Countering illicit arms trafficking in Middle East Asia and Northeast Africa

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1 Countering illicit arms trafficking in Middle East Asia and Northeast Africa Forum: Disarmament Commission Student Officer: Jennifer Moon, Deputy Chair Introduction Arms trafficking has been a prevalent global issue for decades, especially concentrated in areas afflicted by armed conflict and violence, where the demand for illicit weaponries is the highest. In the Middle East and Northeast Africa, instability of the government resulted in mass protests and demands for change. In response, unlawful killings and human rights violation due to current civil wars lead to excessive use of weaponry and the trade of arms from private sectors, and individuals make it very challenging for the government to control. We must recognize that trans-national illicit arms trafficking is fueling greater insecurity and instability across Middle East Asia and Northeast Africa. Background Emergence of terrorism and revolt The Arab Spring was a series of pro-democracy uprisings started in the late 2010 due to oppressive regimes and a low standard of living, involving Tunisia, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, and Bahrain. Those countries went through fundamental changes regarding their political structure, social integration, and economic stability. Consequently, the Arab Spring s destabilizing effect on governments triggered the leakage of weapons, development of terrorist gangs, instability, and oppression since then. It created the need for huge quantities of fire weapons and munitions for the different rebel groups acting in the Middle East and Northeast Asia. Corruption Corruption is a considerable factor in the illicit arms trafficking scene, fueling civil wars

2 and regional conflicts and contributing to increased violence and crime. While most arms trade seem to be directed by private bodies, certain governments also practice illicit trafficking by deliberately arming proxy groups involved in insurgencies against rival governments, terrorists with similar ideology, or other non-state armed groups. These illegal transfers are usually done in violation of UN arms embargoes and have the potential to destabilize neighboring nations. There have been cases where governments have officially purchased arms from developed countries and illegally passed them to armed groups: Libya and Syria. Violations of Human Rights The international arms trade contributes to a variety of complex consequences. The major problem is that human security is not guaranteed both directly and indirectly, which leads to state security and human development. Most of the weapons are used for inhuman purposes in conflict zones: judicial executions, forced disappearances, and torture. Therefore, there is a great tendency to associate arms transfers to deaths and injuries. As the number of deaths rises, the need for soldiers follows. Thus, many groups end up recruiting children in schools to work as soldiers. Children have to stop their education to participate in conflicting activities, which is absolutely inappropriate. The existence of weapons forces civilians to leave their homes and stay in refugee camps, where they cannot receive appropriate support. The health system can be harmed, the educational system can collapse, and humanitarian assistance can be blocked due to the presence of weapons. International Actions United Nations Program of Action (UNPoA) Illegal Arms Flow in Middle East and Northeast Africa In 2001, the United Nations decided to address the issue of weapons violation. They accepted a Program of Action (UN PoA) to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons that aims to alleviate conflict by suggesting practical solutions. These include removing the smuggled weaponries, enforcing the controls of import and export, promoting awareness of the consequences that arise from illegal weapons, and aiding the affected nations in detecting the routes of the dealers. Thanks to UNPoA, more than fifty countries have reinforced their laws regarding unlawful exchange of weapons, and more than sixty countries have succeeded in collecting and destroying small weapons.

