The World Customs Organization (WCO), through its Secretary General, Dr Kunio Mikuriya and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through its Under-Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Kim Won-soo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on December 23, 2016. That was to formalise cooperation on cross-border arms regulation, with a view to combating small arms and light weapons (SALW) trafficking.
The international bodies say that the illicit trade in SALW poses a grave danger to international peace, security and stability, threatening the lives of millions. International initiatives include the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, the Firearms Protocol under the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Arms Trade Treaty, and several UN Security Council resolutions besides the UN Global Counter-terrorism strategy.
The WCO and UNODA agree to work together to support countries with implementation of the international SALW requirements. Other areas of cooperation include: sharing of expertise in the areas of capacity building on arms management and ammunition safety; coordinating joint training for Customs officers on non-proliferation and arms regulation and promoting international standards and good practices such as the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG).
Definitions
Small arms include handguns (self-loading pistols and revolvers) and shoulder arms (rifles and carbines, sub-machine guns and light machine guns, and grenade launchers). Light weapons are designed for use by two or more people (although some may be carried and used by a single person) and include heavy machine guns, portable anti-aircraft / anti- tank guns and portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems.
