Combating the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in small arms and light weapons

Abstract

Until quite recently, the threat of nuclear war and the proliferation of heavy weapons dominated the global security debate. However, since the beginning of the 1990s, the small arms and light weapons discourse has displaced the nuclear debate as the greatest threat to global security on the international agenda. Thanks to the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Kofi Annan, the international community was reminded in 1998 of the impact of the proliferation of conventional weapons, especially small arms and light weapons. Hence, in a report on Africa to the Security Council in April 1998, Mr. Annan made several important recommendations to tackle the trade in small arms and light weapons, both legal and illicit.