Statement by Oļegs Iļģis, Deputy Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations at the UN Security Council High-Level Open Debate on “Small Arms”
New York, 10 November 2025
Thank you, Mr President!
Let me begin by thanking Sierra Leone for its leadership and wishing you a successful presidency of the Council. I also thank the briefers and the Secretary General for his pertinent report.
Mr President,
Illicit trade, trafficking, diversion and misuse of small arms and light weapons is a scourge that worsens the most fragile crises globally, from Latin America to the Sahel. It also goes hand in hand with some of the gravest threats to peace and security, such as terrorism and organized crime. Although significant progress has been achieved in the fight against illicit small arms, further efforts for sustained impact are urgently needed.
First of all, we must recognize fruitful work at the global and regional level. Adoption of the Global Framework for conventional ammunition management, along with the first Preparatory Meeting, was a major milestone. This contributes to existing key efforts of UN Register of Conventional Arms and the Program of Action, including its International Tracing Instrument. As a former presidency of the Arms Trade Treaty Conference, Latvia remains a steadfast supporter of the ATT, and remains fully engaged in its work.
Further support at the UN level includes peacekeeping missions and its Regional Centres for Peace in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, as well as Latin America and the Caribbean. There are also many encouraging examples of practical regional efforts, such as SEESAC in the Balkans or the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns by 2030”. We must continue to promote regional initiatives to combat arms trafficking and best practices in border control and law enforcement.
Mr President,
Secondly, the report of the Secretary General emphasizes the disproportionate impact of illicit small arms not just on civilians, but especially on women, children and youth. The rates of conflict-related sexual violence connected to these weapons are shocking, whilst young people make up an oversized share of victims of armed violence. We must implement gender and youth-responsive policies, in line with WPS, YPS and CAAC considerations, if we truly want to alleviate the most suffering possible. Youth-focused disarmament education and civil society involvement in policy discussions are also the key.
Thirdly, as outlined in the report, technological advancement presents both challenges and opportunities. While the use of polymers, modular designs and 3D printing seriously complicate efforts to mark and trace weapons, progress in the fields of stamping, laser marking and chemical tagging can serve as a necessary remedy, along with innovative digital tools on stockpile management and registries.
Mr President,
To conclude, Latvia will continue to advocate for sustained and effective efforts to address the illicit small arms and light weapons phenomena in all its aspects.
I thank you!