The Disarmament and International Security Committee
Preventing the Illicit Arms Trade
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
Thomas Everett Dixon
Forest Hills Eastern
Obstructing the illicit arms trade is paramount to the current day and age. The licencing and moderation of the arms trade is crucial. In the past, the illicit arms trade was unstipulated, this caused many issues for the safety and security of many governments. Because of this danger, the United Nations has addressed this issue many times. This topic has been presented to the United Nations, most recently in 2017. At that time, the United Nations adopted a resolution which called for the standardization of a treaty that would prevent combat, and have countries track illegal arms trade. This was passed in the hope that the eradication of the illicit arms trade would occur on all fronts. Previous United Nations discussion on illicit gun trade has brought about the The International Tracing Instrument (ITI) and the Programme of Action (PoA). The ITI is a politically binding guide on the recording of data that allows for the tracing of specific illicit weapons. The PoA is a framework that provides the structure for countering the illicit trade of Small Arms. Azerbaijan supports both The International Tracing Instrument, as well as the Programme of Action. Previous work has been on the right track, however more effort is necessary to continue to restrict the illicit arms trade.
As a country with the successful implementation of regulatory measures on guns, Azerbaijan believes that the best way to obstruct the illegal arms trade is to continue work on this important topic. Reports from Azerbaijan state that the firearms and ammunition smuggled in Azerbaijan is insignificant. Azerbaijan achieves this permissive regulation through an organized system of regulative authorities and strict laws that punish unlicensed individuals who buy and sell firearms. All of this takes place, while the right of the people to own firearms is maintained. Azerbaijan postulates that the United Nations should encourage all countries to subdue the illicit gun trade in their respective countries.
Azerbaijan would support a strong resolution, in which the issue of illegal gun trade is acknowledged, the resolution strives to subjugate the illicit firearms trade through the means of the United Nations incentivizing countries to impose strict statutes on the topic at hand, and both the International Tracing Instrument, as well as the Programme of Action is maintained.
- Thomas Dixon
