16 May 2017 - From 16 to 19 May, the Global Firearms Programme was invited to the open briefing from Member States on "Preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons" organised by the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate with the aim to provide an overview on the various initiatives conducted by the United Nations in this regard. UNODC's Global Firearms Programme participated to the meeting as a panellist and presented its work under session II. The issue of terrorists acquiring weapons, including small arms and light weapons, has been addressed to the Security Council at various concern, and growing concern has been expressed in this regard by the international community.
The briefing was part of a series of briefings preceding the Security Council debate on this issue of "Preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons", leading to the adoption of the resolution 2370. This resolution of August 2017, stressed, in its paragraph 7, the importance of Member States to take appropriate measures "to prevent the illicit trafficking of weapons to terrorists in conflict areas, and to prevent, within this context, looting and acquiring small arms and light weapons from national stockpiles by terrorist", measures that are in line with one of the main mission of the Global Firearms Programme. ( http://unscr.com/en/resolutions/doc/2370)
In his remarks at UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace, on the 2 nd of August 2017, the UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov, stressed the importance of the UNODC's Global Firearms Programme "to strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking in firearms and its links to terrorism". ( http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/human-rights-treaty-bodies/chairpersons%E2%80%99-meeting/watch/yury-fedotov-unodc-on-preventing-terrorists-from-acquiring-weapons-security-council-8017th-meeting/5528959526001/?term)