Taking Stock of Action on the Illicit Small Arms Trade: Implications for the International Tracing Instrument of Marking and Tracing Polymer and Modular Weapons

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 15 September, 2021

'The International Tracing Instrument (ITI) was adopted in 2005 and outlines requirements for tracing illicit small arms and light weapons in a timely and reliable manner. Since the time of its adoption, however, some new methods in design and manufacture of small arms and light weapons have emerged that pose new challenges in terms of marking and tracing.

Taking Stock of Action on the Illicit Small Arms Trade: UNODA Training Session on Reporting on Implementation of the PoA and ITI

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 15 September, 2021

'In the UN Programme of Action on small arms (PoA) and International Tracing Instrument (ITI) framework, States agreed to submit biennial national reports on their implementation efforts to the United Nations. National reporting is the single most effective mechanism to:

You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but If You Try, Can You Get What You Need (to Address the Illicit Small Arms Trade)?

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 15 September, 2021

'In July 2001, United Nations (UN) member states adopted by consensus the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA). It is a UN instrument that outlines measures to be taken to regulate small arms throughout their life cycle in order to prevent their diversion to the illicit small arms trade, and improve the detection of illicit small arms and subsequently remove them from circulation.

Implementing the Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument: An Assessment of National Reports, 2012–17

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 10 December, 2020

In preparation for the Third Review Conference (RevCon3) to review progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), the Small Arms Survey released Implementing the Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument: An Assessment of National Reports, 2012–17, a study presenting a comprehensive analysis of national rep

What the National Reports Reveal: Trends in UN PoA and ITI Reporting (Issue Brief 13)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

The Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA) and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI) are politically binding instruments through which UN member states undertake to implement a range of small arms control measures to address the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, now supplemented by the Arms Trade Treaty.  

Implementation in Practice: National Points of Contact in the RECSA Region (Issue Brief 7)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

International and regional instruments to control the illicit trade of small arms specifically call for states to designate individuals and administrative processes to help them attain established objectives. For example, both the 2001 Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA) and the 2005 International Tracing Instrument (ITI) include provisions for each UN member state to establish or designate a national point of contact (NPC) to act as a liaison with other states concerning their implementation (UNGA, 2001, art. II.5; 2005, art. VI.25).

Precedent in the Making: The UN Meeting of Governmental Experts (Issue Brief 5)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

Precedent in the Making: The UN Meeting of Governmental Experts, presents details of the discussions at the Open-ended Meeting of Governmental Experts (MGE) in May 2011. The meeting focused on the practical details of weapons marking, record-keeping, and tracing, specifically as dealt with in the International Tracing Instrument (ITI).

Weapons Tracing and Peace Support Operations: Theory or Practice? (Issue Brief 4)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

Weapons Tracing and Peace Support Operations: Theory or Practice? (Issue Brief 4) examines the normative frameworks and practical mechanisms that could be used, specifically by Peace Support Operations (PSOs), to trace conflict weapons; and considers some of the reasons that have so far prevented PSOs from tracing weapons.

Also available in FRENCH.

Analysis of National Reports: Implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and the International Tracing Instrument in 2009–10 (Occasional Paper 28)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) was adopted in 2001, and since then a total of 584 national reports have been submitted by signatories, providing information on how they have implemented the recommendations of the agreement.