FORUM: General Assembly

QUESTION: The issue of transparency in the arms trade

MAIN SUBMITTER:Uzbekistan

CO-SUBMITTERS: Cambodia, Benin, Democratic Republic of Congo, Norway, African Union, Mongolia, Burkina Faso, Angola

The General Assembly,

Fully aware that unrestrained and destabilised armaments present a concern to international peace and security through:

  1. Exacerbating existing conflicts,
  2. Facilitating violent acts,
  3. Furthering the impact of terrorist organizations on civilians worldwide,

Recognizing that there is a current treaty in place, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), established by the UN in 2014, that regulates the trade of conventional arms worldwide, with the aim of not only easing tensions, but promoting openness and transparency in military matters,

Noting with satisfaction the member states’ concord regarding implementation of measures including transparency and exchange of pertinent information on weapons and other arms as a root towards reducing the occurrence of misperceptions about certain states intentions, and a way to build trust amongst these nations,

Reaffirming that increased transparency within the arms trade could ease tensions, strengthen international security and contribute towards restraint in production and transfer of arms,

Emphasizing the pressing need to resolve underlying conflicts in order to eliminate tensions and therefore hasten efforts towards complete disarmament with effective international regulation in order to maintain and sustain peace within a world free from wars worsened by the burden of arms,

Deeply disturbed by the harmful consequences of the illicit arms trade, especially for the stability of affected states and for the violations of humans’ rights,

Expressing its appreciationthat member states have worked towards promoting the establishment and sustenance of international security with the least diversion for armaments of the world’s human and economic resources, and that the reduction of such military expenses could have several benefits in social and economic development,

Further recalling the major contribution of enhanced transparency in armaments to confidence building and security amongst States, and recognizing the urgent need to establish a non- discriminatory register to include data on international arms transfers and other relevant information provided to the Secretary-General,

Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his study on ways and means of promoting transparency in international transfers of conventional arms, which also addressed the problem of the illicit arms trade,

Believing that greater transparency lies within the interest of promoting readiness to exercise restraint in the accumulation of arms,

Fully aware of the importance of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction including but not limited to nuclear weapons,

  1. Encourages all members of the UN to follow the rules stated in the Arms Trade Treaty and urges countries who have not yet joined the ATT to do so and slowly reducing its ability to produce arms by putting restrictions on imports of primary materials or materials that contribute to the production weapons in the nation in question,
  2. Declares its determination to prevent the excessive and destabilizing accumulation of arms, including conventional arms to promote stability and security internationally, accounting for the needs of undiminished security at the lowest possible level of arms;
  1. Calls upon all Member States to exercise due restraint on exports and imports of conventional arms, particularly in situations of tension or conflict, to:
  1. ensure that they have in place an adequate body of laws and administrative procedures regarding the transfer of arms,
  2. adopt strict measures for their enforcement;
  1. Calls for any country involved in a civil war to close its borders to any form of export or import, as well as large vehicles and/or private jets in order to exclude as much as possible the risk of illegal trade of unauthorized objects;
  1. Requests the establishment of a universal and non-discriminatory Register of Conventional Arms, in collaboration with Control Arms, a global civil alliance dedicated to the success of the ATT, to include data on:
  2. international arms transfers,
  3. information provided by Member States on military holdings and procurement,
  4. national production of arms,
  5. relevant policies in accordance with procedures and input requirements of armaments;
  1. Calls upon all member states to annually provide data for the Register on:
  2. Imports and exports of arms according to the procedures established by the Secretary General and his committee,
  3. Background information regarding military holdings procurement through national production such as but not limited to:
  4. Production of helicopters or other aerial vehicles able to transport weapons,
  5. Regular checks on anyone getting in and out of the country,
  6. Relevant policies;
  1. Further recommends the Security Council, with the assistance of a panel of governmental technical experts (to be nominated by it on the basis of equitable geographical representation) to create the technical procedures and to make any adjustments to the present resolution necessary for the effective operation of the register, which include, but are not limited to operating on a technological basis or cloud;
  1. Invites all member states to take appropriate measures on a national and regional basis to promote openness within the arms trade through efficient record keeping which would enhance confidence, promote stability, help States to exercise restraint, ease tensions and strengthen regional and international peace and security;
  1. Declaresthat foreign intervention in the international weapons trade is beneficial to all nations as it prevents weapons from being:

a. In the possession of terrorist organizations,

b. Owned by individuals with the potential of harming civilians,

c. Traded illicitly;

  1. Invites any suggestions to further strengthen this resolution.