3 Arms Trade Treaty The United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly in March This treaty does not control legitimate trades that are progressed in order to achieve national security. Instead, it intends to form an international security by Map showing which states have signed or ratified the Treaty permitting exchanges only under conditions where the procedures of the trades are revealed transparently. Since it has not been much long since the Arms Trade Treaty has been launched, the ATT has not made a noticeable progress yet, but it has a great potential of tackling the issue in the near future. Places of High Concern Syria The illicit weapon trade has also been an issue in conflict in Syria, an on-going civil war between the Ba athist Syrian Arab Republic and other forces opposing the government. The government forces have utilized heavy weaponry and artillery indiscriminately against civilian areas and protesters. Millions of people were killed, physically attacked, and tortured due to their participation in the protests. The European Union established an arms embargo in Syria, which prohibited all member states from supplying weapons to Syria. Still, numerous countries are illegally involved in the arms transfer to Syria. The situation in Syria has no perspective of being settled and becomes more severe as there are no measures to stop the flows of arms into the country. Egypt After Maummar Gaddafi s (who served as the leader of Libya and combined one of the largest and most diverse conventional weapon stockpiles of any African nations) death, most of Libya s arms stocks were stolen by smugglers and reappeared in Egypt. Because the border between Libya and Egypt is generally weakly patrolled and extensive in size, it makes it very easy for arms to go through. Some of the arms remained in Egypt, and rest continued to militants in the Gaza Strip and the Syrian rebels. Therefore, Libya became a great source for arms and Egypt served as one of the biggest transition points and junctions in illicit arm trades. Much of these arms reached the hands of jihadists and extremists living in the Sinai Peninsula, further increasing the tensions and intensifying conflicts between the central government in Cairo and the rebels there. This poses a lot of problems to the Egyptian government as it shows that they are incapable of securing their borders and controlling the possession of firearms in the Sinai Peninsula.

4 Stance of the P5 Nations: United States of America United States of America is currently a leading exporter of weapons all around the world, with a market share of 31%. The companies that export the arms do not directly see their products as a criminal organization, but it is often believed that these organizations do get their hands on new equipment via the black market. The US government does have an interest in keeping the export as a part of the money earned that goes into research and development. Since 1991, USA has prohibited arms export to Syria claiming that Syria has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism contrary to the foreign policy of the United States, and has asked Russia to stop arms trade to Syria. United Kingdom The British government is currently a leading supporter of the Arms Trade Treaty and UN arms embargo. It is also committed to reducing the proliferation of arms and weapons and the threat and damage they pose. However, the United Kingdom has been criticized for ignoring campaign group Control Arms obligation by supplying arms to countries where there is a risk that they could contribute to human rights violations and fueling deadly conflicts in the Middle East. Since 2013, the involvement of a UK-based company in the arms transfers to South Sudan contributed on the bloody civil war and caused Africa s biggest refugee crisis. France France strongly demonstrates its transparency with regards to the international community and civil society concerning exports of military technology and equipment. It has participated in numerous exercises undertaken in a multilateral framework, providing information on its national system for controlling sensitive transfers and about its arms exports. For instance, in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, it contributes through annual reporting of information relating to its exports, imports, military holdings, and procurement. France also actively participates in the mechanisms for information exchange established within the European Union, in the framework of the Working Party Control of on Conventional arms Exports (COARM) and through its contribution to the EU annual report on arms exports. China China is the world s third greatest exporter of arms, representing approximately 6.2% of global trade for major arms. China strongly supports the international efforts in combating illicit arms trade. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People s Republic of China claims that China conducts arms trade only with sovereign states, and makes explicit and strict requirements regarding the purpose of exported arms, which shall commits not to transfer the arms imported from China to any third part without the prior consent of the Chinese government. China also never exports arms to countries or regions under arms embargo imposed by the Security. Russian Federation Russia is a strong advocate of international arrangements, controls, and punishments for the unrestricted manufacture of arms, drawing attention to the issue at various UN Program of Action

