Developments and trends, 2024

In 2024, both rising military expenditure and the ongoing flow of weapons and ammunition into armed conflicts, including through illicit trade, continued to stoke deep concerns about potential escalations in violence and risks of diversion to unauthorized recipients. The trade in conventional weapons drove and sustained geopolitical conflict and instability in many regions, most notably in Ukraine, Gaza, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar and the Syrian Arab Republic. Entrenched conflicts and geopolitical tensions placed growing pressure on treaties and norms governing conventional arms.

The year saw intense fighting and unprecedented civilian suffering in the Middle East. Political and public debates on arms and ammunition exports intensified globally, with Israel’s conduct of hostilities across the region generating mounting scrutiny of its weapons suppliers. Continued arms transfers to Israel, especially from Western States, amplified accusations of double standards in the application of humanitarian norms within arms trade regulatory frameworks, leading to increased calls for stronger accountability and transparency. Even as ceasefire negotiations brought new hope to civilians in Gaza for an end to the fighting and to Israeli hostages for their swift release, the future of the region remained fraught with uncertainty.

As the war in Ukraine persisted into another year, combat operations escalated and evolved in nature, with numerous States continuing to provide military assistance and transfers of arms and ammunition to both sides. The year was marked by significant shifts in battlefield dynamics, including the reported deployment of troops to Kursk from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in support of the Russian Federation’s invasion, and Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles supplied by the United States and others to strike targets in Russian territory. The humanitarian situation for civilians in Ukraine remained dire, with deliberate targeting of civilian and energy infrastructure intensifying alongside the widespread deployment of armed uncrewed aerial vehicles.

Numerous other countries experienced severe crises fuelled by armed conflict. The Sudan endured one of the most challenging periods in its modern history, as the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces plunged the nation deeper into turmoil (A/HRC/57/23). Haiti remained in the grip of unrelenting gang violence, which claimed at least 5,601 lives in 2024 alone. The Democratic Republic of the Congo continued to be ensnared in cycles of conflict that had killed and displaced millions of people over decades. Four years after the military coup in Myanmar, the death toll in the thousands continued to rise, with millions more suffering displacement and insecurity. Meanwhile, significant military developments in the Syrian Arab Republic led to the establishment of a new interim governing authority after 14 years of devastating war, potentially creating a historic opportunity to build peace.

Reflecting faith in diplomacy and the multilateral disarmament system, States agreed to better address the role of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and the risks of diversion to unauthorized recipients in aggravating conflict and violence. At the fourth Review Conference of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, countries reached a landmark agreement to establish an open-ended technical expert group tasked with addressing emerging technological opportunities to eradicate illicit arms and challenges, including polymer and modular weapons, 3D printing, and associated difficulties in weapons tracing (A/CONF.192/2024/RC/3, annex). Meanwhile, the Security Council continued to recognize the detrimental impact of small arms and light weapons in a range of country-specific and thematic discussions.

In 2024, multiple incidents of unplanned explosions took place at ammunition sites across various regions, underscoring the persistent safety risks posed by inadequate ammunition management practices. Building upon the landmark adoption of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management in 2023, States and other stakeholders engaged in substantive discussions at the subregional level on implementing the new political commitments.

The deliberations focused on developing comprehensive regional and national approaches to address the challenges of illicit trafficking, diversion and unplanned explosions of conventional ammunition.

The threat posed by improvised explosive devices remained a significant focus for Member States, the United Nations, humanitarian organizations and civil society actors. Throughout 2024, these devices continued to cause devastation across multiple regions in the context of armed conflict, crime and terrorism. Despite a 27 per cent decrease in the total number of incidents from the previous year, civil society organizations recorded a 67 per cent surge in casualties from attacks involving improvised explosive devices, highlighting their profound human impact. The Security Council addressed the evolving threat through dedicated thematic discussions and within its deliberations on specific country and regional situations.

In 2024, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued its support for the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative through the continued implementation of their joint Africa Amnesty Month project. Established by the African Union Assembly in 2017, the effort promotes the voluntary surrender of illicitly held small arms and light weapons in accordance with national laws and international agreements, allowing civilians to hand over weapons without fear of arrest or prosecution. In collaboration with the African Union Commission and the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the project successfully implemented impactful activities in three beneficiary States: Central African Republic, Djibouti and Rwanda. The activities had the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of illegal arms possession, facilitating weapons collection and strengthening national capacities to combat illicit arms trafficking across the region.

Throughout the year, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to advance their joint initiative on effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context. By fostering interdepartmental collaboration, the effort continued helping to bridge the interconnected domains of arms control, peacekeeping, conflict prevention and peacebuilding in alignment with the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace, particularly its focus on reducing the human cost of weapons.

During its 2024 reporting cycle, participation in key transparency instruments showed a slight decline. A total of 57 Member States submitted annual reports to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures, down from 63 in the previous year. Likewise, submissions to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms fell to 65 States in 2024, from 74 in 2023.

Meanwhile, the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) expanded its impact, supporting comprehensive and sustainable responses through development-oriented projects in six countries: Ghana, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Papua New Guinea and South Sudan. The United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR) continued to serve as a sustainable and predictable funding mechanism for international assistance in the field of conventional arms. In 2024, UNSCAR financed 10 arms control projects implemented by civil society organizations and United Nations partners, while selecting 11 new initiatives for implementation in 2025, further strengthening its role in advancing multilateral arms control objectives.

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 2024, the Treaty’s total number of States parties stood at 116, with 26 signatory States that had not yet ratified it. In 2024, Colombia, the Gambia and Malawi became States parties to the Treaty.

The tenth Conference of States Parties took place from 19 to 23 August under the presidency of Razvan Rusu (Romania), and concluded with the adoption of a final report (ATT/CSP10/2024/SEC/807/Conf.FinRep). The Conference was attended by 93 States parties, 17 signatory States and 1 State not party to the Treaty. In addition, 10 international and regional organizations and 60 civil society organizations participated as observers (ATT/CSP10/2024/SEC/806/Conf.PartList). In preparation, the Treaty’s three working groups^[2] convened from 20 to 23 February 2024, and an informal preparatory meeting was held on 16 and 17 May 2024.

The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs delivered a video statement during the opening session of the Conference, emphasizing that the purpose of the Arms Trade Treaty remained as vital as when the Treaty came into force in 2014. Underscoring the staggering human cost of unregulated and irresponsible arms transfers, she urged States parties to deny such transfers when there is an overriding risk that the arms could be used to violate international humanitarian law or international human rights law. To preserve the credibility of the Treaty, the High Representative stressed the need to bridge the gap between its obligations and actual arms transfer practices. She stressed that transparency in arms transfers was a crucial confidence-building measure that could serve to reduce tensions, clarify intentions and ensure accountability. The High Representative also welcomed the priority topic chosen by the presidency: “The role of interagency cooperation in the effective implementation of Arms Trade Treaty provisions”.

The Conference began with a high-level discussion marking the tenth anniversary of the Treaty’s entry into force. While speakers acknowledged the Treaty’s many achievements, they reaffirmed the need to advance its universalization, ensure its effective and consistent implementation, and advance its purpose — namely, to reduce human suffering. The Conference welcomed the political declaration for the next decade of the Treaty, which was introduced by the United Kingdom and endorsed by 73 States parties (ATT/CSP10/2024/SEC/807/Conf.FinRep, annex 2).

The Conference proceeded with a thematic discussion on the role of inter-agency cooperation (ATT/CSP10/2024/PRES/798/Conf.WP.IAC). Three panellists — Francisca Méndez Escobar (Mexico), Domina Pia Salazar (Philippines) and Lansana Gberie (Sierra Leone) — outlined the strategies of their administrations for increasing national inter-agency cooperation, including good practices for fostering cooperation between various departments and ministries to implement the Treaty. The panellists highlighted that while no “one size fits all” approach exists for achieving effective inter-agency cooperation, commonalities can be found between and across different groupings of States. Their exchange helped to inform a Conference decision, outlined in its final report, that the Treaty’s working groups should include the cross-cutting issue of inter-agency cooperation in their agendas where appropriate (ATT/CSP10/2024/SEC/807/Conf.FinRep, para. 26b).

The Conference considered the reports of the working groups on effective treaty implementation, treaty universalization, and transparency and reporting, as well as various documents submitted by the Management Committee (see ATT/CSP10.WGETI/2024/CHAIR/799/Conf.Rep, ATT/CSP10.WGTU/2024/CHAIR/801/Conf.Rep, ATT/CSP10.WGTR/2024/CHAIR/800/Conf.Rep, ATT/CSP10.MC/2024/MC/796/Conf.Rep and ATT/CSP10.MC/2024/MC/797/Conf.Prop). Due to the Treaty’s financial difficulties and at the recommendation of the Management Committee, the Conference decided to extend the trial period of the revised programme of work which was adopted in 2023. As a result, in 2025, there will again be one in-person session of four days of working groups, rather than two sessions as in previous years, and one in-person session of two days of preparatory meetings for the Conference of States Parties.

During the week, the Diversion Information Exchange Forum (established by the sixth Conference of States Parties) met with States parties and signatory States to share knowledge concerning concrete cases of detected or suspected diversion, as well as concrete, operational, diversion-related information as contemplated in articles 11 and 15 of the Treaty. The Chair of the Forum, France, briefed the Conference and presented results from a review confirming the Forum’s value. The Conference encouraged all States parties and signatory States to present cases of diversion at forthcoming meetings of the Forum, to be organized by the President of the eleventh Conference of States Parties in accordance with the Forum’s terms of reference.

The Conference decided to hold the eleventh Conference of States Parties from 25 to 29 August 2025 at the Geneva International Conference Centre. It elected Carlos Foradori (Argentina) as President, and Australia, Latvia, Namibia and the Republic of Korea as Vice-Presidents. Participants decided that the informal preparatory meetings and the working group meetings of the eleventh Conference would also take place in Geneva, with dates to be confirmed by the President-elect.

Small arms and light weapons

Illicit flows of small arms and light weapons are a central driver of armed conflict and criminal armed violence worldwide. To address their widespread and devastating impact, Member States established the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (A/CONF.192/15(SUPP)), in which they committed to strengthening national small-arms legislation, enhancing import and export controls, improving stockpile management, and fostering international cooperation and assistance. This framework was further reinforced in 2005 with the adoption of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (see A/60/88, annex; and Corr.2).^[3]

Every six years, States convene to review the progress made in implementing the Programme of Action and its International Tracing Instrument. From 18 to 28 June 2024, States held the fourth Review Conference. The process concluded with the adoption of a consensus outcome document (A/CON.192/2024/RC/3A/CON.192/2024/RC/3, annex).

States convened a Preparatory Committee from 12 to 16 February, electing Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica) as its Chair and as President-designate of the upcoming Review Conference.^[4]

The Preparatory Committee provided a platform for States to articulate their priorities and identify key themes for discussion, enabling the President-designate to develop an outline of elements and present a structured plan for the intersessional period (A/CONF.192/2024/PC/1). In her closing statement, the President-designate presented a road map to the Review Conference, emphasizing her commitment to ensuring a predictable, organized and transparent process. The Committee proceedings were further enriched by several side events, including an event organized jointly by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the International Action Network on Small Arms, which presented conclusions from an expert seminar series held in preparation for the Review Conference.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs organized five regional preparatory meetings ahead of the Review Conference through its three regional centres, with support from the European Union. These included sessions in Kathmandu for Asia and the Pacific (23–25 January), ^[5] Lomé for West and Central Africa (29 February–1 March), ^[6] and Nairobi for East and Southern Africa (4–5 March),^[7] accompanied by virtual sessions for Latin America and the Caribbean (11–15 March and 18–22 March, respectively).^[8] These meetings brought together States and regional organizations to identify area-specific challenges related to illicit small arms and light weapons, as well as exploring opportunities and establishing priorities for the Review Conference.^[9] Each gathering benefited from high-level participation, with the President-designate attending alongside the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs or the Director and Deputy to the High Representative.

