Briefing 05-2
Small Arms Working Group of the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee
The 2001 UN “Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA)” remains a watershed document that provides a framework and a follow-up process for national, regional and global action on SALW. Indeed, SALW have remained on the international agenda in no small part because of the PoA. It is consequently imperative that best use be made of the period up to and including the PoA review conference of July 2006, and that civil society and governments alike undertake the necessary preparation and consolidation to ensure the review conference includes the widest possible collection of improvements to the PoA.