing operating procedures and guidelines for the recovery of firearms that may have been illicitly manufactured or trafficked;
• Use the definitions provided in the Firearms Protocol to develop technical specifications that define when a weapon or any other object may be readily converted;
• Assess the potential of developing voluntary technical guidelines for the implementation of the Protocol in the light of technological developments related to, inter alia, the illicit manufacturing of firearms from semi-finished parts and components;
• Consider regulating devices, intended to be mounted on firearms, that make it possible to switch the firing mode of firearms from semi-automatic to automatic.

Furthermore, a representative of the secretariat of the Mechanism for the Review of the Implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols thereto delivered a presentation on the latest status of the review process, providing updated information.

Under their SALIENT joint initiative, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP work on the principle that small-arms control and armed violence reduction must be nationally led, people-centred, and both anticipatory and responsive. In 2023, SALIENT supported comprehensive and sustainable responses and completed the implementation of development-oriented projects in three pilot countries: Cameroon, Jamaica and South Sudan. Its programming in those countries involved legislative and policy framework support, including on gender mainstreaming, capacity-building for law enforcement and sensitization. It also incorporated educational activities held with communities in coordination with civil society actors and journalists, as well as youth, with a particular focus on the attitudes and perceptions of participants towards violence, guns and masculinity.

The proliferation of weapons fuels the systematic and widespread occurrence of sexual violence in conflict and violence against women in general, with firearms used in at least 70 per cent of all incidents of conflict-related sexual violence. With a view to mainstreaming gender meaningfully in its efforts, SALIENT had contributed approximately $940,000 to activities incorporating a significant gender component, from its establishment in 2020 to the end of 2023. In that same period, SALIENT dedicated 31.75 per cent of its total project funding, or $1.7 million, to activities organized in direct pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In Cameroon, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP convened SALIENT workshops with national experts, government actors, civil society representatives, media personnel, religious and customary leaders, and community members to assess local vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience to violence induced by small arms and light weapons. Through the project, the coordinators helped to establish a network of practitioners interested in countering the proliferation of small arms and light weapons while also supporting them in framing the issue within Cameroon’s national development agenda. They also supported the training and education of 50 women ex-combatants and convened government representatives for a gender-informed discussion on regulation and control of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition. They raised awareness among 30 law enforcement and criminal justice officers on the linkages of gender and small arms; on the women, peace and security agenda; and on implementation and reporting for Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions). In addition, Cameroon was developing its first “gender and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration” strategy through SALIENT support.

Meanwhile, in South Sudan, the SALIENT coordinators worked with local authorities and communities to catalyse voluntary civilian disarmament efforts. They actively encouraged women to participate in those efforts, which were aimed at helping police and security institutions to build trust with the people they served. By co-organizing 11 senior leadership dialogues on the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons and voluntary civilian disarmament, they encouraged community stakeholders to see disarmament as a voluntary civilian effort rather than a process imposed by security institutions. Those dialogues reached 454 national and local leaders, including governors and their deputies, mayors, heads of various ministries, representatives of the organized forces, and civil society actors, among others. Additionally, local police officers hosted radio talk shows to raise awareness about the project, delivering information on its activities to over 2 million people across the country. SALIENT also fostered mentorship programmes within the South Sudan National Police Service, establishing 10 new women’s networks and operationalizing existing groups to help to improve engagement and trust between the Service and community members, particularly women. Meanwhile, the networks increased connectivity among women officers and provided a critical platform for them to share best practices and to advocate for a gender-responsive police service that addressed the security needs of women and children. Furthermore, targeted community outreach events allowed officers to hear first-hand accounts from women, youth and children who had experienced crimes aggravated by illicit firearms, such as child trafficking, forced marriage, rape and domestic violence. By actively listening to their stories, law enforcement personnel gained a deeper understanding of the harrowing impact of armed violence in South Sudan.

In Jamaica, SALIENT bolstered ongoing efforts to reduce access to firearms and ammunition. That work involved strengthening the interdiction capacity of law enforcement officials at the nation’s maritime and seaports, as well as improving the ability of officials to analyse firearms and ammunition evidence at the various ports of entry, exit or transit. The SALIENT coordinators also facilitated Jamaica’s first “violence audit”, helping the country to utilize data in its development planning and decision-making processes while establishing a baseline for replication as well as a novel research methodology that the Government hoped to adapt for future audits. Furthermore, Jamaica developed new guidelines on the prevention of arms in schools, aiming to bolster its institutional capacity to respond to the threat of armed violence in educational settings. In that connection, SALIENT supported the collaborative development of strategies with teachers to help to prevent conflict and violence in schools, including after-school programmes for youth, as well as discussions on peer-to-peer conflict resolution and mediated exchanges on masculinity and gun culture.

In order to showcase the achievements of the three SALIENT pilot projects, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP organized in October a high-level side event on the margins of the General Assembly, First Committee. Moderated by the Peacebuilding Support Office, the event was attended by over 100 in-person and online participants, including permanent representatives and resident coordinators from the recipient and donor countries. The event provided an opportunity to garner broader support for the innovative approach of SALIENT, as well as to share the successful outcomes and lessons learned from the completed projects.

In 2023, five new SALIENT beneficiary countries were selected: Ghana, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Panama and Papua New Guinea. In-person and virtual exploratory scoping missions took place in the second half of the year to identify country priorities on armed violence reduction and on small arms and light weapons control. The missions incorporated discussions with representatives of civil society and government institutions, as well as with the United Nations country teams in the above-mentioned States. Planned for implementation in 2024, the projects in the new beneficiary countries would ensure a balanced regional distribution of SALIENT activities in its first phase, covering the period 2020–2024.

Since its inception a decade ago, UNSCAR has served as a multi-donor funding mechanism, financing small-scale, theme-focused, quick-impact projects that promote and support the implementation of multilateral conventional arms and transparency instruments. Administered by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, UNSCAR has successfully mobilized international assistance, particularly for the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. As at the end of 2023, UNSCAR had benefited a total of 148 countries through 122 projects awarded funding via an annual competitive selection process. The 2022–2023 funding cycle was supported by Australia, Czechia, Finland, Germany and Slovakia.

Key achievements from the UNSCAR projects implemented in the 2021–2022/23 and 2022–2023 cycles included the following:

• Destruction of 1,027 collected and stockpiled small arms and light weapons by national police in Malawi;
• Drafting and adoption by Central African States of a harmonized and integrated reporting template for the Kinshasa Convention and the Programme of Action;
• Assessment and introduction of a record-keeping and tracing software system in eight countries;
• Procurement of three weapons-marking machines for Burundi, the Central African Republic and the Congo;
• Drafting and launch of a regional road map towards a regional mechanism in weapons regulation in Asia;
• Adoption of an African regional plan of action by participating women parliamentarians from 10 African countries;
• Adoption of a revised gender action plan by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons;
• Provision of support for four Central American countries in implementing Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security;
• Organization of capacity-building and public awareness activities in six border communities of Sierra Leone, in cooperation with tribal and religious leaders, representatives of women-led organizations, and law enforcement officials from Sierra Leone and Liberia;
• Publication of a study on the Arms Trade Treaty and conventional explosive weapons;
• Holding of a campaign aimed at encouraging participation in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms by member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN);
• Support for the ongoing operations of a global civil society network addressing small-arms issues.

