Mr. President,

We thank Sierra Leone for convening this important Open Debate.

When Kofi Annan said, “Small arms are the real weapons of mass destruction”, he captured the profound impact of these weapons on peace, security, and human lives across the globe. Nearly two decades later, his statement remains painfully true.

Around the world, small arms fuel violence, regional instability, terrorism and crime. In Latin America and the Caribbean, firearms are used in up to seven out of ten homicides.

But there is hope. Let me highlight three points.

First, we have seen renewed commitment to addressing the threat of small arms. Especially during last year’s Review Conference on the Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, diligently chaired by Costa Rica. We call on all Member States to continue their engagement. Let us work towards achieving tangible results and keep the topic high on the agenda.

Second, we are encouraged by the overwhelming support for this year’s First Committee resolution on Through-Life Ammunition Management which shows: there is an international consensus. We also commend South Africa’s leadership in the successful Preparatory Meeting on the Global Framework, following its agreement in 2023 during Germany’s chairmanship of the Open-Ended Working Group. We must maintain this spirit and momentum. We call upon all States to actively engage in the upcoming reporting process to ensure the Global Framework’s effective implementation.

Finally, we are inspired by the growing engagement of civil society actors and NGOs, whose efforts are vital in tackling the small arms challenge through research, innovative solutions and grassroots awareness-building. Supporting them is one of Germany’s key priorities. We are grateful for the work of the UN Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR) in supporting NGOs and proud to be the largest contributor this year.

Mr. President,

To ensure our efforts remain effective we also need to address challenges from new and emerging technologies such as 3D-printed small arms. These fuel illicit markets, organized crime and armed violence. We are proud to provide financial support to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) workshop series on this issue.

Mr. President,

Germany continues to lead as the second-largest global donor for small arms control and ammunition management. We support projects with a combined volume of over 20 million USD annually.

And we are committed to driving progress in this field also through strong political engagement. If elected to the Security Council, Germany will ensure that the fight against the proliferation of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition continues to receive the attention it deserves.

I thank you.