10.11.2025 Statement by Denmark at the UNSC Open Debate on Small Arms

 Checked Against Delivery

Thank you, Mr. President.

And allow me to welcome you, your Excellency to the Council, and commend you and Sierra Leone for putting this important topic on the Council’s agenda.

And let me also thank our briefers this morning for their important statements.

Mr. President,

The uncontrolled spread of small arms and light weapons remains one of the most persistent threats to international peace and security. These weapons are often the first to appear and the last to disappear in conflict settings. 

In this context, allow me to raise three key points. 

First, 

The impact of small arms and light weapons around the world is wide-ranging, and long-lasting. 

In Sudan, deadly clashes, fuelled by these very weapons, exact an immense toll on civilians, especially women and children – while also deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis. 

In Yemen, the illicit trafficking of weapons by the Houthis continues to prolong the conflict, with civilians bearing the brunt.

In Haiti, the uncontrolled flow of small arms and ammunition fuels gang violence and undermines the rule of law, as we also just heard from Dr. Descardes.

These conflicts, just as other around the world, all have varied causes and consequences. However, it is clear that the proliferation of small arms prolongs them, make them more deadly, and increases the risk of atrocities against civilians. 

Controlling the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons is therefore not only a security issue, but also a question of human rights and the protection of civilians. This human cost must remain at the forefront of our minds and continue to guide our responses. 

This leads to my second point.

There is an urgent need for the international community to strengthen the implementation of existing regulatory measures.

Full and consistent implementation of the UN Programme of Action and the Arms Trade Treaty, as well as strict compliance with Security Council arms embargoes, is essential to prevent the flow of illicit weapons into conflict zones. 

Effective marking and tracing systems remain key to ensuring accountability, while targeted capacity-building can help states develop the institutional frameworks needed to uphold these commitments.

But we also need to go beyond national and multilateral measures. More than 850 million small arms and light weapons are in the hands of civilians across the globe. In this regard, Denmark supports the Community-Led Arms Control Initiative, which seeks to integrate arms control into peace building efforts at local level.

Mr. President, my third and final point; 

Control of the flow of illicit arms must be comprehensive and address the underlying causes of conflict. This requires a multifaceted approach that includes peacebuilding, development, human rights, Security Sector Reform and governance.

We welcome the integration of arms control into Security Council mandates, Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration-processes, as well as peacebuilding and sustainable development initiatives, as was also recommended this morning by the Deputy High Representative for Disarmament here in the Council. We believe we can and should continue to mainstream this critical agenda across our work.

Partnerships and continued Council support for regional initiatives remain essential. Denmark strongly supports the African Union’s Silencing the Guns initiative, which plays a key role in advancing peace and curbing the illicit flows of arms across the continent, and we welcome the statement by Dr. Chambas here today.

Mr. President, in closing,

Controlling small arms and light weapons is essential to ending the many conflicts on our agenda today. Curbing their illicit trafficking is essential to preventing others from erupting tomorrow. 

Put simply, addressing this issue strikes to the very core of the mandate of this Council. 

I thank you.