In response to its 2022–2023 call for proposals, UNSCAR received 50 applications, of which 10 were selected and launched in 2023. In addition to addressing national needs indicated in the Programme of Action, UNSCAR funding proposals must be designed to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (i.e. Goals 5 and 16 and related national development frameworks); comply with the tools of MOSAIC and IATG; align with Action 7 of the New Agenda for Peace (Reduce the human cost of weapons); and support gender-responsive approaches in line with the women, peace and security agenda.

In accordance with the guiding principle of national ownership, UNSCAR remained committed to prioritizing partnership with civil society organizations, which are playing critical roles as the driving force of arms control issues in global and regional multilateral negotiations. In November, the UNSCAR strategic planning group agreed to support the new Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management and the development of a structured procedure for international assistance in the implementation of the Programme of Action when they are operationalized.

Meanwhile, the administrators of UNSCAR continued to exchange information with those of the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund throughout 2023. They also maintained efforts to ensure complementarities between activities of UNSCAR and those funded through SALIENT, which supports multifaceted, development-integrated and country-specific projects.

Ammunition

In June, the Open-ended Working Group on Conventional Ammunition, established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 76/233, concluded the development of a set of political commitments as a new global framework that will address existing gaps in through-life ammunition management. Following two substantive sessions in 2022, the Group held its third substantive session from 13 to 17 February 2023 and its fourth substantive session from 5 to 9 June 2023 at United Nations Headquarters, in New York. Those meetings were complemented by a series of intersessional informal consultations. During the deliberations, Member States expressed grave concern over the diversion and unplanned explosion of conventional ammunition at ammunition sites, recognizing the significant threat that such incidents posed to peace, security, stability and sustainable development at the national, subregional, regional and global levels.

On 9 June, the Open-ended Working Group adopted its final report without a vote, recommending that the General Assembly adopt, at its seventy-eighth session, the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (A/78/111, annex). In line with the recommendation, the Assembly, in December through resolution 78/47, adopted the Global Framework, welcomed the final report of the Open-ended Working Group and called upon all States to implement the Global Framework.

The Global Framework is comprehensive in scope, covering all types of conventional ammunition “from small-calibre ammunition to the largest conventional ammunition” and adopting a through-life management approach to ammunition safety and security. It provides a means to comprehensively address the risks of diversion and unplanned explosion associated with conventional ammunition at every stage of its life cycle—from the point of manufacture, through pre-transfer, transfer, relocation and transport, stockpiling and recovery, to its eventual use or disposal.

Member States committed to 15 objectives and identified 85 related measures covering a range of aspects to promote the safety, security and sustainability of through-life conventional ammunition management. The provisions include a number of important security and safety measures at the technical level to prevent and mitigate the diversion of ammunition and unplanned explosions at munition sites. Its objectives also include strengthening both gender mainstreaming and the full, equal, meaningful and effective participation of women, as well as encouraging multi-stakeholder cooperation with relevant actors, including non-governmental organizations and civil society, academia, research institutions and industry.

Recognizing the central role of international cooperation and assistance, States committed to cooperating and coordinating with each other and to establishing and strengthening partnerships, including with international, regional and subregional organizations, as well as with relevant non-governmental organizations, academia, research institutions and the private sector, including industry.

The Global Framework contains a number of mandates for the Secretariat, particularly in relation to international cooperation and assistance. They include the establishment, under the United Nations SaferGuard programme, of an efficient and agile global mechanism for requesting, offering and receiving assistance in ammunition management; the maintenance of a roster of ammunition management experts through the dedicated validation process; the continued review and further development of IATG; the collection of information on subregional, regional and global initiatives; and the establishment of a new standing fellowship training programme on through-life conventional ammunition management.

To ensure effective implementation, the Global Framework lays out a dedicated follow-up and review process. It consists of a preparatory meeting of States in 2025; the voluntary submission of initial national overviews of implementation in 2026, followed later by voluntary national reports and updates; and a meeting of States in 2027 to review the implementation of the Global Framework and to determine the convening of subsequent meetings of States, as well as governmental technical expert meetings.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs maintained its efforts under the United Nations SaferGuard programme to facilitate the use and application of IATG by States and other stakeholders. In 2023, the Office published Arabic and French translations of version 3 of IATG on its website, along with Arabic, English, French and Spanish translations of the technical online implementation support toolkit. In June, the Office and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team launched three new tools to support IATG implementation: the IATG online digital tool; the IATG comprehensive training package; and the United Nations SaferGuard self-assessment tools.

The Ammunition Management Advisory Team, which was established as a joint initiative of the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, sustained its work to provide technical advice and assistance on ammunition management in accordance with the IATG standards. The Team supported several States,^[6] as well as various agencies and international, regional and non-governmental organizations,^[7] in assessing and strengthening capacities for safe and secure ammunition stockpiles. Together, those activities contributed to the implementation of Action 22 of the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament on securing excessive and poorly maintained stockpiles.

In December, the United Nations SaferGuard Technical Review Board and Strategic Coordination Group^[8] held their annual meeting in Geneva, with exchanges on projects taking place in the framework of the SaferGuard programme and on existing tools to support IATG application. Members also reflected on gaps and recommendations for the further development and application of IATG and discussed next steps in undertaking technical updates in view of version 4, to be released in 2026. Furthermore, the meeting participants discussed how the adoption of the Global Framework could affect efforts to strengthen and expand the SaferGuard programme, and considered various capacities, resources and planned initiatives to support IATG implementation.

In 2023, UNMAS collaborated with the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team to successfully pilot a train-the-trainer component of the course on weapons and ammunition management in United Nations peace operations. The two-week train-the-trainer programme brought together 11 representatives from the armed forces of nine troop-contributing countries at the Regional Service Centre Entebbe, in Uganda. The activity confirmed that the standardized training materials are appropriately designed to achieve their desired outcome of improving the capacities of United Nations personnel and troop- and police-contributing countries to effectively apply IATG and MOSAIC and to implement relevant United Nations policies.

In November, the Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre–Centre for Security Cooperation collaborated with the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team to hold a regional seminar on “Developments in conventional ammunition management: What is new in policy and practice?”, drawing on substantive contributions from several international, regional and non-governmental organizations.^[9] Experts on conventional ammunition management from South-East Europe came together to reflect on the new Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, including by discussing specific measures, practical examples and good practices for achieving its 15 objectives.

Improvised explosive devices

The threat posed by improvised explosive devices continued to expand in 2023, with significant impacts on civilians, humanitarian actors and United Nations missions and personnel across diverse regions. In Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia and elsewhere, the placement of such devices on major roads killed and injured civilians indiscriminately. In the central Sahel and Lake Chad basin regions, non-State armed groups were reported to employ improvised explosive devices as an essential tactic against national security forces, using the devices to cut off access and expand territorial control while also hampering humanitarian responses (A/78/259). The Secretary-General, in his annual report on children and armed conflict (A/77/895-S/2023/363) released in June, reported an increase in grave violations against children, with 26 per cent of the killing and maiming of children committed with the use of explosive ordnance, including explosive remnants of war, improvised explosive devices and landmines.

