LAU-ALWALID-GC MODEL UNITED NATIONS Committee: Disarmament and International Security
Topic B: The illicit trade of small arms and light weapons country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Name of school: M. & H. Arslanian Armenian College

Oxfam, amnesty International, IANSA and control Arms recently stated on their latest campaign
“the world is watching-support an arms trade treaty.” Small arms and light Weapons who are being easily traded across borders and these types of arms are killing thousands of people around the world each year. That’s far higher than the casualty count from conventional weapons of war like tanks, bomber jets or warships. These lethal weapons are relatively cheap, highly portable, easily concealable, long lasting, and easy to operate. These characteristics make small arms particularly susceptible to illicit trafficking (1). The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland believes that strengthening controls on the supply of SALW will reduce their availability and securing a robust ATT is a very high priority for the UK.
The UK Government is an acknowledged lead player and places a high priority on combating small arms and light weapons proliferation. It has a pro-active, inter-departmental approach with a Small Arms Policy Committee that meets regularly to review government progress and provide policy direction. Working with regional organisations, and civil society, to address the problem of SALW misuse, Recently in February 2008 the UK government announced important changes to its export control system: strengthen controls on the supply of SALW though increased controls on transfers of SALW; address the demand for weapons; and reduce the availability of weapons.(3)
The UK strategy on SALW totally supports the work of the UN Programme of Action (UNPoA) adopted at the first ever UN Conference on 'The Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in