United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia, Government

Of Myanmar Hold Workshop on Small Arms Control, 15-16 May

NEW YORK, 15 May (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific is cooperating with the Government of Myanmar to organize a two-day workshop in Nay Pyi Taw on 15 and 16 May to assist Government agencies involved in small arms and light weapons control, in order to effectively implement the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons.

The workshop will gather around 50 Government officials across the security sector to discuss the policy and technical issues of implementing the United Nations Programme of Action, including topics from relevant international and regional instruments to the safe management of stockpiles of weapons and ammunition.  The convening of the workshop provides a good opportunity to share best practices between local officials, as well as with participating international experts.

Supported by the Government of Germany and financially by the Government of Switzerland, the workshop is organized in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defence of Myanmar.

The Programme of Action is a globally agreed framework for activities to counter the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  Since the adoption of the instrument in 2001, the United Nations has worked to support its implementation at national, regional and international levels.  The implementation is followed through national reports voluntarily submitted by Member States.  To date, 23 out of the 43 States in the Asia-Pacific region, covered by the mandate of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, have submitted national implementation reports.

For further information, please contact the Centre at tel.: +977 1 501 0257, fax:  +977 1 501 0223 or e-mail:  info@unrcpd.org.

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For information media • not an official record