On a global scale, the non-governmental organization Action on Armed Violence recorded a 30 per cent increase in incidents involving improvised explosive devices in 2023 compared with the previous year, resulting in 2,953 civilian casualties. Afghanistan, in particular, continued to experience significant levels of civilian harm from the use of such devices. Three quarters of the total civilian casualties recorded by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan between 15 August 2021 and 30 May 2023 were caused by indiscriminate attacks using improvised explosive devices in populated areas, including places of worship, schools and markets. In June, the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team reported to the Security Council that parts of Africa were experiencing greater and more destructive use of the devices (S/2023/549). In Somalia, the first quarter of 2023 saw the highest number of improvised explosive device incidents compared with any other quarter since 2017 (S/2023/443). Small Arms Survey, an independent research organization, issued a report in November in which it highlighted a dramatic expansion in the use of improvised explosive devices in West Africa over the previous decade, with attacks targeting national and international security forces, peacekeepers and civilians.

In August, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement (S/PRST/2023/4) on conflict-induced food insecurity in situations of armed conflict. In the statement, the Council expressed deep concern over the serious humanitarian threat posed to civilians by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices in affected countries, which had serious and lasting social and economic consequences, including to food security for the populations of such countries.

The Council also addressed the threat posed by improvised explosive devices in relation to country-specific situations, including in the context of arms embargoes and peace operations. Extending the arms embargo against the Central African Republic in July through resolution 2693 (2023), the Council expressed concern about the increasing use of improvised explosive devices, accounting for a growing number of civilian casualties and disrupting humanitarian access, and requested the Panel of Experts to devote special attention to the analysis of such threats. By resolution 2709 (2023), the Security Council recognized the increasing threat resulting from the use of explosive ordnance by armed groups in the Central African Republic and its impact on civilians, including children, as well as peacekeepers, humanitarian personnel and national defence and security forces, and renewed the mandate of MINUSCA to support national authorities in preventing, mitigating and responding to the threat posed by explosive ordnance, including removal and destruction of mines and other explosive devices.

In December, when the Council lifted the arms embargo on Somalia through resolution 2714 (2023), it also encouraged the international community to provide training and capacity-building on tracing and analysing improvised explosive devices. On the same day, the Council renewed the arms embargo against Al-Shabaab, reauthorizing Member States’ maritime interdiction of improvised explosive device components through its resolution 2713 (2023).

In June, through resolution 2688 (2023), the Council renewed the arms embargo imposed on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and extended the mandate of the relevant Group of Experts. In addition, the Council stressed the importance of enhancing weapons and ammunition stockpile management to reduce the risk of diversion to armed groups for improvised explosive devices, called for continued efforts by the Government and encouraged increased support by United Nations and international partners.

The Security Council, by its resolution 2716 (2023) on renewing the mandate of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team relating to the Taliban, tasked the Monitoring Team to consult with Member States, international and regional organizations and relevant representatives of the private sector on the threat posed by improvised explosive devices to peace, security and stability in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Council called on the Monitoring Team to raise awareness of the threat and to develop recommendations for appropriate countermeasures.

When it extended the mandate of MONUSCO in December, the Council, in its resolution 2717 (2023), condemned the use of improvised explosive devices and renewed the mandate to provide enhanced support to the national security forces on weapons and ammunition management, countering improvised explosive devices, and explosive ordnance disposal, as well as on basic investigation and forensics exploitation related to improvised explosive devices.

In December, the Security Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in the Golan through resolution 2718 (2023), underscoring the importance of progress in deploying capabilities for countering improvised explosive devices to ensure the safety and security of its personnel.

By resolution 2682 (2023), the Council, recognizing the threat of explosive ordnance and its impact on civilians, including children, mandated the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, for the first time, to advise, support and assist the Government of Iraq on issues related to the clearance of landmines, improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war.

States also took up the issue of improvised explosive devices at two meetings held in the framework of the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-traps and Other Devices, as amended on 3 May 1996, also known as Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (for more information, see the section “Amended Protocol II” below).

In 2023, UNMAS engaged with entities across the United Nations system to achieve significant progress in implementing the recommendations of a Security Council-requested independent strategic review on the responses of United Nations peacekeeping operations to explosive ordnance devices (S/2021/1042, annex). During that independent review, which was conducted in 2021, the most affected peacekeeping missions requested better training and equipping of uniformed contingents for the threat environments; improvements to peacekeeping intelligence capacities, including for forensic exploitation; and support for national capacities in countering improvised explosive devices.

To support those objectives, the Office of Military Affairs, with the assistance of UNMAS, revised 10 statements on requirements for units deploying to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), MONUSCO and MINUSCA, refining descriptions of the skills and equipment required to effectively operate within their threat environments. In addition, UNMAS deployed technical experts from its Threat Mitigation Advisory Team to support six predeployment or pre-rotation visits aimed at identifying challenges and enhancing the capabilities of contingents in United Nations personnel and troop- and police-contributing countries. Furthermore, technical experts from UNMAS supported the Office of Military Affairs in studying the capabilities of military police attached to MINUSMA and to the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, contributing towards a comprehensive understanding of the staffing, training and equipment challenges faced by military units in threat environments with improvised explosive devices. Through the study, the Office of Military Affairs and UNMAS identified several recommendations to improve the operational effectiveness of peacekeepers.

Meanwhile, UNMAS continued through its field programmes to provide in-mission training and mentoring to peacekeeping units. For example, its Mobile Training Team engaged with national and regional training centres to assist in the development of national training curricula aligned with United Nations standards for countering improvised explosive devices. Through those activities, UNMAS improved national predeployment training programmes and helped to build enduring peacekeeping capacities to counter improvised explosive devices.

In addition, the Department of Peace Operations finalized its strategy to counter improvised explosive devices for peacekeeping operations, providing guidance to enable a coherent response for mitigating the growing threats faced by peacekeepers. By focusing on strengthening existing United Nations mechanisms, the strategy provides a framework to guide actions within the various echelons of United Nations peacekeeping forces. Furthermore, the Office of Military Affairs, with support from UNMAS, continued to review doctrine, standards, manuals and training material relating to countering improvised explosive devices or explosive ordnance disposal, ensuring that lessons learned from missions such as MINUSMA are documented to inform future peacekeeping requirements.

Separately, the Contingent-Owned Equipment Working Group revised the Manual on Policies and Procedures concerning the Reimbursement and Control of Contingent-Owned Equipment of Troop/Police Contributors Participating in Peacekeeping Missions (COE Manual),^[10] with various intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance recommendations, including requirements for military forensic exploitation capacities. Additionally, the Working Group introduced capability-based reimbursement for armoured personnel carriers, and established a subgroup to study necessary improvements for mine-protected vehicles.