The regional preparatory meetings revealed both common concerns and distinct regional perspectives on illicit small-arms-control challenges. Across all regions, participants addressed shared themes including implementation challenges within the Programme of Action framework, opportunities for international cooperation and assistance, emerging threats in small-arms manufacturing technologies, and the linkages between arms control and sustainable development. Discussions also covered gender perspectives, data-collection mechanisms, and strengthened regional collaboration involving governments, industry and non-governmental stakeholders.

Gathering in January, States in the Asia-Pacific region addressed the rapid proliferation of 3D-printed weapons as an emerging technological challenge, while also exploring opportunities for enhanced South-South cooperation and innovative mechanisms for regional collaboration. Pacific island States highlighted their unique geographic and environmental challenges, particularly emphasizing how climate change considerations intersect with and complicate arms control efforts in the subregion.

African States focused their efforts on developing a common regional position for the Review Conference, while actively exchanging good practices to counter the illicit proliferation of small arms. Particular attention was devoted to understanding the impact of craft-produced firearms on both levels of violence and socioeconomic development across the continent.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, States emphasized potential synergies among international frameworks, while focusing on operational aspects, such as weapons tracing, border control measures, stockpile management and destruction procedures. The role of private security companies emerged as a significant regional concern.

The preparatory process was further strengthened through extensive consultations held in New York, including 13 informal consultations conducted in regional groups and at the global level. These were complemented by three specialized consultations designed specifically for regional and international organizations, civil society representatives and private sector actors.

Throughout the preparatory period, participants actively contributed to the substantive discussions by circulating numerous position and working papers. These papers covered a wide range of topics, including gender-transformative approaches to small-arms control, craft manufacturing of small arms, diversion mitigation strategies, responsible industry conduct, environmental and climate impacts, non-industrial small-arms production and international assistance procedures.

The Review Conference process was also informed by substantial national reporting, with the Office for Disarmament Affairs receiving reports from 100 countries on their implementation of the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument.

The reports revealed several encouraging trends in global implementation efforts. Most notably, States reported the collection of 860,000 weapons in 2022–2023, of which 41 per cent had been traced and 65 per cent were destroyed. Progress was also evident in weapons marking practices, with 81 States reporting that they had implemented marking procedures. While numerous States reported difficulties in collecting data on diversion incidents, 36 States reported that they were able to collect information on incidents of diversion from international transfers, representing an increase of 31 per cent from the previous reporting cycle.

Another positive development was the increased integration of gender considerations into implementation efforts. In 2024, 74 per cent of States said that they had incorporated gender perspectives in their small-arms-control activities — a substantial increase from the 49 per cent recorded in 2018.

The fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action took place in New York from 18 to 28 June. The Conference opened with a high-level general debate featuring statements from 107 States and groups of States,^[10] followed by negotiations on a draft outcome document that had been developed during the preparatory period.

The Review Conference concluded with the adoption of a consensus outcome document (A/CON.192/2024/RC/3, annex), which comprised both a political declaration and action-oriented measures designed to guide implementation efforts from 2024 to 2030.

In a major development, States agreed to establish an open-ended technical expert group dedicated to addressing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in the light of developments in manufacturing, technology and design. The group would focus on challenges involving polymer and modular weapons and 3D printing, as well as related tracing difficulties arising from those innovations. Scheduled to convene informally in 2026 and 2028, the group would draw on expertise from the private sector, academia and civil society to produce consensus-based recommendations by 2030.

States also focused on combating illicit manufacturing through both craft methods and additive technologies, such as 3D printing. They called for engagement with the manufacturing sector to address the misuse of additive technologies, for strengthened information exchange between States, and for the establishment of national regulations to combat illicit online trade, including the distribution of blueprints for illegal manufacturing.

Following extensive discussions, States agreed to establish a structured procedure for international cooperation and assistance. This new framework would feature a dedicated reporting platform, standardized templates for assistance requests, and enhanced facilitation mechanisms to better match assistance offers with requests. Additionally, the Conference agreed to create a complementary funding mechanism that would support States in implementing the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument.

While States reaffirmed their support for the planned Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control, many delegations expressed concern about delays in launching the programme, which had been expected to begin in 2024 but was delayed due to resource challenges. In response, States called for expedited implementation in the outcome document, while also committing to providing the necessary yearly financial resources to ensure the programme’s sustained operationalization.

Gender-responsive policies were woven throughout the outcome document, with explicit recognition of the differentiated impacts of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on women, men, girls and boys. The final text includes robust commitments to ensuring women’s meaningful participation in all decision-making, planning and implementation processes related to the Programme of Action, including in leadership roles. The outcome document also integrated youth perspectives, highlighting the specific impacts of small-arms proliferation on young people and encouraging their inclusion in policymaking processes.

While no agreement could be reached on including specific language on climate, the Conference acknowledged environmental factors as drivers of small arms proliferation. States also established linkages between small-arms control and broader policy areas, such as sustainable development, public health and mental health, proposing preventive strategies and victim support systems.

The Conference outcome reflects recommendations from the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace (p. 23), alongside commitments to link implementation of the Programme of Action with future sustainable development processes. Despite objection from some States, references to international human rights and humanitarian law were maintained in the final document.

Throughout the two-week Conference, participants engaged in 27 side events covering diverse topics including craft production, youth engagement strategies and the operations of the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR). A dedicated “innovation showcase” presented cutting-edge technical solutions for combating illicit small arms and light weapons trafficking.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs sponsored the participation of 11 representatives from countries heavily affected by illicit small-arms proliferation, helping to ensure that their perspectives were heard during the deliberations.

In 2024, while the Security Council did not hold a dedicated debate on small arms and light weapons, it continued to recognize the negative impact of those weapons and their ammunition across various country contexts and thematic discussions. With only 46 resolutions adopted during the year — the lowest number since 1991 — the Council addressed small-arms and light weapons concerns in resolutions on Yemen, South Sudan, the Sudan, Libya, counter-terrorism, the situation in the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Haiti. The Council also addressed issues related to arms and ammunition in the context of countering terrorism through resolution 2734 (2024), adopted on 10 June.

Throughout 2024, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and the Deputy to the High Representative were invited on numerous occasions to brief the Security Council on arms transfers to Ukraine.^[11] During those briefings, they called on producing, exporting, importing and transit States to act responsibly at every step along the arms and ammunition transfer chain to prevent diversion, illicit trafficking and misuse through pre-transfer risk assessments and marking, record-keeping and tracing practices. The Russian Federation, which requested the briefings, criticized Western arms supplies to Ukraine and their impact on the conflict. Several Council members expressed concerns about the risks of weapons and ammunition diversion and its impact on security and stability in other parts of the world, while many also used the meetings to condemn the Russian military aggression in Ukraine.

On 28 June, the High Representative briefed the Security Council on weapon and ammunition transfers from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, at the request of France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States following allegations of transfers to the Russian Federation for use in the conflict in Ukraine.

On 23 April, the Security Council held its annual open debate on conflict-related sexual violence, entitled “Preventing conflict-related sexual violence through demilitarization and gender-responsive arms control” (S/PV.9614). Several States took the floor to urge implementation of the Programme of Action and the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, as reflected by 11 Council members during a joint media stakeout that followed. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, called for imposing United Nations sanctions regimes to stop the flow of weapons into the hands of perpetrators of sexual violence.

To prevent the supply of arms and ammunition to unstable contexts and conflicts, the Security Council continued imposing and extending arms embargoes on several countries.

For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council extended the arms embargo through the adoption of resolution 2738 (2024) on 27 June. It also extended for one year the sanctions regime against the Sudan, including the arms embargo, through resolution 2750 (2024) of 11 September. The Council renewed the arms embargo on South Sudan by resolution 2428 (2018) until 31 May 2025, while reaffirming provisions facilitating the supply of non-lethal military equipment to support implementation of the peace agreement.

Regarding Haiti, the Security Council remained concerned about illicit small arms and light weapons fuelling gang violence. On 18 October, the Council adopted resolution 2752 (2024), renewing the sanctions regime, including the arms embargo on Haiti, for one year and encouraging greater coordination among the Panel of Experts, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and other regional frameworks on the implementation of the arms embargo provisions. The Council expressed deep concern over the illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and ammunition to armed gangs. The Haiti Sanctions Committee presented the final report of its Panel of Experts (S/2024/704), which found that despite the strengthening of the arms embargo measures, arms trafficking continued unabated, as evidenced by the high levels of armed violence in the country and the new procurement of weapons by gangs, posing greater challenges to the police. The report also found that more civilians had been purchasing weapons, and some private security companies continued to procure illicit small arms and light weapons. Throughout the year, UNODC continued issuing quarterly reports on the sources and routes of the illicit arms trafficking to and in Haiti.^[12] On 23 December, Council members issued a press statement in which they expressed grave concern at the continued illicit flow of arms and ammunition to Haiti, which remained a key factor of instability and violence, and reiterated their demand for Member States to take necessary measures to implement the arms embargo.

In one context, the arms embargo was lifted. On 30 July, the Security Council adopted resolution 2745 (2024), effectively lifting the arms embargo imposed on the Central African Republic since 2013. However, the Council maintained restrictions on armed groups, requiring Member States to take the necessary measures to prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition. The resolution also extended the mandate of the Panel of Experts to monitor the situation until August 2025.

In line with resolution 2616 (2021), as the Security Council renewed the mandates of peace operations in 2024, it considered whether and how the missions could support relevant national authorities in combating the illicit transfer and diversion of arms.

In October, the Council adopted resolution 2755 (2024), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya. It also expressed concern at the threat posed by the diversion and proliferation of arms and ammunition in Libya and other countries in the region, which was undermining stability. The Council called on 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.

On 14 November, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2759 (2024), extending the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for another year. It authorized MINUSCA to provide support to the Government in its efforts to safely, securely and effectively manage weapons and ammunition, including through the National Commission for the Fight against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the implementation of its national action plan.

By resolution 2765 (2024), adopted in December, the Security Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Council called for continued efforts to address the threat posed by the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, as well as by diversions of arms to armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In that regard, it emphasized ensuring safe management, storage, monitoring and security of their stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, while fighting against arms trafficking and diversion. The Council also called on the Government to expand its support to the National Commission for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons and the Reduction of Armed Violence, and it encouraged the United Nations and international partners to increase their support to the Government for enhanced weapons and ammunition management.

Other mandate extensions in 2024 did not include explicit reference to weapons and ammunition management, despite having such provisions in their original or previous mandates. In March, by resolution 2727 (2024), the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). In the original mandate, the Council had asked UNAMA to support regional and international efforts to prevent and address the illicit trade in and destabilizing accumulation of small arms and light weapons and their diversion in Afghanistan and the region. In May, the Council adopted resolution 2732 (2024), extending the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. Last year, the missions had been mandated to assist the Government of Iraq on issues related to the clearance of landmines, improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war.

Through resolution 2742 (2024), adopted in July, the Security Council renewed the mandate of the United Nations Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement in Yemen without including weapons and ammunition provisions. In August, the Council adopted resolution 2747 (2024), extending the mandate of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). Earlier, it had tasked ATMIS by resolution 2628 (2022) to work with Somali authorities and United Nations entities to combat the illicit trade, transfer, diversion and accumulation of small arms and light weapons, to prevent access of unauthorized recipients to all types of explosives and related materials in Somalia, and to ensure their safe and effective management and storage.

