Online training on national reporting on the UN Programme of Action on small arms (UN PoA)

Kathmandu, Nepal, 20 May 2022 – The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) conducted its second online training on national reporting on the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons (UN PoA) for government officials in Asia and the Pacific, in preparation for the Eight Biennial Meeting of States (BMS8).

In the context of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and its corresponding International Tracing Instrument (ITI), States have agreed to submit national reports on their implementation efforts to the United Nations every two years.

The training, which provided government officials and national focal points on the PoA with a technical and thematic overview of the reporting template by UN experts, drew nearly 40 participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, Lao PDR, New Zealand, the Maldives, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

UNRCPD also ensured follow-up with the respective countries that requested additional support to finalize and submit the report online.

The online training was organized in the framework of the Office for Disarmament Affairs’ global project on gender and small arms and light weapons, funded by the European Union (EU), which supports the commitments that States have made under the UN PoA and the preparatory work for BMS8.

For further information, please contact Ms Ida Scarpino, Regional Project Coordinator on Gender and SALW at the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, via e-mail at ida.scarpino@un.org.