Explosive weapons in populated areas

Throughout 2023, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas remained a key concern for States, civil society and the United Nations, as the ongoing practice continued to result in devastating harm to civilians, including through the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Overall, 2023 saw a global surge in incidents involving explosive weapons, with a 22 per cent increase in civilian fatalities compared with the previous year. Explosive violence affected 64 countries, with particularly high civilian casualties in Gaza, Ukraine, the Sudan, Myanmar and the Syrian Arab Republic. According to Action on Armed Violence, an independent research organization, 2023 had seen the highest number of civilians harmed by explosive weapons since its records began in 2010.

The Secretary-General, in his annual report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2023/345), noted that in 2022 alone, 2,399 incidents involving the use of explosive weapons were recorded in populated areas in 17 countries and territories affected by conflict, resulting in over 18,000 victims, nearly 94 per cent of whom were civilians.

In his policy brief A New Agenda for Peace, the Secretary-General recognized that armed conflicts were increasingly fought in population centres, with devastating and indiscriminate impacts on civilians. He therefore recommended that States “strengthen protection of civilians in populated areas in conflict zones, take combat out of urban areas altogether, including through the implementation of the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, adopted on 18 November 2022, and establish mechanisms to mitigate and investigate harm to civilians and ensure accountability of perpetrators”.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs, in its efforts to promote universalization and implementation of the Political Declaration, which constitutes an important collective step towards enhancing the protection of civilians amid the increasing urbanization of armed conflict, reiterated the urgent need for States to commit to an avoidance principle, in line with the long-held position of the Secretary-General.

OHCHR, in its capacity as the custodian agency for Sustainable Development Goal indicator 16.1.2 on conflict-related deaths, continued its efforts to report on incidents resulting in casualties. It collected data disaggregated by sex, age and cause of death. That data have supported a range of purposes, including to support prevention efforts and inform decision-making.

Available data for 2023 revealed over 33,400 conflict-related civilian deaths directly associated with 14 of the world’s deadliest armed conflicts. Out of every 10 civilians killed, four were women, and three were children.

Moreover, the use of heavy weapons and explosive munitions sharply increased during the year. Whereas such arms had caused 4 of every 10 civilian deaths in armed conflict in 2022, that proportion rose to 7 of 10 civilian deaths in 2023. Based on the available documented data, the number of civilian deaths increased by 72 per cent between 2022 and 2023.

In May 2023, OHCHR published a report on the impact of casualty recording on the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/53/48), pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 50/11. In the report, OHCHR described the use of casualty recording by Governments, the United Nations, civil society, humanitarian organizations and others for insight and analysis into critical aspects of armed conflicts and situations of violence. It added that casualty recording had an impact on protection, compliance with international law, early warning, prevention, accountability, access to services and reparations, among other areas. OHCHR found that, through the multiplicity of contexts, actors and approaches, casualty recording could become an integral part of responses to violence and conflict.

The Human Rights Council discussed the report during an interactive dialogue at its fifty-third session, in July.

Export controls

The twenty-seventh Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary meeting was chaired by Jaideep Mazumdar (India) and held in Vienna on 30 November.

In 2023, the Wassenaar Arrangement continued to enhance global and regional security and stability by advocating for transparency and increased responsibility in the transfer of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies, thus preventing destabilizing accumulations. The Wassenaar Arrangement control lists underwent further updates and improvements in line with international security developments, technological advancements and market trends. In addition, the Arrangement promoted effective export controls worldwide through active outreach to non-participating States and relevant international and regional organizations.

In one highlight of the year, the Arrangement held its first enhanced technical briefing since 2018, presenting non-participating States with details about recent changes to the control lists and the implementation of export controls. Meanwhile, the Arrangement’s participating States continued to exchange information on transfers of arms and dual-use goods and technologies, as well as the risks associated with potentially destabilizing arms flows to specific geographic regions of concern, including areas of conflict.

Participating States also reaffirmed the important role played by strong export controls and close cooperation in preventing arms diversion and the acquisition of conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies by terrorists; continued a comprehensive and systematic review of the Wassenaar Arrangement control lists to ensure their ongoing relevance; adopted new controls, including for equipment used in producing certain electronic components; updated existing controls for high-performance electronic equipment; and clarified a number of control list entries, including those on sonar, optical sensors, certain rocket propulsion technologies, encryption and decryption, and technologies enabling the lawful interception of communications.

Furthermore, participating States shared experiences in national export control implementation, including with respect to licensing and enforcement practices; updated several of its public documents regarding the implementation of export controls, including “Elements for controlling transportation of conventional arms between third countries” and “List of advisory questions for industry”; maintained informal technical contacts with the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Nuclear Suppliers Group on control list issues; and reviewed the progress of current membership applications.

On 1 January 2024, Italy will become the Chair of the Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary, Austria will become the Chair of the General Working Group, Canada will become the Chair of the Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting, and Mexico will continue to serve as the Chair of the Experts Group. The Wassenaar Arrangement planned to hold its next regular plenary meeting in Vienna in December 2024.

Transparency in conventional arms and military expenditure

Within the framework of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Member States continued to report their imports and exports of conventional weapons in seven categories: battle tanks; armoured combat vehicles; large-calibre artillery systems; combat aircraft and unmanned combat aerial vehicles; attack helicopters and rotary-wing unmanned combat aerial vehicles; warships; and missiles and missile launchers. States also submitted information on their imports and exports of small arms and light weapons under the “seven plus one” option, as recommended by the 2019 Group of Governmental Experts on the Register. States were also requested to provide background information on national arms transfer policies, as well as additional data on military holdings and procurement through national production.

In 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to publish the reports submitted by States in the Register’s dedicated database (www.unroca.org). The platform, entitled “Transparency in the global reported arms trade”, features information dating back to 1992.

In April, the Office for Disarmament Affairs published Occasional Paper No. 39, The Global Reported Arms Trade: Transparency in Armaments Through the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms – A Guide to Assist National Points of Contact in Submitting Their National Reports. In the paper, the Office provided updated guidance in support of Member States’ participation in the Register.

In May, the Office partnered with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research to hold two virtual training workshops on preparing submissions for the Register. Intended for national points of contact and staff from permanent missions of Member States, the workshops helped to raise awareness about the importance of transparency in armaments while building relevant State reporting capacities. In total, 65 government representatives attended the training workshops.

The Office also held periodic meetings with the informal group of friends of the Register, a new mechanism created upon the recommendation of the 2022 Group of Governmental Experts on the Continuing Operation of the Register of Conventional Arms and its Further Development (A/77/126). The informal group was established to support the Secretariat and Member States in implementing the other recommendations of the Group of Governmental Experts, as well as in revitalizing the Register.

In 2023, 72 States or 37 per cent of Member States submitted reports on their transfers of conventional arms during the previous calendar year. Those reports were added to the relevant report of the Secretary-General, as well as to the aforementioned electronic database. The number of reports submitted in 2023 represented an increase from 2022 (62 reports).