In September, the Security Council adopted resolution 2751 (2024), reauthorizing the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. The Mission, per previous Council resolutions, should cooperate with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and other relevant United Nations entities to support the efforts of the Haitian National Police in combating the illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel and to enhance management and control of borders and ports.

In its annual resolution on illicit small arms and light weapons (79/40), the General Assembly incorporated new language reflecting the mandates arising from the fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. The First Committee had adopted the resolution in its entirety without a vote, South Africa having led the negotiations as penholder, alongside Colombia and Japan.

The resolution was built upon the consensus outcome document of the Review Conference, in which States reaffirmed their commitment to the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument. In line with a key mandate of the Conference, the General Assembly decided to establish an open-ended technical expert group that would convene in 2026 and 2028 during the upcoming Biennial Meetings of States on the Programme of Action. The Assembly tasked the group with developing consensus recommendations to ensure the full and effective implementation of those frameworks.

On the margins of the First Committee, the Office for Disarmament Affairs co-hosted a side event with Conflict Armament Research, Costa Rica, the Philippines and South Africa to discuss operationalizing the open-ended technical expert group. Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica), who had presided over the Review Conference, said that the new group “could bolster security and improve the overall implementation of the [Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument]”.

During the Summit of the Future in September, States adopted the Pact for the Future (resolution 79/1), reinforcing their commitments to combating illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. In particular, States noted the need to strengthen national and international efforts to combat, prevent and eradicate the illicit trade and address the risks associated with illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, their parts and ammunition, or associated ammunition, including through national prevention strategies and approaches.

Throughout 2024, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs advanced their joint initiative on “Effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context”. The initiative provides a critical interdepartmental bridge between arms control, peacekeeping, conflict prevention and peacebuilding, aligning with the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace and its emphasis on reducing the human cost of weapons. The implementing partners maintained their support for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration practitioners through designing and implementing tailored weapons and ammunition management activities, in accordance with international arms control standards and guidelines.

To enhance accessibility to critical resources, the joint project team translated and published the Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards modules on disarmament and transitional weapons and ammunition management in Arabic, French and Spanish. The team also published an Arabic translation of module 2.30 of the Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC), further expanding the reach of those crucial guidance materials.

The partners actively engaged in major international forums to promote understanding of weapons and ammunition management in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration contexts. Through participation in events of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summer School, UNIDIR and the African Union Standing Committee on Regions, they showcased the adaptability of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration approaches and advocated for regional weapons and ammunition management strategies, national ownership and community engagement. Additionally, a dedicated session on small-arms and light weapons control during the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Symposium reinforced the integration of weapons and ammunition management as a key strategy for violence prevention and community security.

In 2024, the Department of Peace Operations and the Office for Disarmament Affairs — in collaboration with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the Folke Bernadotte Academy, and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team — successfully organized the annual training course on “Effective weapons and ammunition management in a changing disarmament, demobilization and reintegration context” in Accra. The course brought together disarmament, demobilization and reintegration practitioners, national authorities, United Nations entities and civil society representatives, providing them with vital knowledge and skills to design and implement weapons and ammunition management initiatives in complex operational environments. Participants strengthened their capacity for cross-sector collaboration and knowledge-sharing, while developing practical approaches to address weapons and ammunition challenges in diverse disarmament, demobilization and reintegration settings.

Meanwhile, the project’s joint technical assistance mechanism continued to support regional organizations and their member States. In an important milestone, the implementing partners assisted the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States in developing and validating a regional road map on weapons and ammunition management in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, which received endorsement from all member States. Their endorsement reflected the region’s growing political will to harmonize those efforts and represented a critical step towards strengthening regional security and preventing armed violence from recurring.

In Somalia, the team facilitated a study on weapons dynamics within the National Rehabilitation Programme, delivering actionable recommendations for national authorities. Additionally, technical workshops were conducted with MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, enhancing national preparedness and effective engagement with armed groups while reinforcing national coordination efforts on weapons and ammunition management.

As co-custodian of the relevant indicator under target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Office for Disarmament Affairs maintained its engagement with UNODC to collect, verify, coordinate and annually submit data about the “significant reduction of illicit arms flows by 2030”.

In 2024, the tracking effort benefited from data contained in 100 national reports on the implementation of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons during the 2022 and 2023 calendar years. The number of reports submitted during the year represented a modest increase, up from 97 in 2020 and 94 in 2022. Regional disparities persisted, however, with submissions from States in the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean remaining below 40 per cent.^[13]

By 2024, 30 States had established national targets for implementing the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument, reflecting a steady increase from 23 in 2020. These targets could be further strengthened through the application of measurable indicators and specific time frames, and by aligning them with national efforts to integrate small-arms control into common country analyses and national development frameworks.

The reports submitted in 2024 offered valuable insights into various aspects of small-arms-control implementation, from collection efforts to international cooperation.

Collecting small arms and light weapons from illicit or uncontrolled contexts — including those seized, surrendered or found — represents a foundational step in curbing their proliferation. Member States have consistently compiled data on such collection efforts, reporting a total of 860,000 weapons collected across 56 States in 2022–2023.

To reduce illicit arms flows and prevent future diversion into illicit markets, States regularly carry out the essential step of destroying collected and stockpiled weapons, thus terminating their life cycles. Member States reported eliminating a global total of 2.5 million weapons between 2016 and 2023. In the previous eight years, States had steadily improved their capacity and sustained weapon destruction efforts.

Beyond collection and destruction, effective small-arms control depends on understanding and preventing weapons diversion. Data related to weapons diversion and tracing enable in-depth analysis to identify points of diversion and trafficking routes, thereby enhancing prevention measures against illicit arms flows. While the number of States collecting data on weapons diversion from national stockpiles or international transfers remained low, recent years have seen progress. The number of States reporting diversion during international transfers rose from 23 in 2020 to 36 in 2024, while those reporting diversion from national stockpiles increased from 29 to 37 over the same period.

Meanwhile, countries reported significant progress in strengthening international tracing capacities. Seventy-five States had established national tracing procedures; 64 were in cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organization; and 37 were using technology to enhance tracing efforts. Notably, in 2024, 21 countries reported for the first time the number of tracing requests submitted or received. Although the number of reporting countries remained limited, the available data indicated that tracing requests had strong bilateral support and often produced successful matches.

The wide-ranging data collected through national reporting remained essential for establishing good practices on marking modular and polymer weapons, facilitating the adoption of advanced technologies, including lasers, QR codes and chemical taggants.

Those enhanced technical and operational capabilities of Member States reflected broader efforts to strengthen international cooperation. The number of States requesting international assistance had grown by 50 per cent, from 32 countries in 2022 to 50 in 2024. The most requested areas for international assistance included tracing, marking and record-keeping, stockpile management, and destruction. Other priority areas included transfer controls, seizure procedures, manufacturing and brokering controls.

Alongside those technical and operational advances, recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in efforts to incorporate gender considerations into small-arms-related policymaking, programming and implementation at the national level. The proportion of States reporting such efforts increased from 40 per cent in 2018 to 74 per cent in 2024. However, the collection of sex-disaggregated data remained limited, showing modest improvement, from 16 per cent in 2018 to 29 per cent in 2024.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs continued its support for advancing the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative through their joint Africa Amnesty Month project with the African Union Commission in 2024.

Established by the African Union Assembly in 2017, Africa Amnesty Month promotes the voluntary surrender of illicit small arms and light weapons in accordance with national laws and international agreements, allowing civilians to hand over weapons without fear of arrest or prosecution.

In collaboration with the African Union Commission and the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the project implemented activities in three beneficiary States — Central African Republic, Djibouti and Rwanda. The aims were to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal arms possession, facilitate weapons collection and strengthen national capacities to combat arms trafficking.

In the Central African Republic, the Africa Amnesty Month was launched in Bangui on 10 September under the theme “Educate and sensitize society on surrendering illicit small arms and light weapons”. The event drew senior government officials, civil society organizations and local community members, alongside delegates from the African Union Peace and Security Council, the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the Office for Disarmament Affairs. The launch held special significance, as the African Union Peace and Security Council had chosen the Central African Republic to host the continental commemoration of the 2024 Africa Amnesty Month. The commemoration included the symbolic destruction of illicit weapons, with active participation from various stakeholders. These activities reinforced the Central African Republic’s commitment to regional peace and security, while raising public awareness and engagement in the voluntary surrender of illicit arms.

Rwanda launched its Africa Amnesty Month initiative on 23 September at the Police Training School in Gishari. Participants included the Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the Commandant of the Police Training School Gishari, and the National Focal Person on Small Arms and Light Weapons. A major focus of the project involved improving secure arms storage in remote units, with nearly 100 steel boxes provided to enhance stockpile management and security across the country. The project also included a five-day training course for 40 personnel from the Rwandan Defence Force, the Rwanda National Police, the Rwandan National Intelligence and Security Service, the Rwanda Correctional Service and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau, enhancing their capacity to manage small arms and light weapons and prevent diversion. Additionally, a community-based policing workshop trained 25 personnel from the Rwanda National Police, park rangers from four of Rwanda’s national parks and private security providers, fostering stronger collaboration with local communities to curb illicit firearms proliferation. A nationwide media campaign supported these efforts by raising public awareness of voluntary weapons surrender and reinforcing community engagement in disarmament efforts.

Djibouti officially launched the Africa Amnesty Month on 30 October with a ceremony chaired by the Minister of Interior ad interim. Attendees included the President of the Court of Justice, the Director General of the National Police, and representatives from the African Union, the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa. A highlight of Djibouti’s activities to mark the month was a session focused on the role of youth and women in disarmament. Other activities included a tree planting exercise at Camp Lemonnier, the destruction of obsolete small arms and light weapons, and theatrical performances illustrating the impact of such weapons on communal violence, while promoting both traditional conflict resolution mechanisms and voluntary arms surrender processes. A notable march to the National Police shooting range drew nearly 300 participants, 15 per cent of them women, reflecting strong support for the initiative. The activities reinforced Djibouti’s commitment to combating the illicit circulation of small arms and light weapons and played a key role in strengthening the country’s arms control efforts, particularly given its strategic location in the Horn of Africa. The event provided an opportunity for Djibouti’s authorities to engage with United Nations officials on key arms control issues, including capacity-building in ammunition tracing and revising the national action plan on small arms and light weapons.

The Africa Amnesty Month project, as part of the broader Silencing the Guns initiative, continued to play a crucial role in advancing the African Union’s vision for a conflict-free continent. Aligned with global frameworks such as Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — particularly Goal 16 on promoting peace, justice and strong institutions — the project contributes significantly to reducing illicit arms flows across Africa. Looking ahead to 2025, the project is expected to focus on encouraging past beneficiary States to expand on previous small arms and light weapons surrender initiatives and advocate for comprehensive arms control measures at the national level. The project would also seek to establish deeper partnerships and synergies with other United Nations offices engaged in arms control and disarmament efforts across Africa, ensuring a coordinated, effective approach to tackling the illicit arms trade and advancing peace and security. The Africa Amnesty Month project contributes to ongoing collaboration between the United Nations and the African Union in supporting broader efforts to promote peace and stability across the continent.

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 is the responsibility 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 illicit trade, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons.

In its 2024 resolution on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (79/40), the General Assembly again noted that web-based tools developed by the Secretariat, including MOSAIC, could help to assess progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action.

The Coordinating Action on Small Arms mechanism adopted one additional MOSAIC module during the year, covering the permanent deactivation of small arms and light weapons (MOSAIC module 05.55).

The Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA) mechanism brings together 24 United Nations entities^[14] aiming to foster a coherent and cohesive approach to small-arms policy and programming within the United Nations system. Since its inception in 1998, the inter-agency coordination mechanism has enabled its partners to share information and lessons learned, as well as plan joint activities on small arms and ammunition control, armed violence reduction and the arms trade. Its membership integrates expertise from diverse fields, including economic and social development, human rights, disarmament, organized crime, counter-terrorism, conflict prevention, peacekeeping, public health, environment, gender, youth and children.

As the designated system-wide focal point, the Office for Disarmament Affairs chaired the meetings of the CASA mechanism, which convened three times in 2024. At the CASA principals’ meeting in June, 13 entities agreed at the principal level that United Nations system partners would take a holistic approach to addressing small arms and light weapons control and armed violence reduction. They further decided to help to develop guidance on integrating small-arms control into national development cooperation frameworks, including common country analyses and sustainable development cooperation frameworks. The principals also consolidated support for the New Agenda for Peace, confirming that CASA would remain the primary United Nations forum to advance relevant recommendations emerging both from that policy brief and from the conclusions of the Summit of the Future (resolution 79/1).

CASA continued to fulfil its responsibility of overseeing the development and adoption of MOSAIC modules, while also consulting on operations and progress regarding UNSCAR and the Saving Lives Entity fund (SALIENT).

The Office for Disarmament Affairs continued its engagement with other United Nations entities in implementing Executive Committee decision 2023/46. By that decision, the Executive Committee had requested the Office, together with UNODC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to support United Nations country teams, through United Nations resident coordinator offices, in integrating small-arms and light weapons control into national development frameworks, including through SALIENT. The Executive Committee also requested research on arms flows and export control mechanisms, strengthened capabilities in data analysis and enhanced regional cooperation.

The three implementing entities established a dedicated task force together with UNIDIR, meeting nine times from March to November. The task force conducted an extensive mapping exercise of relevant ongoing work, identifying 112 activities at the national, regional and global levels. It reported on that work to CASA at the principal and working levels.

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 (the Firearms Protocol), was adopted on 31 May 2001 by the General Assembly to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among States parties to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition.

The Firearms Protocol had 123 States parties as at December 2024.

The open-ended intergovernmental Working Group on Firearms held its eleventh meeting in Vienna on 3 and 4 April. Established by the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime as a standing mechanism that meets annually, the Working Group addressed two key topics at its eleventh session: (a) operationalizing the Firearms Protocol in view of technological developments relating to the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition (CTOC/COP/WG.6/2024/2); and (b) implementation of article 5 (Criminalization) of the Firearms Protocol (CTOC/COP/WG.6/2024/3).

Building on the provisions of the Firearms Protocol, the Working Group adopted various recommendations to strengthen international cooperation in combating illicit firearms trafficking (see CTOC/COP/WG.6/2024/5). After the eleventh session concluded, the third meeting of the Constructive Dialogue on Firearms facilitated discussions with non-governmental organizations on the same topics.

The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime held its twelfth session from 14 to 18 October.^[15] Welcoming the recommendations of the eleventh meeting of the Working Group on Firearms, the Conference adopted resolution 12/3, providing detailed guidance for States parties on addressing contemporary threats to firearms control regimes.

In the resolution, the Conference called on States to review their national legislation to address emerging threats, including 3D-printed firearms, polymer weapons and the illicit reactivation of deactivated firearms, ensuring those acts are appropriately criminalized in alignment with the Firearms Protocol. It also encouraged States to consider adopting national deactivation standards to prevent reactivation, ensuring weapons are permanently inoperable and compliant with the Protocol. Furthermore, the resolution emphasized the importance of regulating blueprints for 3D printing of firearms and their components, including criminalizing their illicit possession, uploading, downloading and transfer for manufacturing or trafficking purposes.

In addressing transfer controls, the Conference recommended that States enhance oversight of firearms, their parts and ammunition by establishing export, import and transit control systems. It encouraged Governments to adopt adequate regulation for preventing the illicit weapons sales through e-commerce platforms, and postal and courier services.

On criminalization, the resolution includes a call for States to incorporate the provisions of article 5 of the Firearms Protocol into national law, applying them to offences related to light weapons and explosives, while considering them as serious offences under the Convention. States were encouraged to define all offences under the Firearms Protocol as serious crimes, as outlined in article 2 of the Convention, and to strengthen their national legal frameworks to prevent and prosecute the intentional misuse of firearms permits or licences granted to private security companies.

Seeking to strengthen law enforcement capabilities, the Conference highlighted the need to enhance the use of special investigative techniques, including controlled deliveries, undercover operations and artificial intelligence tools, to dismantle organized criminal groups and increase the effectiveness of criminal investigations. Additionally, States were encouraged to promote responsible business practices among manufacturers, dealers, importers, exporters, brokers and commercial carriers of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition to prevent and detect illicit manufacturing and trafficking, in line with relevant United Nations guiding principles.

Resolution 12/3 also provided UNODC with the mandate to support the implementation of the Firearms Protocol. The Office was tasked with providing technical assistance and capacity-building in relation to firearms trafficking in postal and express courier parcels; monitoring and addressing illicit firearms trafficking and diversion risks; and assisting States in their efforts to strengthen firearms control regimes and countering trafficking in view of technological developments. The resolution further mandated UNODC to update its legislative and technical guides for implementing the Firearms Protocol to reflect new and emerging developments and threats.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP continued to operate their SALIENT joint initiative under the principle that small-arms control and armed violence reduction must be nationally led, people-centred, and both anticipatory and responsive. In 2024, SALIENT supported multisectoral and sustainable responses by implementing development-oriented projects in six countries: Ghana, Honduras, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Panama and Papua New Guinea. Implementation in those countries was scheduled for completion in 2025, when SALIENT’s first phase was scheduled to conclude. Meanwhile, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP worked during 2024 to design and develop the second phase of SALIENT (“SALIENT 2.0”).

Programming in SALIENT countries in 2024 involved legislative and policy framework support, including on development of national small-arms action plans, data collection and gender mainstreaming, capacity-building for law enforcement, and sensitization activities that addressed the cultural roots of violence. Those activities were notably focused on the relationship between violence, small arms and masculinity, particularly among youth. Community-based activities emphasized coordination with civil society actors and relevant government entities and line ministries, including school systems.

Weapons proliferation fuels systematic and widespread 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. Accordingly, SALIENT dedicated 31.75 per cent of its original project funding, or $1.72 million, to activities organized in direct pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment. As at the end of 2024, SALIENT had disbursed approximately $1.6 million of that amount to activities incorporating a significant gender component.

In Jamaica, SALIENT bolstered ongoing efforts to reduce access to firearms and ammunition, undertaken by UNODC, UNDP, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean. Building on previous efforts, SALIENT activities were expanded beyond Kingston to strengthen the interdiction capacity of law enforcement officials at the nation’s maritime and seaports, while improving their ability to analyse firearms and ammunition evidence at various ports of entry, exit and transit. SALIENT supported collaborative development of strategies with teachers to help to prevent conflict and violence in schools, including after-school programmes for youth and discussions on peer-to-peer conflict resolution and mediated exchanges related to masculinity and gun culture.

In Ghana, SALIENT supported activities promoting legal reform and tangible legislative changes to reduce armed violence, including through a law that would bring small-arms-related protocols up to international standards. It also supported capacity-building for more effective lobbying and advocacy by civil society, as well as training for security institutions in the jurisdictions of Elubo, Tema Harbour and Aflao. The National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons worked with SALIENT, UNDP and UNODC to strengthen the country’s detection, identification and prevention of illicit small-arms trafficking. Meanwhile, implementing agencies collaborated with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra to conduct a nationwide survey on small arms and ammunition.

In Honduras, SALIENT focused its efforts on prevention strategies addressing the cultural and patriarchal drivers of violence among youth, working with schools, educators and youth to develop conflict resolution and interpersonal skills. Implemented by UNDP and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean, the project operated in four municipalities: Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, Choloma and Choluteca. The implementing partners worked alongside the Ministry of Security and civil society organizations on activities centred around two armed violence reduction campaigns, entitled “Sin armas, más paz” and “Desarmados y educados”.

In the Kyrgyz Republic, SALIENT supported capacity-building on oversight and accountability. UNDP, together with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, engaged with the Office of the Prosecutor General to develop a digitized “weapons registry” system for tracking civilian firearms, designed to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of firearms tracing, while contributing to improved control and safety measures. At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Interior was reviewing initial draft modules completed for the system in December before their approval for official handover. Since April, SALIENT had been jointly implemented with the country’s Security Council secretariat, beginning with a national workshop on the control of small arms and light weapons in July that marked the start of practical preparations for Kyrgyzstan’s national action plan on small arms and light weapons. To foster a programmatic approach, organizers explored South-East Europe’s small-arms-control experience through the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

In Panama, SALIENT implementation began in the Colón District with a field visit aimed at mapping both the actors and the social, economic and cultural developments impacting Barrio Norte in the city of Colón. In implementing the project, UNDP, UNODC and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) initiated preparations for dialogue between authorities, school personnel, civil society organizations, youth groups and other relevant actors to jointly identify and address challenges and solutions related to the presence of weapons in schools and their surroundings.

Papua New Guinea developed a national survey on small arms, enabling the country to both obtain quality data for evidence-based public policy and inform its draft national action plan on small arms and light weapons. Representing Papua New Guinea’s first effort to collect such data since 2005, the project was implemented by UNDP, UNFPA and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific. With a scope initially limited to the country’s Southern Highlands and Hela provinces, the project was later expanded to Enga after its provincial administration requested support from the United Nations in a written call to action. The project was launched in April with a national workshop, which was followed by a technical risk assessment on stockpile management. At the end of 2024, participatory research was still under way on the impact of armed violence on women and girls in Papua New Guinea, as well as the contribution of social and gender norms to the prevalence of toxic masculinity in the country.

On 18 June, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and UNDP convened a group of high-level officials to showcase SALIENT’s achievements and capitalize on momentum from the fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. The participants celebrated SALIENT’s holistic approach to small-arms control and armed violence reduction, while underscoring the need to scale up operations to sustain its impact.

The meeting opened with remarks from the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and the Associate Administrator of UNDP, followed by panel briefings from SALIENT donors and country case presentations by governmental representatives, from Ghana’s Minister for Interior and Papua New Guinea’s Acting Deputy Secretary. The President of the Review Conference, Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica), who continued to advocate strongly for SALIENT and integrated approaches, delivered closing remarks. More than 100 participants from over 30 Member States attended, including 10 ambassadors and 15 high-level ministry officials. An additional 44 expert participants, including three resident coordinators, attended remotely.

In its outcome document, the Review Conference referred specifically to SALIENT as one of the international assistance instruments for ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument (A/CON.192/2024/RC/3, annex, paras. 199 and 212). Member States urged States in a position to do so to make financial contributions to SALIENT.

Since its establishment in 2013, UNSCAR has served as a multi-donor funding mechanism supporting quick-impact, short-term, small-scale and theme-focused projects that promote and support the implementation of multilateral conventional arms, ammunition and transparency instruments and initiatives. Administered by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, UNSCAR has successfully mobilized international assistance, particularly in support of the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

As at the end of 2024, UNSCAR had benefited a total of 148 countries in all regions. It allocated a total of $13 million through 133 projects, which were selected through an annual competitive application process and implemented in partnership with civil society organizations. The 2024 funding cycle was supported by Australia, Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, Germany, the Philippines and Slovakia. Notably, the Philippines transitioned from a multi-year UNSCAR recipient to a donor, exemplifying how successful assistance can inspire former beneficiaries to contribute as new donors.

