The PoA: Review of National Reports (Research Note 10)

Since the adoption of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) in 2001, more than 80 per cent of UN member states have submitted at least one PoA national report on their implementation of the instrument. But many of these reports leave much to be desired.

The PoA: Review of National Reports gives a brief synopsis of the state of play re­garding PoA national reports until December 2010, and discusses the need to improve on cur­rent practice as states prepare for the Second UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the PoA (Second Review Conference).

The Research Note explains the importance of the PoA in monitoring and addressing small arms and light weapons proliferation, and notes that in many cases countries’ efforts to meet PoA objectives go unacknowledged because of deficiencies in reporting.

Recognizing the need for improved PoA implementation and reporting, the Small Arms Survey launched the PoA Implemen­tation (PoAIM) project in March 2011, which will assess the implementation of the PoA by looking at national reports and other primary sources of information, and evaluate the PoA’s effectiveness and impact.

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