5 sessions and in other international forums. Also, it is the second largest arms producer and exporter in the world after the US and has sought to increase its share of the MENA arms market. The removal from power of clients such as Saddam Hussein in Iraq (2003) and Muammar Gaddafi in Libya (2011) caused significant losses for Russian arms firms. Moreover, the arms embargo placed on Iran in 2007 froze. However, in the past few years, there has been a resurgence in interest in Russian weaponry across the region because of its perceived effectiveness in combat in Syria. Possible Solutions: Enforcement of inspection The obtainability of small arms and light weapons has powered the increase in the scale of black markets. Compared to other ammunitions and weapons, Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) are much easier to port due to their relatively size. Thus, terrorists are able to succeed their raids effortlessly, and even children in Liberia and Sudan are forced into entering the ears. In order to effectively prevent further development of this issue, organizations and nations should cooperate to find appropriate measures such as seizing and destroying unauthorized SALW. In areas such as Cambodia and Thailand where the illegal trade of arms is frequent, guards should make strict precautions to prevent further acts. It is crucial to confirm that all products are exchanged without harmful intentions; any suspicious dealers must go through close examinations followed by proper measures. Ratifying international documents It is also important to find ways to encourage conflicted and warring member states to sign and ratify international documents that mitigate the devastating impacts of the illicit arms trade. Many countries continue to suffer from unregulated private sector arms sale. This factor allows corrupt arms brokers to make trades with criminals. The majority of Middle Eastern states have yet to sign the ATT. These states include Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The ATT must be ratified in order to establish a concrete regulatory system for illicit arms trade. Glossary Weapons trafficking: According to the UN Resolution 55,255 (2001), Weapons illicit trafficking shall mean the import, export, acquisition, sale, delivery, movement, or transfer of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition from across the territory of one State Part to the another State Party. The Black Market: The black market is not a single person or a country, nor is it an organization. The black market is the illegal network of traffickers, terrorists, and criminal organizations where the arms are sold.

6 Illicit: Illicit refers to a certain practice that is restricted by law, rules, or culture. Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW): Small arms and light weapons are considered conventional arms which are transportable by individuals and capable of delivering lethal force. These weapons are vastly pursued for their accessibility, portability, durability and cheapness and are known for killing more than Light weapons: Light weapons are defined as weapons intended for use by several members of armed groups. For example, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns. Embargo: An official ban on trade or other commercial activities within a particular country. Timeline: The first automatic handgun is invented after shotguns and rifles have been in common use for decades End of the Vietnam War; peace dividend August 20, 1985 March 4, 1987 The Iran-Contra affair occurs, where senior administration officials secretly facilitated the sale of arms to Iran, which was the subject of an arms embargo. November 4, 2000 A document on small arms and light weapon is produced by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. July 20, 2001 The Program of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (POA) was established by UN. July 2001 Adoption of the International Tracing Instrument to ensure that weapons are properly marked April countries signed the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime in order to universalize stronger transfer controls. October 20, 2011 Muammar Gaddafi is shot and killed, leading to their surplus of small arms and light weapons being smuggled into Egypt Value of small arm imports to Middle East increases by 84% March 2013 Adoption of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Sources Small Arms Trade and Proliferation in East Asia: Southeast Asia and the Russian Far East. Research Gate. Bedeski, Robert. Web. 2 Sep <

7 _in_east_asia_southeast_asia_and_the_russian_far_east> Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). Reaching Critical Will. N.p. Web. 4 Sep < smallarmsandlight-weapons-salw> Light Arms Trading in SE Asia. RAND Corporation. Chalk, Peter. Web. 3 Sep < Cambodia, Thailand, Investigate Arms Smuggling. KHMER Times. Rathavong, Ven. Web. 23 June < armssmuggling/> Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and mine action (MA). NATO. N.p. Web. 22 May < Cambodians Nabbed for Weapons Smuggling. The Cambodia Daily. Roeun, Van. Web. 24 July < /> Conventional Weapons and Missiles. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. N.p. Web. N.d. < Human Cost of Illicit Flow of Small Arms, Light Weapons Stressed in Security Council Debate. Meetings Coverage& Press Releases. N.p. Web. N.d. < Consequences of Small Arms Claim Attention in First Committee, as African Nations Underscore Dangers of Terrorist Use. Meetings Coverage& Press Releases. N.p. Web. 13 October < Biggest Terror Threat is From Small Arms. Global Policy Forum. N.p. Web. 4 December <