Dear colleagues,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of Switzerland, I would like to thank Germany for having organised this high-level event. I also thank my colleague Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former President Óscar Arias Sánchez for their opening speeches.
Every year more than half a million people are killed by small arms. This is more than by any other kind of weapon. An estimated 875 million small arms are in circulation around the globe and pose a significant threat to human security, peace and the stability of entire regions.
In view of this reality, fostering international peace and security are among Switzerland’s priorities. We are committed to reducing the human suffering caused by small arms and light weapons.
Our small arms strategy focuses on three main areas:
• Strengthening international instruments;
• Engaging in concrete projects on the ground; and
• Supporting action-oriented research.
Switzerland has always advocated the adoption of a strong and universal normative framework in this field. We will consistently continue to support the effective implementation of international instruments.
To this end, we strongly encouraged the adoption of Goal 16 in the 2030 Agenda, in particular through the process of the Geneva Declaration on armed violence and development. The 2030 Agenda now recognises and emphasises that peace and security are indispensable to achieving sustainable development. One of the ambitions of Goal 16 is therefore to significantly reduce illicit arms flows. Switzerland is committed to contributing to the implementation of this goal.
Another example is the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Switzerland has played an active role in the negotiation process and successfully contributed to the inclusion of small arms and light weapons in the scope of the Treaty. An important milestone was reached when the ATT entered into force in December 2014. What really matters now is the Treaty’s universalisation and its thorough implementation.
As State Party and host state to the Secretariat, Switzerland is fully committed to supporting the Treaty’s efficient and effective implementation. At this very moment, we are working on a concrete proposal for the institutional set-up of the Secretariat.
States Parties will convene in Geneva in January 2016 to decide on the proposal. But we will be ready even before that to provide the best possible working conditions for the Head of the Secretariat from day one. It is our ambition to offer an environment that allows the Secretariat to work productively and that generates synergies with the many actors in International Geneva.
Based on its small arms strategy, Switzerland also supports a range of concrete activities and projects on the ground. It is on the African continent that the human suffering caused by these weapons remains the highest. For instance, in Mali, Switzerland deploys military experts to UNMAS/MINUSMA to support local authorities in preventing accidents and the diversion of weapons. Small arms and ammunitions are being collected and destroyed – and so can no longer be used to the wrong ends.
Finally, Switzerland supports policy-oriented research in the fields of armed violence, peace and security. Important partners in this regard include, among others, the Small Arms Survey and the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). In order to address the multifaceted challenge of small arms and light weapons, we need the support of civil society and an autonomous UN research institute such as UNIDIR. These actors are key when it comes to bringing different stakeholders together, and Geneva is a privileged place for this purpose.
The recently established Maison de la Paix – the House of Peace – in Geneva is a perfect tool and cluster of competence to promote action-oriented ‘peace and security’ research and foster inclusive work, constructive dialogue and relevant synergies among different actors. With this in mind, we believe it is particularly advantageous to host the ATT Secretariat under the roof of the Maison de la Paix.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The illicit trade in conventional arms is a key factor that we need to address in order to prevent conflict and reduce the human suffering caused by it. To tackle this challenge, inclusive approaches and a spirit of cooperation are essential.
Thank you.