United Nations Security Council Resolution 2220 – Small arms

Resolution 2220 (2015)

The Security Council,

Recalling its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, noting the significance of small arms and light weapons as the most frequently used weapons in the majority of recent armed conflicts and emphasizing that the excessive accumulation and destabilizing effect of small arms and light weapons have a potential to endanger civilians, including women, children, refugees, internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups,

Recalling its resolutions 1196 (1998), 1209 (1998), 1467 (2003) and 2117 (2013), the statements of its President of 25 April 2012 (S/PRST/2012/16), 19 March 2010 (S/PRST/2010/6), of 14 January 2009 (S/PRST/2009/1), of 29 June 2007 (S/PRST/2007/24), of 17 February 2005 (S/PRST/2005/7), of 19 January 2004 (S/PRST/2004/1), of 31 October 2002 (S/PRST/2002/30), of 31 August 2001 (S/PRST/2001/21) and of 24 September 1999 (S/PRST/1999/28), as well as other relevant resolutions of the Council and statements of its President, including on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, women and peace and security and children in armed conflict,

Emphasizing that the right of individual and collective self-defence recognized in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and the legitimate security demands of all countries should be fully taken into account, and recognizing that small arms and light weapons are traded, manufactured and retained by States for legitimate security, sporting and commercial considerations,

Noting that this resolution focuses on the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, including in respect of Council-mandated arms embargoes,

Gravely concerned that the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons in many regions of the world continue to pose threats to international peace and security, cause significant loss of life, contribute to instability and insecurity and continue to undermine the effectiveness of the Security Council in discharging its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,

Reiterating its deep regret that civilians continue to account for the vast majority of casualties in situations of armed conflict and recalling with grave concern that the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuel armed conflicts and have a wide range of negative huma n rights, humanitarian, development and socioeconomic consequences, in particular on the security of civilians in armed conflict, including the disproportionate impact on violence perpetrated against women and girls and exacerbating sexual and gender-based violence,

Gravely concerned by the detrimental effects of the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons on children in armed conflict, in particular due to recruitment and use of children by parties to armed conflict, as well as their rerecruitment, killing and maiming, rape and other sexual violence, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals in violation of international law,

Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, and the obligation to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstances,

Underlining the responsibility of States to prevent threats posed by the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons to international peace and security, and the devastating impact on civilians in armed conflict, and reaffirming that parties to armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of civilians and recalling that States bear the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of all individuals within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction, as provided for by relevant international law,

Recognizing that the misuse of small arms and light weapons has resulted in grave crimes, expressing its strong opposition to impunity for serious violations of international humanitarian law and serious violations and abuses of human rights and emphasizing in this context the responsibility of States to comply with their relevant obligations to end impunity and to thoroughly investigate and prosecute persons responsible for war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity or other serious violations of international humanitarian law is consistent with their obligations under international law,

Reaffirming the relevant provisions of the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including paragraphs 138 and 139 thereof regarding the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,

Recognizing that efforts by the United Nations aimed at addressing the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons should be a part of a comprehensive and integrated approach that incorporates and strengthens coherence between political, security, development, human rights and rule of law activities and addresses the root causes of conflict, strengthens community security and mitigates armed violence,

Recognizing that insecurity resulting from the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons negatively impact conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding, the consolidation of peace in countries emerging from conflict and their post-conflict development, including education, health and economic opportunity,

Acknowledging the important contribution of Council-mandated arms embargoes in countering the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and noting the need to improve information sharing on possible arms embargo violations between groups of experts, peacekeeping missions within their mandates and other relevant United Nations entities,

Recognizing the desirability of aligning objectives of Council-mandated arms embargoes with the overall objectives of other efforts in the relevant Member State or region by United Nations entities, intergovernmental, regional and subregional organizations, including on disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, improving physical security and stockpile management practices and enhancement of border security,

Reiterating that United Nations peacekeeping operations and other relevant Council-mandated entities, located in a Member State or region with a Council-mandated arms embargo, may, if deemed necessary by the Council, assist with appropriate expertise and capacity-building for host governments in the field of weapons collection, disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programmes, enhancing physical security and stockpile management practices, record keeping and tracing capacities, development of national export and import control systems, enhancement of border security, and strengthening judicial institutions and law enforcement capacity,

Recalling with concern the close connection between international terrorism, transnational organized crime, drugs trafficking, money-laundering, other illicit financial transactions, illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons and arms trafficking, and the link between the illegal exploitation of natural resources, illicit trade in such resources and the proliferation and trafficking of arms as a major factor fuelling and exacerbating many conflicts,

Emphasizing that the illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons can aid terrorism and illegal armed groups and facilitate increasing levels of transnational organized crime and underscoring that such illicit trafficking could harm civilians, including women and children, create instability and long-term governance challenges and complicate conflict resolution,

Stressing the utmost importance of women’s full and effective participation in all efforts related to countering the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, in line with its resolution 1325 (2000),

Expressing concern at the continuing threats posed by the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons to the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers and their effectiveness in implementing peacekeeping mandates, and to the safety and security of humanitarian workers and their effective provision of humanitarian assistance,

Recognizing the value of effective physical security and management of stockpiles of small arms, light weapons and ammunition as an important means to prevent the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, in accordance with global and regional standards, including through the application of voluntary guidelines, such as the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) developed under the UN SaferGuard programme, and the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) in arms and ammunition stockpile management practices,

Noting that marking and tracing of small arms and light weapons by Member States, particularly countries in conflict and post-conflict situations, can serve to detect violations of applicable arms embargoes and identify weaknesses in stockpile management,

Acknowledging the entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty on 24 December 2014, taking note of a great number of signatories to the Treaty and the increasing number of State Parties, and looking forward to the important contribution it can make to international peace, security and stability, reducing human suffe ring and promoting cooperation,

Reaffirming the significance and central role of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols, including the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition; the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects; and the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons, as crucial instruments in countering the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons,

Noting with appreciation the efforts made by Member States, intergovernmental, regional and subregional organizations in addressing threats to international peace and security posed by the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and noting the significant role of civil society in supporting such efforts,

Welcoming the Secretary-General’s report to the Council of 27 April 2015 entitled “Small arms and light weapons” (S/2015/289),

Expressing its determination to implement existing and to take further practical steps to prevent the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, including in support of other ongoing processes,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 7447th meeting, on 22 May 2015.