One factor driving the rise in participation was the information-sharing arrangement between the Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat and the Office for Disarmament Affairs, by which States parties to the Treaty can share their annual reports with the Office to be considered a submission to the Register.

Of the 72 reports received in 2023, 10 were “nil” reports, indicating that the reporting Member States had not undertaken any transfers of arms in the Register’s seven categories in 2022. Among the other 62 reports, 30 contained information on exports, and 34 contained information on imports of major conventional arms. In addition, 15 States provided background information on military holdings, five States submitted details on procurement of weapons through national production, and 57 States shared information concerning international transfers of small arms and light weapons.

With regard to participation in the Register, a long-standing pattern of regional variation continued through 2023. The number of reports submitted by African States increased from six in 2022 to seven in 2023, while the figure for Asia and the Pacific decreased from nine to eight. The number of reporting Eastern European States rose from 15 to 17, and the submissions for Latin America and the Caribbean increased from 7 to 14. Meanwhile, Western European and other States submitted 26 reports, which was one more than in 2022.

According to SIPRI, which maintains a database on the global arms trade, the volume of major international arms transfers dropped by 3.3 per cent between the 2014–2018 and 2019–2023 periods. The five largest exporters during the most recent five-year period were the United States, France, the Russian Federation, China and Germany. The five largest importers of major arms were India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Ukraine and Pakistan.

The General Assembly created the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures in 1980 to enhance transparency in military spending. States are requested to provide information on their annual military expenditure using templates developed by the United Nations Secretariat. Member States that do not allocate any funds to military activities may submit a nil report. Those that do maintain armed forces are encouraged to submit either a standardized or simplified form, both of which disaggregate spending by service branches and function. Member States wishing to report only total military expenditure may complete the “single figure” form, which was adopted following a recommendation by the 2017 Group of Governmental Experts.

In March 2023, the Office for Disarmament Affairs, in collaboration with SIPRI, held virtual training workshops for national points of contact and staff from the permanent missions of Member States on preparing submissions for the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures. Designed around an independently developed practical guide to preparing such submissions based on public national budget documents,^[11] the training workshops contributed towards raising awareness about the importance of transparency in military expenditures while also helping to build the reporting capacity of States. In total, 70 government representatives attended the training workshops.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs makes the reports submitted by Member States available through a report of the Secretary-General and via the online database.

The number of reports submitted by Governments to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures increased during its 2023 reporting cycle.

During the year, 63 States or 33 per cent of all United Nations Member States submitted information to the instrument, compared with 42 reports received in 2022. Of the reports submitted in 2023, six were nil forms, and six provided a single figure for military expenditure. The majority of reporting States, amounting to 24, used the standardized form. The remaining 27 reports were based on the simplified form.

As in the past, participation rates varied by region. The number of reports submitted by African States increased from zero in 2022 to one in 2023. Participation among Asia-Pacific States increased from 6 submissions in 2022 to 10 in 2023. The number of reports submitted by Eastern European States in 2023 increased to 18, from 15 reports in 2022. Of the States in Latin America and the Caribbean, 13 provided information in 2023, up from 7 in 2022. Submissions also increased among Western European and other States, from 14 in 2022 to 21 in 2023.

According to data published by SIPRI, global military spending hit an all-time high of $2.443 trillion in 2023, a real-term increase of 6.8 per cent from the previous year. The top military spenders during the year were the United States, China, the Russian Federation, India and Saudi Arabia. Together, those States accounted for 61 per cent of total military expenditure.

Military confidence-building measures are planned procedures involving the national defence organizations of States that aim to prevent hostilities, avert escalation, reduce military tension, and ultimately build mutual trust and strong and secure relations between countries. Therefore, military confidence-building measures continue to be recognized as an essential tool for preventing and resolving conflict.

In accordance with the General Assembly’s biennial resolution entitled “Information on confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms” (77/72), the Office for Disarmament Affairs maintained its engagement with interested Member States and regional organizations to develop and advance military confidence-building measures, as well as strengthen understanding of the topic.

The Office continued to update its online repository of military confidence-building measures, which provides a list of the most tested and trusted measures in the areas of communication and coordination, observation and verification, military constraint, training and education, and cooperation and integration.

Furthermore, in the context of Action 23 of the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, the Office engaged with regional organizations to equip those entities and their member States with skills and expertise to enhance their understanding and generate momentum around transparency and confidence-building measures within their respective regions.

With funding from the Republic of Korea, a national “champion” for Action 23, the Office organized a two-day capacity-building workshop on military confidence-building measures for the ASEAN region in Bangkok in January. During the workshop, the Office focused on familiarizing participants with the concept of military confidence-building measures. It provided “food for thought” on the region’s existing institutional frameworks, as well as specific regional examples, sparking discussions on concrete opportunities to foster regional dialogue and enhance transparency and confidence-building on military matters. Looking forward, the Office planned to build upon its initial engagement with ASEAN member States to further advance the development and implementation of military confidence-building measures in the region.

Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons

The Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons) entered into force in 1983 with the aim of banning or restricting for humanitarian reasons the use of weapons considered to be indiscriminate or to cause unnecessary or unjustifiable suffering. By allowing the negotiation of further protocols, the Convention provides unique flexibility to address new weapon technologies or developments in armed conflict.

In 2023, Singapore acceded to the Convention, becoming the 127th High Contracting Party, and consented to be bound to Protocols I, III and IV to the Convention. The number of annual compliance report submissions decreased by 5 per cent from the previous year, with a total of 55 reports submitted. Meanwhile, the Convention’s office holders and the Office for Disarmament Affairs strengthened their universalization and outreach efforts, organizing several well-attended workshops for non-High Contracting Parties and other events to explore issues related to the Convention.

The 2023 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties took place in Geneva from 15 to 17 November, with Federico Villegas (Argentina) as Chair. The Meeting drew participants from 90 High Contracting Parties, two signatory States and two States not party to the Convention. Also taking part in its work were two United Nations entities, three international organizations and 17 non-governmental organizations and other entities (for the list of participants, see CCW/MSP/2023/INF.1). The Meeting concluded with the adoption of a final report (CCW/MSP/2023/7).

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties was faced with procedural challenges during the consideration of agenda item 4 “Confirmation of the rules of procedure” (CCW/MSP/2023/1), owing to objections made by one High Contracting Party regarding the participation of observers. Following protracted informal consultations, the Meeting decided, by consensus, to continue in an informal format without confirming its rules of procedure. It also agreed to negotiate and adopt a final report in order to decide on, among other things, the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems. The Meeting then held informal sessions, during which delegations made general statements and exchanged views on several issues related to the implementation of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its Protocols, as well as on the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts.

On its final day, the Meeting discussed and adopted its final report by consensus. In the report, the Meeting recommended that the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the elected Chair of the 2024 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties work towards achieving the goal of universality of the Convention and its Protocols; reiterated the call for all High Contracting Parties to submit national reports on compliance in accordance with the decision taken at the sixth Review Conference; urged all High Contracting Parties to honour their financial obligations under the Convention; and also reiterated that the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit was an essential element for the effective implementation of the Convention and its operational continuity.

