Regional frameworks

At the regional level, the Council of the European Union Joint Action of 12 July 2002 explicitly identifies small arms and light weapons ammunition as a cause for concern and recognizes the importance of the safe storage, and the quick and effective destruction, of small arms and light weapons ammunition (EU, 2002, Preamble and art. 4). The 2001 Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials in the South African Development Community (SADC) Region also stresses the need to maintain effective control over ammunition—and not just that related to small arms and light weapons—especially during peace processes and in post-conflict situations, and to establish and implement procedures to ensure that firearms ammunition is securely stored, destroyed, or disposed of in a way that prevents it from entering into illicit conflict.

The 1997 Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacture and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials also explicitly includes ammunition and explosives. The OSCE went furthest in directly addressing the destruction of ammunition by adopting in November 2003 the OSCE Document on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition.25 This document outlines detailed procedures for assistance from other OSCE participating states with the destruction of ammunition. The role of those states in a position to do so in assisting other states with their efforts to destroy surplus weapons (and ammunition) is also incorporated into the UN framework.26 The EU too is committed, under the EU Joint Action, to provide financial and technical assistance 'as appropriate' to countries requesting support with programmes and projects to control or eliminate surplus small arms and their ammunition (EU, 2002, art. 4(a) and 6).