Illicit weapons fuelling conflicts worldwide, officials warn – UN News

Report on the Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Coordinated global action is urgently required to address the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons, a primary driver of conflict, organized crime, and displacement that fundamentally undermines the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The proliferation of these weapons directly contravenes Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by fueling violence and insecurity. This report outlines the scale of the threat, its transnational nature, regional impacts, and key recommendations for strengthening global frameworks to achieve SDG Target 16.4, which calls for a significant reduction in illicit arms flows.

Global Proliferation and its Threat to SDG 16

The widespread availability of illicit firearms presents a direct challenge to achieving SDG 16.1 (significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere). Key findings on the global scale of this issue include:

• Volume: Over one billion firearms are currently in global circulation, sustaining conflict and criminal networks.
• Source: Weapons are frequently diverted from national stockpiles and throughout supply chains, ending up in the possession of non-State armed groups.
• New Threats: The proliferation of 3D-printed “ghost guns” without serial numbers is an emerging challenge, particularly in Western Europe and Latin America.
• Human Cost: In 2024 alone, the UN recorded at least 48,000 conflict-related civilian deaths, with small arms being a significant contributing factor. This violence is a preventable impediment to sustainable development.

Transnational Nature of the Threat and the Need for Global Partnerships (SDG 17)

The illicit firearms trade is a borderless threat deeply integrated with transnational organized crime, necessitating robust international cooperation as called for in SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The interconnectedness of these challenges is evident in several ways:

• Criminal networks utilize illicit weapons to control territory, protect illicit economies, and expand their influence, creating a “transnational chain of violence.”
• Addressing this requires transnational cooperation. INTERPOL’s iARMS database, containing over two million records of illicit weapons, is a critical tool supporting multinational operations.
• Policing efforts alone are insufficient. A multi-stakeholder approach is essential, integrating the roles of international bodies like INTERPOL directly into UN sanctions and arms embargo mandates to create a more effective global response.

Regional Impacts on Peace and Development

The proliferation of small arms has devastating regional consequences, crippling progress towards multiple SDGs, including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

• Africa:
  • The African Union describes small arms proliferation as a “cancer” driving instability from the Sahel to the Great Lakes region and fueling atrocities in areas like Darfur, Sudan.
  • Controlling these weapons is identified as a prerequisite for achieving sustainable peace and development on the continent.
  • Initiatives such as Africa Amnesty Month have led to the destruction of thousands of weapons, but the scale of the problem remains vast.
• Haiti:
  • In Haiti, the trafficking of illegal firearms acts as a “multiplier of the crisis,” with armed groups controlling major urban areas and transport routes.
  • An estimated 270,000 to 500,000 firearms are in circulation, paralyzing social and economic life and making communities unsafe and unsustainable (SDG 11).

Recommendations for Achieving SDG Target 16.4

To significantly reduce illicit arms flows and advance the 2030 Agenda, the following coordinated actions are recommended:

1. Strengthen national stockpile controls and implement robust weapon tracing systems to prevent diversion.
2. Ensure strict compliance with and enforcement of international arms embargoes.
3. Formally integrate the operational role of organizations like INTERPOL into UN Security Council sanctions and embargo mandates to enhance global enforcement capabilities.
4. Support regional disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programmes and initiatives like amnesty months.
5. Bolster border control mechanisms to interdict cross-border trafficking routes.
6. Integrate small arms control measures directly into all UN peace operations, peacebuilding strategies, and sanctions monitoring frameworks to create a coherent and sustained approach to preventing future instability.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This is the most prominent SDG addressed in the article. The text focuses on the illicit trade of small arms, which directly fuels conflict, organized crime, terrorism, and violence, all of which undermine peace, security, and the rule of law. The article’s call for stronger controls, disarmament, and international cooperation to combat these threats aligns perfectly with the core objectives of SDG 16.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article repeatedly emphasizes that the illicit arms trade is a “transnational chain of violence” and a “borderless threat” that requires a coordinated global response. It highlights the roles of various international and regional bodies like the UN, INTERPOL, and the African Union, as well as civil society organizations. This call for “coordinated global action” and “transnational cooperation” directly relates to the importance of building strong partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.
   • The article directly connects the proliferation of small arms to violence and death. It states, “The illicit trade and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuels armed violence,” and quantifies the human cost by noting that “In 2024, the UN recorded at least 48,000 conflict-related civilian deaths, with small arms responsible for up to 30 per cent in some contexts.”
2. Target 16.4: By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.
   • This target is the central theme of the article. The entire text is about stopping “illicit flows that are driving conflict, organized crime and displacement.” It discusses the “illicit trade,” “weapons diverted from national stockpiles,” and how “illicit firearms trafficking is now deeply enmeshed with cross border organized crime.”
3. Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.
   • The article calls for specific institutional strengthening measures, such as “stronger stockpile controls, tracing systems and compliance with arms embargoes.” It also highlights international cooperation through INTERPOL’s iARMS database and AU-led efforts to “harmonise stockpile management, support amnesty and disarmament initiatives.”
4. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships…
   • The article is a clear call for global partnership, stating that the problem “can only be addressed through transnational cooperation.” It showcases this partnership in action by mentioning the coordinated efforts and statements from the UN, INTERPOL, and the African Union.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…
   • The article demonstrates a multi-stakeholder approach by including perspectives from the UN (public), INTERPOL (international police organization), the African Union (regional public body), and a Haitian civil society organization, VDH, highlighting the need for collaboration across different sectors.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Number of conflict-related deaths: The article explicitly mentions “at least 48,000 conflict-related civilian deaths” recorded by the UN in 2024. This is a direct indicator for Target 16.1.
• Volume of illicit firearms in circulation: The article provides estimates, such as “more than one billion firearms are in circulation globally” and “Between 270,000 and 500,000 firearms are estimated to be in circulation in [Haiti].” Tracking this number would measure progress on Target 16.4.
• Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms that are illicitly traded: This is an implied indicator. The article mentions INTERPOL’s operations “have seized thousands of firearms” and African Union initiatives have led to the “destruction of tens of thousands of weapons.” The number and origin of these weapons are key data points for measuring illicit flows (Target 16.4).
• Prevalence of untraceable firearms: The mention of “3D-printed ‘ghost guns’ without serial numbers” implies that their prevalence in illicit markets is an indicator of the sophistication and challenge of illicit arms manufacturing and trafficking (Target 16.4).
• Existence of international cooperation mechanisms: The article points to the existence and use of INTERPOL’s “global iARMS database” as a concrete tool and indicator of international cooperation in tracking illicit weapons (Target 16.a and 17.16).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.un.org