Regarding the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts, the Meeting decided that the Group would further consider and formulate, by consensus, a set of elements of an instrument, without prejudging its nature, and other possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems. In that regard, the Group was to take into account the example of existing Protocols within the Convention, proposals presented by High Contracting Parties and other options related to the normative and operational framework on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems, build upon the recommendations and conclusions of the Group, and bring in expertise in legal, military and technological aspects. The Meeting also decided that the Group should submit a report to the seventh Review Conference, complete its work as soon as possible (preferably before the end of 2025), and meet for 10 days every year. Furthermore, it agreed that the Chair of the Group would update the annual Meeting of the High Contracting Parties on the Group’s work.

The Meeting decided to nominate a representative from the Eastern European States as Chair of the 2024 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention.

The Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems met in Geneva for 10 days in 2023 (6–10 March and 15–19 May), in accordance with a decision taken by the 2022 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW/MSP/2022/7, para. 37(b)). Flavio Soares Damico (Brazil) chaired the meetings of the Group in 2023.

In accordance with its mandate and agenda (CCW/GGE.1/2023/1), the Group intensified the consideration of proposals in order to elaborate, by consensus, possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems. It considered oral and written proposals, including on the topics of meaningful human control over autonomous weapons systems and the use of force; the legal, ethical, humanitarian and security risks posed by autonomous weapons systems; an international legal instrument on lethal autonomous weapons systems; and draft articles relating to autonomous weapons systems on prohibitions and other regulatory measures on the basis of international humanitarian law, among others. Proposals that had been submitted for the 2022 sessions of the Group were also considered.

In accordance with the indicative timetable proposed by the Chair, the discussions of the Group were structured around the following thematic lines: general statements and presentation of proposals; characterization of lethal autonomous weapons systems (definitions and scope); application of international humanitarian law (possible prohibitions and regulations); human-machine interaction/meaningful human control/human judgment and ethical considerations; responsibility and accountability; legal reviews; risk mitigation and confidence-building measures; and any other subjects raised by delegations.

Although the Group remained divided regarding the need for a legally binding instrument on lethal autonomous weapons systems, it was able to adopt a report (CCW/GGE.1/2023/2) that contained a basic notion of the so-called two-tiered approach, affirming that weapons that could not be used in compliance with international humanitarian law must not be used and that other regulations were optional. As the Group did not consider its continuing mandate, that matter was taken up by the 2023 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties.

The Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-traps and Other Devices, as amended on 3 May 1996, also known as Amended Protocol II to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, was designed to limit indiscriminate harm from such weapons by requiring all feasible precautions by parties to protect civilians from their use. At the end of 2023, the Protocol had 106 High Contracting Parties.

On 9 and 10 November, the Amended Protocol II Group of Experts met in Geneva in preparation for the twenty-fifth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II. Building on its work on the matter since 2009, the Group, under the overall responsibility of the Coordinators (France and Peru), held discussions on improvised explosive devices, including a general exchange of views and thematic panel discussions on new types of such devices, methods of clearance, risk education and other methods to protect civilians, updates on relevant developments in other forums addressing the threat posed by such devices, and national and regional responses.

Throughout the discussions, delegations expressed their concerns over the proliferation and serious threat posed by improvised explosive devices, including their increased usage by non-State actors and criminal organizations. States also highlighted the severe humanitarian implications of the devices, especially in urban and densely populated areas, and their long-term negative impact on security, political stability and socioeconomic development. In that regard, they underscored the importance of continued international and regional cooperation to address the issue of improvised explosive devices.

Invited experts reiterated the importance of multi-stakeholder strategies developed at the regional and international levels, and welcomed the steps taken by States to further international cooperation and knowledge-sharing, including the following: (a) the convening of international seminars and workshops on counter-terrorism and improvised explosive devices; (b) regional partnerships and the provision of specialized training courses for armed forces, law enforcement and other experts on improvised explosive devices; (c) partnerships with civil society and international organizations; and (d) contribution to and participation in international demining programmes. Following the meeting, the Coordinators issued a report on the relevant discussions (CCW/AP.II/CONF.25/2).

Ib Petersen (Denmark) presided over the twenty-fifth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II, convened in Geneva on 14 November. Of the 106 High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II, 68 participated in the Conference, along with nine High Contracting Parties to the Convention. Other participants included UNMAS (on behalf of the United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action), the European Union, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (for the list of participants, see CCW/AP.II/CONF.25/INF.1).

The proceedings of the Conference were stalled due to discussions on the interpretation of the rules of procedure related to the participation of observers. As no consensus could be found on the confirmation of the rules of procedure, the Conference concluded with the adoption of a procedural report (CCW/AP.II/CONF.25/5), ensuring the continuity of work under the Protocol in 2024. It decided that the 2024 session of the Group of Experts would continue to be held for a duration of two days and that a representative of the Eastern European Group would be nominated as President-designate of the twenty-sixth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties, scheduled for 2024.

Protocol V on explosive remnants of war was adopted in 2003 to prevent and minimize the humanitarian impact of unexploded ordnance and abandoned explosive weapons, including through provisions on clearing and destroying explosive remnants of war, protecting civilians, recording the use of explosive ordnance, and providing international cooperation and assistance. At the end of 2023, the Protocol had 97 High Contracting Parties.

In preparation for the seventeenth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Protocol V, informal open consultations on the Protocol took place in Geneva on 8 November. The consultations were chaired by the President-designate of the seventeenth Annual Conference, Gordan Markotić (Croatia), while the Coordinator on Clearance of Explosive Remnants of War and Technical Assistance, Hannah Abubakar (Philippines), and the Coordinator on Victim Assistance, Andreas Bilgeri (Austria), moderated thematic discussions on their respective areas of expertise.

The Coordinator on Victim Assistance reaffirmed that explosive remnants of war threatened lives and affected socioeconomic conditions long after hostilities ceased. That evaluation was echoed by the first panel of experts on victim assistance, composed of representatives from the World Health Organization, UNMAS and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

During the second thematic discussion, on clearance of explosive remnants of war and technical assistance, delegations heard from Norwegian People’s Aid and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Those organizations underscored the crucial need for consistent funding to efficiently implement projects in countries affected by explosive remnants of war, noting that new technologies (such as the combined use of drones and artificial intelligence) could improve detection and clearance efforts.

Throughout the meeting, delegations highlighted challenges related to clearing explosive remnants of war, including problems relating to their quantity and the lack of information regarding their location, especially in urban areas, as well as difficulties in the use of clearance equipment on certain types of terrain. Participants underlined the importance of sharing best practices, especially within the framework of Protocol V, to improve clearance procedures. Following the meeting, the President-designate of the seventeenth Annual Conference issued a report on the relevant discussions held during the informal open consultations (CCW/P.V/CONF/2023/2).

The seventeenth Annual Conference took place in Geneva on 13 November, presided by Gordan Markotić (Croatia). Of the 97 High Contracting Parties to Protocol V, 63 participated in the Conference, along with nine High Contracting Parties to the Convention and one observer State. Other participants included UNMAS (on behalf of the United Nations Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action), the European Union, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining and the International Committee of the Red Cross (for the list of participants, see CCW/P.V/CONF/2023/INF.1).