UNSCAR projects implemented in the 2023–2024 cycle delivered significant results across multiple areas of arms control and disarmament. In the realm of global and regional coordination, UNSCAR strengthened implementation of regional small-arms instruments, road maps and mechanisms in Africa, the Western Balkans and South-East Asia, while promoting national reporting on the Programme of Action, the Kinshasa Convention and the Nairobi Protocol. The facility also supported capacity-building and outreach for United Nations resident coordinator offices in integrating small-arms control into sustainable development processes, including common country analyses and United Nations sustainable development cooperation frameworks.

Stockpile management initiatives formed another cornerstone of UNSCAR activities. UNSCAR supported Somalia’s national weapons and ammunition management strategy, including the identification, documentation and tracing of weapons seized from terrorists. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNSCAR marked and registered 257 service weapons and 312 confiscated or non-serviceable weapons under the police jurisdiction of Posavina Canton, while also registering stockpiled weapons in Canton 10. Additionally, UNSCAR constructed and renovated weapons storage facilities in the Western Balkans, as well as Northern, Eastern and Central Africa; procured security devices and storage equipment; and provided training for stockpile management in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia and Libya.

Transparency in armaments remained a key focus area, with UNSCAR supporting the development of key findings and lessons learned on States’ practices in South-East Asia regarding the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. Furthermore, UNSCAR helped to promote the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures in West Africa.

UNSCAR supported data collection for target 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals through relevant projects, including updating the global and regional database on armed violence to feature over 200,000 global data points, with a focus on the Pacific and Africa, and collecting data on exports of conventional explosive weapons and associated civilian harm in line with the Arms Trade Treaty.

In the area of proactive research and technologies, UNSCAR supported the preparation of a study report on explosive weapons and the Arms Trade Treaty, including an assessment of its effectiveness in reducing civilian harm, as well as the development of an artificial intelligence-powered ammunition identification tool.

Civil society activities with gender and youth dimensions were another significant focus area for UNSCAR, which requires all of its projects to incorporate gender-responsive approaches. Through awareness-raising, advocacy and policy support, UNSCAR facilitated civil society participation in global small-arms processes, including the fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action. Through enhanced parliamentary support, UNSCAR contributed to increased engagement by women parliamentarians in 11 countries on issues related to the Programme of Action, the women, peace and security agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, or armed violence reduction. It also strengthened women’s full, effective and meaningful participation and representation in national security policies, including small arms and light weapons control, in East Africa, the Western Balkans and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, UNSCAR promoted synergies between gender and youth initiatives and established a regional youth platform to providing disarmament training for youth leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In response to its 2024 call for proposals, UNSCAR received 60 applications and selected 10 projects for implementation in 2025. Additionally, one special circumstances project was approved in the emergency response to an unplanned munitions site explosion in Chad in June 2024. UNSCAR funding proposals are required to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (i.e. Goals 5 and 16); integrate arms control into national development frameworks; comply with MOSAIC and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG); support action 7 of the New Agenda for Peace (Reduce the human cost of weapons); and incorporate gender-responsive approaches in line with the women, peace and security agenda.

UNSCAR continued to uphold the principle of national ownership by prioritizing partnerships with civil society organizations, recognizing their essential roles in advancing arms control at the global, regional and national levels. However, concerns were raised regarding the sustainability of UNSCAR operations if current funding levels are not maintained, underscoring the need for continued donor support.

Throughout 2024, UNSCAR actively coordinated with the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund and the SALIENT trust fund to avoid duplications in funding and ensure complementarity among relevant funding mechanisms.

During the fourth Review Conference, Australia, Czechia, Finland, Germany and Slovakia recommended in a joint working paper that UNSCAR, in collaboration with civil society, should play a key function in an envisaged structured procedure for international cooperation and assistance for the implementation of the Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument. In line with the working paper, the Review Conference urged States to make financial contributions to UNSCAR, and to promote it as a supporting mechanism for States to access and encourage projects in partnership with relevant stakeholders (A/CONF.192/2024/RC/3, paras. 199 and 212 (l), (m) and (n)).

The Office for Disarmament Affairs organized a side event of the Review Conference, entitled “UNSCAR at 10: A decade of international assistance to the Programme of Action”. The event commemorated UNSCAR’s tenth anniversary, showcasing key achievements from its 133 funded projects and highlighting its contributions to the implementation of the Programme of Action in the previous decade.

Ammunition

Throughout 2024, incidents of unplanned explosions at ammunition sites in various regions underscored the persistent safety risks associated with inadequate ammunition management. The Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to promote the IATG through the United Nations SaferGuard programme, helping States to manage ammunition safely and securely.

Following the 2023 adoption of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (A/78/111, annex), States and other stakeholders in various subregions discussed implementing the new political commitments to comprehensively address illicit trafficking, diversion and unplanned explosions of conventional ammunition.

The Pact for the Future (resolution 79/1) acknowledged the critical importance of addressing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and ammunition as an integral element of conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. It also committed to bridging existing gaps in through-life conventional ammunition management to mitigate the dual risks of unplanned explosions and diversion of conventional ammunition.

Through resolution 79/54, the General Assembly reaffirmed its adoption of the Global Framework in 2023 and decided to convene the first Preparatory Meeting of States in June 2025. Member States also reiterated the request to implement the mandates assigned to the Secretariat under the Global Framework.

To support those efforts, the Office for Disarmament Affairs began designing a new global assistance mechanism for through-life ammunition management. The process involved both stakeholder consultations and research into good practices and lessons learned from other assistance mechanisms to ensure effectiveness and relevance. As part of the initiative, the Office partnered with Switzerland to convene an informal stakeholder dialogue in Geneva in October. The meeting convened experts from Member States, United Nations entities, and international, regional and non-governmental organizations to gather input for the mechanism’s design and management.

The Office also organized informal regional meetings to promote awareness and engagement with the Global Framework. Organized through its three regional centres, the meetings took place in Lima for Latin America and the Caribbean; in Lomé for West and Central Africa; in Gaborone for East and Southern Africa; and in Kathmandu for Asia and the Pacific.

Those meetings brought together representatives of States, United Nations entities, international and regional organizations, and civil society. Participants exchanged views on opportunities, challenges, gaps and needs for implementing political commitments ahead of the 2025 Preparatory Meeting of States. They highlighted the role of existing regional and subregional mechanisms in implementing the Global Framework, while emphasizing the importance of tailored and needs-driven international assistance in through-life conventional ammunition management. Discussions underscored the need to further integrate gender considerations in conventional ammunition management and promote women’s meaningful participation. The meetings also provided a platform for sharing experiences and practices on the safety and security of conventional ammunition, including risk reduction processes for stockpiles, supply chain transparency, and marking and tracing.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Mine Action Service of the United Nations launched their jointly developed Specialized Training Materials on Weapons and Ammunition Management in Peace Operations in 2024, completing a collaboration with the Ammunition Management Advisory Team, the Integrated Training Service of the Department of Peace Operations, and the Office of Military Affairs. Guided by the IATG and MOSAIC, the training package was designed to enhance the capacities of troop- and police-contributing countries to safely and securely manage deployed weapons, weapons-related equipment and ammunition. It focuses on supporting those countries in implementing the Weapons and Ammunition Management Policy and the United Nations Manual on Ammunition Management.

The Ammunition Management Advisory Team, a joint initiative of the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, continued to provide technical advice and assistance in ammunition management in accordance with the IATG. The Team supported Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jordan, Mozambique, Peru, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in assessing and strengthening national capacities for the safe, secure and sustainable management of conventional ammunition stockpiles. These activities contributed to implementing the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management.

Following a June explosion at an ammunition depot in Chad, the Office for Disarmament Affairs activated the SaferGuard quick-response mechanism.^[16] At the Government’s request, the Office deployed a team in September comprising personnel from the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa and the United Nations Office for Project Services, Peace and Security Cluster. The mission team assisted the Government in assessing what caused the incident in N’Djamena and in developing effective risk reduction strategies in line with the IATG to mitigate dangers from unexploded ordnance.

Improvised explosive devices

Throughout 2024, the threat of improvised explosive devices continued to receive attention from Member States and the United Nations, as well as humanitarian organizations and other civil society actors. Incidents involving such devices occurred across multiple regions in the context of armed conflict, crime and terrorism, with further severe impacts in countries such as Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Mali, Myanmar, the Niger, Nigeria, the Philippines, Somalia and the Syrian Arab Republic (S/2024/385). According to the non-governmental organization Action on Armed Violence, casualties from improvised explosive device attacks surged by 167 per cent in 2024 compared with the previous year, even as the total number of incidents dropped by 27 per cent. Afghanistan continued to experience particularly severe civilian harm from improvised explosive devices, with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reporting that attacks using such devices, including suicide attacks, were the leading cause of civilian casualties in 2024 (see A/79/675–S/2024/876, A/78/914-S/2024/469 and A/78/789-S/2024/196).

In 2024, the Security Council addressed the threat posed by improvised explosive devices through both thematic discussions and country- and region-specific deliberations on multiple occasions.

In December, the Council held an Arria-formula meeting entitled “Safeguarding lives, sustaining peace: Enhancing mine action for stabilization, protection, recovery and inclusion”. Numerous delegations underscored the severe threat that improvised explosive devices posed to civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarian workers. States stressed the importance of strengthening international cooperation and training to address the threat in both peacekeeping and humanitarian contexts. Discussions also highlighted the need for improved weapons and ammunition management to prevent the diversion and misuse of materials in improvised explosive device production, as well as the integration of proactive measures such as risk education and victim assistance into peacekeeping mandates. Many States stressed the necessity of fostering regional collaboration and enhancing technical capabilities to effectively detect and neutralize improvised explosive devices.

In November, the Security Council adopted a presidential statement on the Central African region (S/PRST/2024/7), expressing deep concern about the increasing use of explosive ordnance by armed groups and terrorist groups, including improvised explosive devices and landmines. The Council stressed the need to further investigate and combat this threat.

The Security Council also addressed the use of improvised explosive devices in the context of terrorism. Through resolution 2734 (2024), the Council extended the mandate of the Monitoring Team of the sanctions regime against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Al-Qaida, including to promote awareness of and enhance compliance with the arms embargo, with particular emphasis on measures to counter production and use of improvised explosive devices. Similarly, resolution 2763 (2024), adopted in December, extended the mandate of the Monitoring Team of the sanctions regime against the Taliban, including to consult with relevant stakeholders on the threat posed by improvised explosive devices to peace, security and stability in Afghanistan, to raise awareness of the threat and to develop recommendations for appropriate countermeasures.

In July, the Secretary-General submitted the fourth substantive report to the General Assembly on the implementation of its resolution entitled “Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices” (A/79/211).

In the report, the Secretary-General underscored the devastating humanitarian toll of improvised explosive devices, including their gendered impacts. He reiterated his call to Member States to stop the use of improvised explosive devices by terrorist groups and non-State actors, and to endorse and implement the 2022 Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. The Secretary-General addressed new developments in improvised explosive device manufacture and deployment, including the use of anti-personnel mines of an improvised nature, the diversion of commercial products, and the increasing sophistication of such devices. On emerging threats, he highlighted the growing use of drones to deliver improvised explosive devices and the international transfer of related knowledge via the Internet.

The Secretary-General noted that significant discussions had taken place under frameworks such as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, emphasizing the humanitarian impact of improvised explosive devices and calling for increased awareness and adherence to international obligations. He referenced the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, adopted by the General Assembly in 2023, as a tool to prevent ammunition diversion for improvised explosive device manufacture. He added that the first follow-up conference of the Political Declaration had flagged the use of improvised explosive devices by non-State armed groups in populated areas as a matter of particular concern.

The Secretary-General reported on progress made by the United Nations Coordinating Task Force on a Whole-of-System Approach to Improvised Explosive Devices, including the development of an interactive toolbox to enhance coordination and improve collective responses to the threat.

