التجارة الدولية في الأسلحة الصغيرة والخفيفة: التداعيات والمواجهة

Abstract

Many countries are actively involved in small arms, light weapons, and ammunition transfers and trafficking as importers, exporters, or transit states. Sometimes, these weapons can be lost or stolen due to government corruption and profitseeking by arms brokers, while effective control over the flow of international arms trade helps to prevent them from falling into the hands of unwanted end-users.
The author used the descriptive analytical approach with the aim of describing and analyzing the international phenomenon of small arms and light weapons trafficking and considering its negative repercussions, as well as clarifying its most important characteristics and causes and the most prominent measures to tackle it, with reference to the most important international measures regulating it.
Due to their ease of use, limited size, and the likelihood of transporting them across borders, there is no question that small arms and light weapons will intensify violence, organized crime, and international instability. Also, due to the lack of support from major arms producers, suppliers, and exporters, given their political and economic interests, national and international controls governing the trade in small arms and light weapons continue to face significant challenges.
Therefore, countries must take stricter measures to control arms exports and ensure that contracts or end-user certificates are subject to a regulation prohibiting the diversion or re-export of arms without prior authorization from the original exporter. In addition, avoiding the refusal to grant export licenses, wherever there is a significant risk that such weapons may be used to terrorize civilians