During the deliberations, many States stressed the relevance of Protocol V, especially in the light of the increasing use of explosive weapons by armed forces and the multiplication of armed conflicts around the world resulting in a large number of explosive remnants of war. However, substantive exchanges were stalled owing to procedural discussions on the participation of observers in the work of the Annual Conference.

Despite protracted procedural discussions, the Conference adopted a final document (CCW/P.V/CONF/2023/5) and decided to reinstate the Meeting of Experts on Protocol V. Following the Conference, the President submitted a working paper (CCW/P.V/CONF/2023/WP.5) containing a summary of discussions on issues relating to compliance with provisions of Protocol V that were raised during the meeting, concerning which consensus could not be reached.

In 2023, the Implementation Support Unit of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons was fully staffed. Its staffing, effectiveness and functionality continued to depend on sustainable, timely and predictable receipt of funds.

In 2023, the Unit assisted in implementing the decisions of the 2022 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention, as well as providing support to office holders and to the Convention’s meetings and processes. It briefed office holders on their responsibilities and supported them in carrying out their functions, including preparing for and chairing the intergovernmental meetings. In the area of universalization, the Implementation Support Unit, among other things, accompanied the office holders to several bilateral meetings with representatives of the High Contracting Parties to provide information on the Convention, its Protocols and their relevance to the respective State, national implementation and relevant obligations arising from adherence to the instruments.

As the substantive secretariat of the Convention, the Implementation Support Unit assisted the Chair of the 2023 Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems in preparing official documents and drafting the final report of the Group. In addition, the Unit provided substantive guidance and organized and supported numerous informal thematic consultations and procedural matters.

Moreover, the Unit coordinated within the United Nations Office at Geneva to contribute to practical planning, effective organization and regular monitoring of the activities related to the Convention. For example, it tracked related developments in the framework of the General Assembly, First Committee, to ensure consistency and continuity with activities under the Convention, particularly in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems.

The Unit also continued to play an important role in administering the Convention’s Sponsorship Programme. It worked closely with the Steering Committee to designate a coordinator, launch a call for applications and select awardees. Furthermore, it engaged with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining to coordinate with sponsored delegates. In 2023, 23 experts from 19 countries received sponsorships to participate in Convention meetings.

The Geneva Branch of the Office for Disarmament Affairs conducted numerous activities under the two-year project pursuant to European Union Council decision 2021/1694 supporting the universalization, implementation and strengthening of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Its work included improving the quality and quantity of national reports, facilitating discussions on underexplored, emerging and cross-cutting issues, organizing regional universalization workshops, and developing and updating educational and outreach materials.

In a workshop on national reporting organized by the Office, for example, 43 participants from 27 High Contracting Parties had the opportunity to identify gaps and challenges in the current compliance and implementation mechanisms of the Convention, fostering better utilization of existing tools and information sources. Drawing from the discussion, the Office published guidelines for reporting on compliance with the Convention and Amended Protocol II, as well as a qualitative and quantitative analysis of trends, commonalities and gaps in more than 130 national annual reports submitted since 2006.

The Geneva Branch also held several webinars to facilitate consideration of underexplored, emerging and cross-cutting issues. An exchange on “meaningful human control” for autonomous weapons systems successfully linked legal aspects to key issues discussed by the Group of Governmental Experts on that issue, including through real-life case studies on human-machine interaction. The webinars also explored directed energy weapons and their legal implications, as well as risks associated with integrating artificial intelligence into autonomous weapons systems.

The Office held four regional workshops in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Manila and Port of Spain on the universalization of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and regional concerns related to the weapons systems it covers.

In addition, several information notes and publications were developed under the project and published online to enhance understanding of the Convention among High Contracting Parties, States not party to the Convention and the general public.

Cluster munitions

The Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force in 2010, prohibiting the use, development, production, transfer or stockpiling of cluster munitions under any circumstances. It also created a framework for clearing contaminated areas and destroying stockpiles, as well as providing risk-reduction education in affected communities. In 2023, the Convention welcomed two new States parties, Nigeria and South Sudan, bringing the total number of States parties to 112.^[12]

The eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions took place in Geneva from 11 to 14 September, convened pursuant to the decision of the second Review Conference (CCM/CONF/2021/6, para. 84). Abdul Karim Hashim Mustafa (Iraq) presided over the Meeting, in which 69 States parties, five signatory States and 12 observer States and entities participated (for the list of participants, see CCM/MSP/2023/INF.2/Rev.1). The Meeting concluded with the adoption of a final report (CCM/MSP/2023/11).

At the first plenary meeting, held on 11 September, Iraq played a short video narrating the country’s efforts to fight and recover from the contamination of cluster munitions. Attendees also heard video messages from the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Gilles Carbonnier, as well as statements from Julien Thoeni (Switzerland) and Anna Phommachanthone (Cluster Munition Coalition). In addition, the Meeting welcomed Nigeria’s ratification of the Convention and South Sudan’s accession. It elected Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the United Kingdom as Vice-Presidents.

The Meeting underscored the obligation of States parties to never, under any circumstances, use, develop, produce, otherwise acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer cluster munitions and, in accordance with the object and provisions of the Convention, condemned any use of cluster munitions by any actor. In that connection, the Meeting expressed its grave concern at the significant increase in civilian casualties and the humanitarian impact resulting from the repeated and well-documented use of cluster munitions since the second Review Conference. Its grave concern applied in particular to the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine. The Meeting also welcomed the progress report on the implementation of the Lausanne Action Plan (CCM/MSP/2023/8), covering the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

The Meeting praised Bulgaria and Slovakia for complying with their article 3 obligations and welcomed their declarations of completion. It also congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina for declaring the completion of all of its obligations under article 4 of the Convention. Furthermore, the Meeting welcomed South Africa’s announcement on the completion of its cluster munitions stockpile destruction process on 7 September, taking note that its Department of Defence had yet to officially certify the milestone.

The Meeting assessed a request submitted by Iraq for an extension of its deadline for completing the clearance and destruction of cluster munition remnants in accordance with article 4.1 of the Convention. It agreed to grant an extension of five years, until 1 November 2028 (CCM/MSP/2023/4). Likewise, the Meeting positively assessed Mauritania’s request to delay its deadline for fulfilling its national obligations under the same article, granting an extension until 1 August 2026 (CCM/MSP/2023/6).

The Meeting expressed its appreciation to the Coordinators on the general status and operation of the Convention, France and Belgium, for their important work in that regard. It also acknowledged their role as focal points of the Convention to provide advice on gender mainstreaming and ensure that matters related to gender and the diverse needs and experiences of people in affected communities were considered in the implementation of the Lausanne Action Plan, in cooperation with the other thematic coordinators.

Reiterating that assistance to victims, their families and communities was a key factor in the implementation of the Convention, the Meeting thanked Chile and Austria, Coordinators on victim assistance, for their ongoing work on an integrated approach in that area.