He also underscored the efforts of the United Nations and other international organizations to support Member States across the improvised explosive devices response cycle, including awareness-raising initiatives, prevention and preparedness strategies, and mitigation and response efforts.

The report’s recommendations emphasized opportunities for coordinated, comprehensive and multifaceted approaches to countering improvised explosive devices. The Secretary-General encouraged Member States to strengthen the global architecture to address the threat, leveraging United Nations processes across humanitarian disarmament, arms control, counter-terrorism and trade control instruments. In line with the New Agenda for Peace, he advocated for integrated approaches that bridge security responses with conflict prevention, peacebuilding and development efforts. Additionally, he called for enhanced collection and analysis of gender- and age-disaggregated data to inform strategies and programmes; strengthened participation of women and diverse stakeholders; tailored risk education and victim assistance initiatives; the development of national, subregional and regional strategies; bolstered intelligence capabilities in United Nations peace operations; and strengthened regulations around dual-use chemicals and improvised explosive device components.

In December, the General Assembly adopted the sixth iteration of its resolution entitled “Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices” (resolution 79/53), tabled by Australia, France and Nigeria. In the resolution, the Assembly noted relevant recent policy developments, including the New Agenda for Peace and the adoption of the Global Framework. Based on observations and recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report, the General Assembly newly expressed concern over the use of new technological advancements to design, manufacture and deliver improvised explosive devices. In another new paragraph, it encouraged the development and implementation of regional and subregional strategies. The General Assembly requested the Secretariat to maintain and regularly update its online information hub on improvised explosive devices and to submit the Secretary-General’s next report in 2026. The open, informal consultation process under the resolution was broadened to include mitigation and response, in addition to prevention and awareness-raising.

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 2024, the Mine Action Service of the United Nations continued to advance policy and doctrine development to address explosive threats. It contributed to the development of the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit Manual, which defines the roles and responsibilities of conventional munitions disposal and improvised explosive device disposal teams. Additionally, it supported the creation of the United Nations Improvised Explosive Device Threat Mitigation Handbook, a comprehensive guide designed to help commanders, staff and peacekeepers to navigate and survive in environments with improvised explosive device threats. The Mine Action Service also oversaw the implementation of the counter-improvised explosive device for peacekeeping operations strategy.

The growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, particularly those carrying explosive devices, poses significant risks to peacekeeping missions and global security. The Mine Action Service played a critical role in advancing the United Nations counter-uncrewed aerial systems policy and advocacy efforts. As a member of the United Nations working group on counter-uncrewed aerial systems, the Mine Action Service provided expert insights into the use of improvised explosive devices in uncrewed aerial systems, helping to shape effective countermeasures.

In 2024, the Mine Action Service trained 133 peacekeepers, including 67 instructors, in essential counter-improvised explosive device skills. Those training sessions were delivered in Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Malawi, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda and the United Republic of Tanzania. In support of the Office of Military Affairs and the Integrated Training Service, the Mine Action Service achieved a significant milestone by integrating training on planning responses to improvised explosive devices into peacekeeping training packages. This integration included force protection training, United Nations Infantry Battalion train-the-trainer programmes, and leadership courses such as the United Nations Battalion Commander Course and the United Nations Sector Commander and Force Chief of Staff Course. This initiative equips peacekeeping personnel with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively address improvised explosive device threats and mitigate associated risks.

Explosive weapons in populated areas

Throughout 2024, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas remained a key concern for States, civil society and the United Nations, as the practice increasingly resulted in devastating harm to civilians and extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure. According to Action on Armed Violence, the global rate of explosive weapon incidents increased by 29 per cent from the previous year, while global civilian casualties ballooned by 69 per cent, making 2024 the deadliest year for such weapons since the independent research organization began keeping records in 2010. Explosive violence affected 69 countries and territories during the year, with Gaza, Lebanon, Myanmar, the Sudan and Ukraine among the worst affected.

In his annual report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (S/2024/385), the Secretary-General expressed grave concern about the deteriorating state of civilian protection. He underscored his call to States and parties to armed conflict to redouble their efforts to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law and to ensure accountability for violations. The Secretary-General noted that protecting civilians, including from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, is first and foremost the responsibility of parties to conflict.

Meanwhile, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued its efforts to promote the universalization and effective 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 to enhance civilian protection amid the increasing urbanization of armed conflict globally. Additionally, the Office assumed the role of support entity for implementing the Political Declaration.

States participating in the Political Declaration held their first international follow-up conference in Oslo on 23 April. The conference brought together 245 participants from 81 States, as well as 41 international, regional and civil society organizations (for the list of participants, see annex IV of the Chair’s summary). The gathering aimed to take stock of the Political Declaration’s implementation, discuss progress and challenges, and explore areas for further advancing the Political Declaration’s commitments. The conference fostered exchanges on the central commitments of the Political Declaration to help to build a shared understanding of the priority areas and key issues in implementing the Political Declaration, including different regional experiences and approaches.

The conference held panel discussions on three core areas: military policies and practices; understanding direct and indirect effects; and assisting conflict-affected communities. The conference concluded with the issuance of an outcome statement containing recommendations for the way forward, issued by the past, present and incoming Chairs of the process: respectively Ireland, Norway and Costa Rica.

In the Pact for the Future (79/1), adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future, world leaders decided to take concrete and practical measures to protect all civilians in armed conflict; and to restrict or refrain from, as appropriate, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas when their use may be expected to cause harm to civilians or civilian objects, including essential civilian infrastructure, schools, medical facilities and places of worship, in accordance with international law. Those commitments represent a milestone for better civilian protection and align fully with the Political Declaration.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, serving as the custodian agency for indicator 16.1.2 of the Sustainable Development Goals on conflict-related deaths, continued to report documented casualties in internationally recognized armed conflicts. It collected data disaggregated by sex, age and cause of death for a range of purposes, including preventing human rights violations, supporting accountability and promoting data-driven decision-making.

Available data showed that at least 48,384 lives were lost in 2024, amid at least 14 of the world’s deadliest armed conflicts. While the focus of the data is on civilian casualties, intense hostilities often obscure the categorization of victims.^[17] With a growth of 40 per cent compared with the previous year, 2024 marked the third consecutive year of steep rises in conflict-related deaths, with at least one life lost every 12 minutes.

When it was possible to classify the primary cause of deaths in 2024, heavy weapons and explosive munitions were the foremost tools of lethal violence in North America and Europe and in Eastern Asia and South-Eastern Asia. In Central and Southern Asia, planted explosives and unexploded ordnance continued to pose significant threats, underscoring the long-term dangers of protracted conflicts.

About four times more children (+337 per cent) and women (+258 per cent) were killed in 2023–2024 than in the previous biennium. Of those, 8 in 10 children and 7 in 10 women fatalities happened in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in the Gaza Strip.

Export controls

The twenty-eighth Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary meeting was chaired by Debora Lepre (Italy) and held in Vienna on 4 and 5 December.

In 2024, 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. Its control lists underwent further updates and improvements, in line with international security developments, technological advancements and market trends. In addition, the Wassenaar Arrangement promoted effective export controls worldwide through outreach activities with non-participating States and relevant international and regional organizations.

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 geographical regions, including areas of conflict. They also reaffirmed the important role of 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 concerning sub-orbital spacecraft and their components in the munitions list, as well as production technologies for metal alloy powders used in high-performance additive manufacturing in the list of dual-use goods and technologies; and clarified control list entries, including those covering control systems for submersible vehicles, directed energy weapons and epitaxy-covered substrates for semiconductor manufacturing.

Furthermore, participating States shared experiences in national export control implementation, including with respect to licensing and enforcement practices, 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 2025, Japan becomes the Chair of the Wassenaar Arrangement Plenary, Australia becomes the Chair of the General Working Group and the Kingdom of the Netherlands becomes the Chair of the Experts Group. Canada would continue to serve as Chair of the Licensing and Enforcement Officers Meeting.

The Wassenaar Arrangement planned to hold its next regular Plenary meeting in Vienna in December 2025.

Transparency in conventional arms and military expenditures

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 uncrewed combat aerial vehicles; attack helicopters and rotary-wing uncrewed 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 United Nations Register of Conventional Arms. States were requested to provide background information on national arms transfer policies, as well as additional data on military holdings and procurement through national production.

In 2024, the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to publish reports submitted by States in the Register’s dedicated database (www.unroca.org). The “Transparency in the global reported arms trade” platform features information dating back to 1992.

In May, the Office partnered with UNIDIR 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 States’ reporting capacity. More than 50 government representatives attended the workshops.

The Office also held periodic meetings with the informal group of friends of the Register, a mechanism created upon the recommendation of the 2022 Group of Governmental Experts on the continuing operation of the Register 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.

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 77/69 on “Transparency in armaments”, the first session of the 2024–2025 Group of Governmental Experts on the continuing operation of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and its further development convened in New York from 9 to 13 December, chaired by Jimena Schiaffino (Argentina).

The Group, which composed of 19 Experts,^[18] was scheduled to meet again in February and May 2025.

In 2024, 69 Member States (36 per cent) submitted reports on their transfers of conventional arms in the previous calendar year. Reports submitted by the deadline were added to the relevant report of the Secretary-General (A/79/216), as well as reflected in the aforementioned electronic database. Notably, participation in the Register in 2022–2024 reflected an increase from the prior three years, owing partly to 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 69 reports received in 2024, 8 were “nil” reports, indicating that the reporting Member States had not undertaken any transfers of arms in the Register’s seven categories in 2023. Among the other 61 reports, 35 contained information on exports and 32 contained information on imports of major conventional arms. In addition, 15 States provided background information on military holdings, 5 States submitted details on procurement of weapons through national production, and 56 States shared information concerning international transfers of small arms and light weapons.

Regarding participation in the Register, a long-standing pattern of regional variation continued in 2024. The number of reports submitted by African States increased from 7 in 2023 to 8 in 2024, while the figure for Asia and the Pacific decreased from 9 to 7. The number of reporting Eastern European States decreased from 17 to 15, and the submissions of Latin America and the Caribbean decreased from 15 to 13. Meanwhile, Western European and other States submitted 26 reports, one fewer than in 2023.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which maintains a database on the global arms trade, the volume of international transfers of major arms in 2020–2024 was 0.6 per cent lower than in 2015–2019, while imports of major arms to Europe increased by 155 per cent between the 2015–2019 and 2020–2024 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 Ukraine, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia 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 expenditures 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 April 2024, the Office for Disarmament Affairs, in collaboration with SIPRI, held virtual training workshops for national points of contact and staff from permanent missions of Member States on preparing submissions to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures. The training workshops contributed to raising awareness of the importance of transparency in military expenditures and building the reporting capacity of States. The workshops were designed on the basis of a practical guide on how to leverage public national budgets to prepare national reports for submission to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures instrument, published by SIPRI and funded through UNSCAR. More than 60 government representatives attended the training workshops.

The reports submitted by Member States are made available by the Office for Disarmament Affairs through a report of the Secretary-General and via an interactive, online database (https://milex-reporting.unoda.org).

In 2024, 57 States or 30 per cent of all Member States submitted information to the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures, compared with 64 received in 2023. Of the reports submitted in 2024, 4 were nil forms and 4 provided a single figure for military expenditures. The majority of reporting States (26) used the simplified form, with the remaining 23 reports based on the standardized form.

The participation rate continued to vary by region. The number of reports submitted by African States decreased from 1 in 2023 to 0 in 2024. Participation among Asian-Pacific States decreased from 11 submissions in 2023 to 10 in 2024. The number of reports submitted by Eastern European States in 2024 decreased to 17 reports, from 18 reports in 2023. Of the States in Latin America and the Caribbean, 9 provided information in 2024, compared with 13 in 2023. Submissions among Western European and other States remained steady, with 21 reports submitted in both 2023 and 2024.

