The UN Secretary-General António Guterres celebrated on Saturday the successful conclusion of the Fourth Review Conference on combating illicit small arms and light weapons. He hailed the adoption of a “strong outcome document” as a significant milestone and indicator of progress. The document included recommendations for the global community.

Secretary-General Guterres said, “The proliferation, diversion and misuse of small arms and light weapons continue to undermine peace, security and sustainable development around the world – fuelling conflict and armed violence and causing devastating human costs.”

The UN set a goal of fortifying collective and national efforts to combat illicit small arms and light weapons until the next review conference in 2030. Guterres expressed his hope that these commitments on small arms would shape discussions at the upcoming Summit of the Future in September, aiming to find forward-thinking and action-oriented solutions for a more peaceful world.

Earlier this month, in a statement to delegates, Secretary-General Guterres highlighted the conference’s timing during a “difficult and dangerous moment for humanity,” noting that new conflicts are placing millions in harm’s way, with light weapons playing a significant role.

Amnesty International says that the global arms industry is worth at least $95 billion and that more than 500 people die globally every day because of firearm violence. The top five countries for arms exports are the US, France, Russia, China and Germany.