The Meeting also adopted new reporting formats (CCM/MSP/2023/7) for future use by States parties.

On its last day, the Meeting confirmed Francisca Elizabeth Méndez Escobar (Mexico) as the President of the twelfth Meeting of States Parties, to be held in Geneva from 10 to 13 September 2024.

Anti-personnel landmines

Anti-personnel mines are delayed-action, victim-activated weapons that kill and maim indiscriminately, many years after the end of the armed conflict. Most of the victims of anti-personnel landmines are civilians. A complete prohibition of this category of weapons took effect with the entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention), on 1 March 1999. The Convention also provides for the following positive obligations for States parties: to destroy existing mine stocks and to clear all mine-contaminated areas within established deadlines; to promote cooperation and assistance for achieving its goals; and to address the needs of survivors, their families and affected communities within the Convention’s strong victim-assistance framework. For the achievement of the Convention’s goals, its States parties have established an implementation machinery, which meets annually. At the end of 2023, the Convention had 164 States parties.

Pursuant to article 11 of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the relevant decisions of its fourth Review Conference (APLC/CONF/2019/5, para. 34(i)) and the twentieth Meeting of the States Parties (APLC/MSP.20/2022/15, para. 116), the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties took place in Geneva in November. The participants built on three days of informal intersessional meetings held in June, as well as work by the Convention’s four committees.^[13] The President of the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties, Thomas Göbel (Germany), had also convened the Convention’s eighth Pledging Conference in Geneva in March, seeking to bolster the financial stability of the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit and the implementation of its 2023 workplan, as well as secure funds for the Convention’s Sponsorship Programme and the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties.

The informal intersessional meetings took place from 19 to 21 June. As per the established practice, the Chairs of the Convention’s four committees^[14]] and the representative of the gender focal points^[15] presented the committees’ activities and preliminary observations. In carrying out their respective mandates, the four committees met regularly throughout the year to review information from States parties on their implementation of commitments contained in the Oslo Action Plan of the fourth Review Conference, in 2019 (APLC/CONF/2019/5/Add.1). In addition, several States provided updates on their efforts to implement the Convention and the Oslo Action Plan. Those countries included States parties implementing victim-assistance commitments,^[16] as well as States parties in alleged or known violation of the general prohibitions under article 1 of the Convention,^[17] which provided information on their efforts to address those matters.

In addition, the President of the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties provided information and preliminary observations on the status of implementation of article 4 of the Convention (stockpile destruction), particularly in relation to the two States in non-compliance with their article 4 obligations.^[18] He also presented updated information on the status of implementation of article 3, in particular on matters related to anti-personnel mines retained for permitted purposes under article 3, and briefed participants on activities on universalization.

The meetings also included exchanges of views on the extension process related to article 5, the requests presented informally by States parties^[19] with article 5 obligations,^[20] preparations for the twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties, and the Convention’s financial status.

Several thematic discussions took place during the intersessional meetings, covering the following topics: “The Convention and the threat of improvised anti-personnel mines”; “Victim assistance and the Oslo Action Plan: are we on track in providing mental health and psychosocial support”; and “Finishing strong—preparing for completion^[21] as soon as possible”. The meetings also included exchanges on some cross-cutting priorities of the German presidency of the twenty-first Meeting, such as “Green implementation: integrating environmental considerations in the Convention’s implementation” and “Gender and the diverse needs of mine-affected communities—lessons learnt and way ahead”.

The twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties was held in Geneva from 20 to 24 November. Its President, Thomas Göbel (Germany), was supported by eight Vice-Presidents: France, Iraq, Italy, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye and Uganda. The Meeting concluded with the adoption of a final report (APLC/MSP.21/2023/18).

Pursuant to the established practice, the Meeting commenced with a high-level opening ceremony that featured a musical performance by the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra and messages by the Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office, Katja Keul; the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; a representative of Humanity & Inclusion, Emilie Vath, who spoke on behalf of the mine victims and survivors; the Convention’s Special Envoy, Prince Mired bin Raad bin Zeid Al Hussein of Jordan; Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve (Belgium), who spoke on behalf of the Convention’s Special Envoy, Princess Astrid of Belgium; the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Gilles Carbonnier; the mine action fellow from Sri Lanka, Nimaya Dahanayake, who spoke on behalf of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines; and the President of the Council of the Foundation of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, Barbara Haering. A thematic panel discussion entitled “More effective cooperation between mine-affected and supporting States parties: the individualized approach in context” was also held as part of the opening of the Meeting.

The Meeting reaffirmed the determination of the States parties to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines, including improvised anti-personnel mines, and their commitment to strengthening efforts towards a mine-free world and the full and equal inclusion of survivors and victims. The Meeting also condemned the use of anti-personnel mines anywhere, at any time, and by any actor, including by armed non-State actors.

The Meeting’s discussions on the operation and status of the Convention focused primarily on the extension request process related to article 5, including the requests by States parties to extend their respective deadlines for destroying mines in mined areas. Following the established procedure and taking into account the requests submitted under article 5, the Meeting granted the extension requests of Eritrea and Ukraine. The Meeting heard updates from other States parties in the process of fulfilling their article 5 obligations. The Meeting also considered a document entitled “Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention—extension request process” (APLC/MSP.21/2023/15), prepared by the Committee on Article 5 Implementation; welcomed the recommendations contained therein; and decided to continue exploring how to strengthen the article 5 process in the lead-up to the fifth Review Conference.

Taking note of the updates provided by the States parties in non-compliance with their article 4 obligations, Greece and Ukraine, the Meeting appealed them to intensify efforts for the completion of their stockpile destruction obligations.

The Meeting welcomed the papers, and the recommendations contained therein, on “Anti-personnel mine of an improvised nature and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention” (APLC/MSP.21/2023/5) and on “Green implementation: integrating environmental considerations into the implementation of the Convention” (APLC/MSP.21/2023/16), submitted by the President. It decided to further explore how best to ensure that environmental and climate change considerations were integrated into the Convention’s implementation in the lead-up to the fifth Review Conference.

Given that no additional accessions to the Convention had taken place since 2017, the Meeting called upon all States that had not yet done so to accede to or ratify the Convention as soon as possible. It also took note of the activities of the Universalization Coordination Group, established by the President of the twentieth Meeting of the States Parties.

With respect to the operation of the Convention, the Meeting took decisions on the following matters:

• Composition of the Convention’s committees
• Timing of the 2024 intersessional meetings
• Holding of the fifth Review Conference of the States Parties in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on the week of 25–29 November 2024, as well as holding the first Preparatory Meeting for the fifth Review Conference in Geneva on 21 June 2024 and the second Preparatory Meeting on 18 September 2024
• Holding of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties in late November and early December 2025
• Election of Ly Thuch (Cambodia) as the President of the fifth Review Conference, Tomiko Ichikawa (Japan) as the President of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties, and Eunice Tembo Luambia (Zambia) as the President of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties
• Estimated costs of the twenty-second Meeting.