According to data published by SIPRI, global military spending rose to $2.7 trillion in 2024, a record amount for the tenth year in a row. This represented a real-term increase of 9.4 per cent compared with the previous year and an increase of 37 per cent over the previous decade. The top military spenders in 2024 were the United States, China, the Russian Federation, Germany and India. Together, those States accounted for 60 per cent of total military expenditures.

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. As such, 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” (79/59), the Office for Disarmament Affairs continued to engage with interested Member States and regional organizations to develop and advance military confidence-building measures, as well as strengthening understanding of the topic. The Office also maintained its online repository of military confidence-building measures, providing 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.

In the context of action 23 of the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, the Office for Disarmament Affairs sustained its engagement 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.

For example, the Office co-organized a workshop with the Organization of American States (OAS) secretariat on “Promoting military confidence-building measures in the OAS region”,^[19] developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Defense Board and held from 31 January to 1 February at OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C. The hybrid event attracted 160 in-person and remote participants, including senior civilian and military officials from all OAS member States and several permanent observer States. The activity enabled regional and subregional organizations to further develop their understanding of the benefits of integrating military confidence-building measures into ongoing activities, while identifying concrete opportunities to build trust on military matters through regional dialogue.

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 2024, Singapore became the 127th High Contracting Party to the Convention and its Protocols I and III, having acceded to them the previous year. Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the Convention and all of its Protocols in 2024. It would become a High Contracting Party in 2025, six months after the date of its accession.

Reporting remained steady in 2024, with High Contracting Parties submitting 55 annual compliance reports, the same number as in 2023.

The Convention’s office holders and the Office for Disarmament Affairs strengthened their universalization and outreach efforts throughout 2024, organizing well-attended workshops for non-High Contracting Parties and other events on issues related to the Convention.

The 2024 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties took place in Geneva from 13 to 15 November, chaired by Yuri Sterk (Bulgaria). The Meeting drew participants from 92 High Contracting Parties and two observer States. Also taking part in its work were one United Nations entity, three international organizations and 10 non-governmental organizations and other entities (for the list of participants, see CCW/MSP/2024/INF.1). The Meeting concluded with the adoption of a final report by consensus (CCW/MSP/2024/7).

The Meeting of the High Contracting Parties was not able to confirm its rules of procedure following objections raised by one High Contracting Party over the modalities for observer participation. Following extensive informal consultations, the Meeting ultimately decided to proceed in an informal format, with delegations delivering general statements and exchanging views on various issues related to the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols.

In its final report, the Meeting recommended that the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the elected Chairperson of the 2025 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 compliance reports 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 reiterated that the Implementation Support Unit is an essential element for the Convention’s effective implementation and operational continuity.

The Meeting decided to nominate a representative of the Non-Aligned Movement as Chair of the 2025 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 2024, in accordance with the decision taken by the 2023 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW/MSP/2023/7, para. 24(c)). Robert in den Bosch (Kingdom of the Netherlands) chaired the Group’s meetings in 2024.

In accordance with its mandate and agenda (CCW/GGE.1/2024/1/Rev.1), the Group commenced its work to 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. As part of that work, it considered various oral and written proposals structured around the following topics suggested by the Chair to streamline discussions: characterizations and definitions; application of international humanitarian law, including the relation of international humanitarian law with the concept of human control, judgment and/or involvement; and risk mitigation and confidence-building.

On the basis of those exchanges, the Group then commenced its consideration of a rolling text proposed by the Chair, which contained draft elements on the following: (a) a working characterization of lethal autonomous weapons systems for the purpose of the work of the Group; (b) application of international humanitarian law to lethal autonomous weapons systems; (c) prohibitions and restrictions; (d) other measures to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law; and (e) accountability.

The Group did not adopt a final report with the expectation that it would continue to consider the rolling text in 2025, in line with its mandate to submit a report to the seventh Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, scheduled to take place in 2026, and to complete its work as soon as possible, preferably before the end of 2025 (CCW/MSP/2023/7, para. 20).

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, 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 2024, the Protocol had 107 High Contracting Parties.

On 3 and 4 September, the Amended Protocol II Group of Experts met in preparation for the twenty-sixth 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 improvised explosive devices, methods of clearance, risk education and other methods to protect civilians, updates on relevant developments in other forums addressing the threat posed by improvised devices, and national and regional responses. As the Coordinators, France and Peru issued a report on the meeting following its conclusion (CCW/AP.II/CONF.26/2).

During the discussions, delegations expressed deep concern about the proliferation of and serious threat posed by improvised explosive devices, highlighting their increasing use by non-State actors and criminal organizations. Participants emphasized the devastating humanitarian consequences of improvised explosive devices, particularly in urban and densely populated areas, and their far-reaching impacts on security, political stability and socioeconomic development. Many delegations reiterated the importance of sustained international and regional cooperation to address these threats comprehensively.

Experts highlighted key strategies for combating improvised explosive devices, including the development of multi-stakeholder approaches and the promotion of international cooperation and knowledge-sharing. Specific measures welcomed by participants included (a) convening international seminars and workshops on counter-terrorism and improvised explosive device mitigation, such as those focused on the latest technological advancements like drone-enabled improvised explosive devices; (b) strengthening regional partnerships and providing specialized training for armed forces, law enforcement and improvised explosive device experts; (c) collaborating with civil society and international organizations to enhance capacity-building and victim assistance efforts; and (d) supporting international demining initiatives, including innovative methods like animal detection systems (e.g. trained rats and dogs) and artificial intelligence-driven technologies for urban clearance.

The discussions also underscored the importance of risk education, particularly for vulnerable populations such as women and children, and the use of digital tools to complement traditional education methods. They focused on the growing use of drones for improvised explosive device deployment and the necessity of coordinated global actions, such as those recommended in the 2024 report of the Secretary-General (A/79/211, paras. 82–92).

On 12 November, Tsholofelo Tsheole (South Africa) presided over the twenty-sixth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II. Sixty-eight of 107 High Contracting Parties to the Protocol participated in the Conference, along with eight High Contracting Parties to the Convention. Other participants included the Mine Action Service of the United Nations, 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.26/INF.1).

The Annual Conference could not commence its substantive work due to disagreement over the participation of observers. Given that no consensus could be found on the confirmation of the rules of procedure, the Conference concluded with the adoption of a procedural final document (CCW/AP.II/CONF.26/5), ensuring the continuity of the work under the Protocol in 2025. The Conference decided that the Group of Experts would continue in 2025 to convene its sessions for a duration of two days. The Annual Conference also decided to nominate Carlos Mario Foradori (Argentina) as President-designate of the twenty-seventh Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties, scheduled for 2025.

The Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War (Protocol V) to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons 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. Following the accession of the United Kingdom, the Protocol had 98 High Contracting Parties at the end of 2024.

In preparation for the eighteenth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Protocol V, a Meeting of Experts on the Protocol took place on 2 September. The discussions were chaired by the President-designate of the eighteenth Annual Conference, Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa (Iraq). The Coordinator on Clearance and Technical Assistance, Hannah Abubakar (Philippines), and the Coordinator on Victim Assistance, Andreas Bilgeri (Austria), moderated thematic discussions on their respective topics. The Coordinators issued a report on the discussions following the meeting (CCW/P.V/CONF/2024/2).

During the first thematic discussion, on victim assistance, delegations heard from the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Fondation suisse de déminage, Humanity and Inclusion, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The panel highlighted the critical role of physical rehabilitation services in supporting victims of explosive remnants of war. Furthermore, experts emphasized that explosive remnants of war continue to threaten lives and affect socioeconomic conditions long after hostilities cease.

In the second thematic discussion, focusing on clearance of explosive remnants of war and technical assistance, representatives from the Swiss Drone and Robotics Centre, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, and Australia emphasized the importance of technology in facilitating land-release processes. All of them stressed that demining processes must be inclusive in order to build trust with local communities, further underscoring the need to train mixed-gender demining teams.

Throughout the meeting, delegations underscored significant challenges in clearing explosive remnants of war, including large quantities of unexploded ordnance, the lack of precise information about their locations — especially in urban areas — and difficulties in deploying clearance equipment across varied terrains. States emphasized the importance of adopting innovative methods, such as drones and artificial intelligence, to enhance clearance operations and address obstacles effectively. Delegations also highlighted the critical need for sharing best practices and advancing international cooperation, particularly within the framework of Protocol V, to improve clearance procedures and mitigate the socioeconomic and humanitarian impacts of explosive remnants of war.

On 11 November, Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa (Iraq) presided over the eighteenth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Protocol V. Sixty-three of the 97 High Contracting Parties to Protocol V^[20] participated in the Conference, along with nine additional High Contracting Parties to the Convention and one observer State. Other participants included the Mine Action Service of the United Nations (on behalf of the 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/2024/INF.1).

The Annual Conference could not commence its substantive discussions due to procedural disagreement on the participation of observers. Nonetheless, the Conference adopted a final document (CCW/P.V/CONF/2024/5), deciding that the 2025 Meeting of Experts would have a duration of one day and should continue to focus on victim assistance and clearance of explosive remnants of war and technical assistance. It nominated a representative of the Western European and Others Group as President-designate of the nineteenth Annual Conference, scheduled for 2025.

The Implementation Support Unit was fully staffed in 2024. The Unit’s full staffing, effectiveness and functionality continued to rely on sustainable, timely and predictable receipt of funds.

During the year, the Unit provided substantive and logistical preparations for the eighteenth Annual Conference of Protocol V, the twenty-sixth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II and the 2024 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties. During those meetings, it advised the office holders on substantive and procedural matters and supported them in fulfilling their duties, including the preparation of the final documents. The Unit supported and facilitated informal consultations, negotiations and bilateral exchanges, in addition to providing technical, logistical and administrative support to the three intergovernmental meetings. Its work for the two meetings of experts included preparing and circulating documents; identifying panellists; and briefing office holders and coordinators.

The Unit assisted the office holders in communicating with High Contracting Parties on national annual reporting responsibilities, including by providing substantive background information, analysis and briefings, as well as preparing letters to permanent missions. It promoted the universalization of the Convention and its Protocols, including through outreach to non-High Contracting Parties, often in collaboration with the office holders.

The Implementation Support Unit continued to receive and process national implementation reports submitted annually by High Contracting Parties.^[21] When the High Contracting Party agreed, the Unit made the reports available online. The Unit also organized a series of reporting workshops for national points of contact and other experts working on reporting matters at capitals and permanent missions.

The Unit 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. In addition, it worked with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining to coordinate with sponsored delegates.

The Geneva branch of the Office for Disarmament Affairs conducted numerous activities in 2024 under the two-year project pursuant to Council of the European Union 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.

During the year, the Office for Disarmament Affairs published an introduction to the Convention and its Protocols, aimed at improving understanding among States not yet parties to the instruments; a “ratification kit” for becoming a High Contracting Party to the Convention; and an updated brochure containing essential information about the Convention and its meetings. The Office also developed an interactive e-learning course on the Convention and its Protocols and a series of information notes to support public information, awareness-raising and outreach efforts.

To assist States in fulfilling their reporting obligations under the Convention, the Office prepared a guide to reporting on Convention compliance, an Amended Protocol II guide to reporting, and a guide to national reporting under Protocol V, including French and Spanish translations. The Office also compiled a comprehensive list of national points of contact to strengthen information-sharing and contribute towards the Convention’s implementation.

The Office for Disarmament Affairs coordinated the publication of two studies: The Regulation of Incendiary Weapons under International Humanitarian Law and Protection of the Environment in the Context of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its Protocols.

It convened three regional workshops — two in Geneva and one in Lomé — to discuss the Convention’s universalization, as well as regional concerns related to the weapon systems it covers.

In addition, the Office developed and published a series of explainer videos to help to enhance understanding of the Convention among High Contracting Parties, States not parties 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 2024, Lithuania notified the Secretary-General that it would withdraw from the Convention the following year, in accordance with article 20.^[22] At the end of 2024, the total number of States parties remained at 112.

The twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions took place from 10 to 13 September 2024 in Geneva, pursuant to the decision of the second Review Conference (CCM/CONF/2021/6, para. 84). Francisca Elizabeth Méndez Escobar (Mexico) presided over the Meeting, with Iraq, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and the United Kingdom elected as Vice-Presidents. The participants comprised 70 States parties, four States signatories and 13 observers, while the Office for Disarmament Affairs served as secretariat (for the list of participants, see CCM/MSP/2024/INF.1). The Meeting concluded by issuing a final report (CCM/MSP/2024/11).

On its opening day, the Meeting heard video messages from the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico, Joel Antonio Hernández García, and the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Gilles Carbonnier. The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs delivered two recorded statements, one of them on behalf of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Department of Peace Operations and UNICEF, in addition to the Office for Disarmament Affairs. The opening ceremony also included remarks by Julien Thoeni (Switzerland), Habbouba Aoun^[23] on behalf of the Cluster Munition Coalition and a representative of cluster munition victims, Raed Mokaled. The Meeting also heard from the winner of a youth multimedia contest entitled “Youth for humanitarian disarmament: advancing the goals of the Convention on Cluster Munitions”, organized by the Mexican presidency with support from the European Union, the Implementation Support Unit and the Office for Disarmament Affairs. The Meeting viewed the winning video project as part of the opening ceremony.

As reflected in its final report, the Meeting reaffirmed States parties’ determination to end the unacceptable harm caused by cluster munitions and underscored their obligation to never under any circumstances use, develop, produce cluster munitions, or otherwise to acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer them. In that connection, the Meeting expressed grave concern about 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, in particular the use of cluster munitions in Ukraine. In keeping with the Lausanne Action Plan, the Meeting underlined that cluster munitions kill, injure and destroy indiscriminately, causing unacceptable harm, due to their wide area impact and the high level of remaining unexploded ordnance.

Emphasizing that the humanitarian harm of cluster munitions ultimately outweighs any perceived military utility, the Meeting expressed deep regret over Lithuania’s decision to denounce the Convention, pursuant to article 20. It urged Lithuania to reconsider its decision, noting it had been a responsible State party to the Convention since 1 September 2011. Furthermore, the Meeting expressed concern that this first-ever case of a State withdrawing from a multilateral treaty prohibiting a whole class of weapons creates a precedent that would have long-term repercussions for the integrity of the Convention itself and for the sanctity of international humanitarian law.

Taking stock of progress made in the Convention’s implementation, States parties welcomed the progress report on the implementation of the Lausanne Action Plan, covering the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 (CCM/MSP/2024/7). In that connection, they warmly welcomed the destruction of the cluster munitions stockpiles of South Africa and Peru, marking the completion by all States parties of their article 3 obligations. In the same context, the Meeting welcomed Belgium’s announcement of the neutralization of all of its cluster munitions retained for training purposes. Delegations emphasized that retaining explosive submunitions for the development of and training in cluster munition and explosive submunition detection, clearance or destruction techniques, or for the development of cluster munition countermeasures, should be maintained at the strict necessary minimum.

The Meeting considered the requests submitted by Chad, Germany and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for extensions of their respective deadlines for completing the clearance and destruction of cluster munition remnants in accordance with article 4.1 of the Convention. It agreed to extend the deadline of Chad for two years, until 1 October 2026, the deadline of Germany for five years, until 1 August 2030, and the deadline of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for five years, until 1 August 2030.

The Meeting decided to appoint a dedicated coordinator for risk education within the Convention’s machinery, as proposed by the Coordinators of the Working Group on Clearance and Risk Reduction Education, Norway and Italy, in their working paper on explosive ordnance risk education in the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM/MSP/2024/WP.1). It further decided to introduce a separate agenda item on risk education, separated from clearance, in the agendas of future meetings of States parties to the Convention.

States parties acknowledged the efforts of Austria and Panama as Coordinators on Victim Assistance, including their ongoing work on an integrated approach to victim assistance. The Meeting also noted the submission of a working paper submitted by Belgium and Germany (CCM/MSP/2024/WP.2) in their role as focal points of the Convention to provide advice on gender mainstreaming and ensuring that matters related to gender and the diverse needs and experiences of people in affected communities are considered in the implementation of the Lausanne Action Plan.

Taking note of the substantive details of the 2023 annual report, and the proposal made by the President’s proposal to debate recent challenges to the norm established by the Convention, particularly Lithuania’s notification of withdrawal, the Meeting thanked the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit for convening a stakeholder dialogue on the implications of such challenges for wider humanitarian disarmament, peace and development goals. It expressed appreciation to the President for presenting the outcome of that dialogue, as contained in CCM/MSP/2024/WP.3.

States parties expressed deep concern about the continuing unstable financial situation resulting from late payments and arrears of assessed contributions, which had forced them to shorten the Meeting’s duration and affected multilingualism. They underlined the importance of ensuring compliance by all States parties with their article 14 obligations.

On its last day, the Meeting confirmed that Carlos D. Sorreta (Philippines) would be the President of the thirteenth Meeting of States Parties, to be held in Geneva from 16 to 19 September 2025.

Anti-personnel mines

Anti-personnel mines are delayed-action, victim-activated weapons that kill and maim indiscriminately many years after the end of armed conflicts. Most of the victims of anti-personnel landmines are civilians. A complete prohibition on this category of weapons took effect with the entry into force, on 1 March 1999, 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 or Ottawa Convention).

The Convention also provides for positive obligations for the States parties, namely 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. At the end of 2024, the Convention had 164 States parties.

The Convention’s intersessional activities in 2024 included two preparatory meetings, held on 20 June and 18 September, as well as work by the Convention’s four committees.^[24] The President of the fifth Review Conference, Ly Thuch (Cambodia), convened the Convention’s ninth Pledging Conference in Geneva on 1 March, seeking to bolster the financial stability of the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit and the implementation of its 2024 workplan, as well as securing funds for the Convention’s Sponsorship Programme and the fifth Review Conference.

During the two preparatory meetings, States parties considered and exchanged views on the documents to be adopted at the fifth Review Conference, including the draft Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction: 2019–2024 (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.2/5), the draft Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan 2025–2029 (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.2/2), the draft Siem Reap-Angkor Declaration on a Mine-Free World (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.2/3) and the draft Recommendations on a Meeting Programme and Machinery 2025–2029 (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.2/4). The meetings also considered and approved the fifth Review Conference’s provisional agenda (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.1/2) and provisional programme of work (APLC/CONF/2024/PM.1/3 and Corr.1). They further took note of the status of preparation of the Implementation Support Unit’s workplan and budget 2025–2029. Informal thematic discussions took place on 1 March as a complement to the formal preparations for the Review Conference, helping to inform the development of its outcome documents.

Pursuant to article 11 of the Convention and the relevant decisions of its fourth Review Conference (APLC/CONF/2019/5) and twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties (APLC/MSP.21/2023/18 and Add.1), the fifth Review Conference of the States parties took place from 25 to 29 November in Siem Reap. Ly Thuch (Cambodia) presided over the Conference with support from eight Vice-Presidents: Algeria, Colombia, Japan, Norway, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden and Zambia. It adopted a final document at the conclusion of its deliberations (APLC/CONF/2024/15 and Add.1).

Pursuant to established practice, the Review Conference commenced with a high-level opening ceremony that featured the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet; the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, who conveyed a message from the Secretary-General; the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Gilles Carbonnier; and representatives of landmine survivors and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Adopting the Siem Reap-Angkor Declaration on a Mine-Free World (APLC/CONF/2024/15/Add.1), the Conference reaffirmed the determination of States parties to end the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines, including mines of an improvised nature, and their commitment to strengthen their efforts to achieve the common goal of a mine-free world, and the full and equal inclusion of mine victims.

Aiming to support enhanced implementation and universalization of the Convention, the Review Conference adopted the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan 2025–2029 (APLC/CONF/2024/15/Add.1), while condemning the use of anti-personnel mines by any actor. Furthermore, States parties took stock of the current status of the Convention’s implementation, the progress made since the fourth Review Conference and the remaining challenges to reach a mine-free world. Accordingly, the Conference adopted the Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction: 2019–2024 (APLC/CONF/2024/15/Add.1).

In discussing the general status and operation of the Convention, the Review Conference focused on requests by States parties to extend their respective deadlines for destroying mines in mined areas under article 5. Following the established procedure, it granted the extension requests of Afghanistan, Chad, Cyprus, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, the Niger, Peru and Serbia. Furthermore, in the context of considering the Convention’s general status and operation, the Conference invited the President of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties to establish a working group to support the implementation of action 44 of the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan.^[25] Taking note of the updates provided by Greece and Ukraine, which are in non-compliance with their article 4 obligations to complete the destruction of their stockpiles, the Conference appealed to those States to intensify their efforts. As no additional States had joined the Convention since 2017, the Conference 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 Review Conference took note of the proposals regarding the Convention’s meeting programme and machinery 2025–2029 (APLC/CONF/2024/3). It decided on the following actions: (a) continue to hold meetings of the States parties annually for up to five days leading to the sixth Review Conference in 2029; (b) continue to include the financial status of assessed contributions as an agenda item of those meetings; (c) continue to include a thematic discussion of interest to the States parties and of relevance to the implementation of the Convention and the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan (e.g. addressing improvised anti-personnel mines, gender and the diverse needs of mine-affected communities and environmental matters); and (d) include a sub-agenda item under article 5 on mine risk education and risk reduction.

The Review Conference decided on several additional actions concerning the Convention’s intersessional meetings:

• Continue to hold intersessional meetings annually in Geneva for a minimum of three days of plenary meeting.
• In order to allow ample time for discussions between the Convention’s machinery and the representatives of States parties, States not parties and other stakeholders on matters related to the implementation of the Convention and the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan, consider adding one day annually to dedicate to bilateral meetings or to discuss thematic matters related to implementation.
• The President will consider and decide on these options in consultation with the Coordinating Committee.
• Include a sub-agenda item under article 5 on mine risk education and risk reduction.

On the Convention’s machinery, the decisions of the Review Conference included the following:^[26]

• The mandate of the President to “Propose, if deemed necessary, one or more members of the Coordinating Committee to provide support on any issue of the President’s mandate, which may require particular attention, including on financial matters” should highlight support for universalization efforts of the President.
• Appoint a focal point on mine risk education and risk reduction under the Committee on Article 5 Implementation.

The Conference welcomed the interest expressed by States parties in serving as new members of the Committees and decided on the following membership:

• Committee on Victim Assistance: Burkina Faso and the Kingdom of the Netherlands until the end of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties, and Austria and Sri Lanka from the fifth Review Conference to the end of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties.
• Committee on Article 5 Implementation: Thailand and the United Kingdom until the end of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties, and Algeria and Norway from the fifth Review Conference to the end of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties.
• Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: Denmark and Türkiye until the end of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties, and Cameroon and Switzerland from the fifth Review Conference to the end of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties.
• Committee on Cooperative Compliance: Germany and Peru until the end of the twenty-second Meeting of the States Parties, and Belgium and Cambodia from the fifth Review Conference to the end of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties.

On its last day, the Review Conference decided to convene the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties in November and December 2026 and to elect Eunice Tembo Luambia (Zambia) as its President. The Conference further adopted the estimated costs of the twenty-third Meeting of the States Parties, as contained in APLC/CONF/2024/14.