Overview
Pursuant to the resolution A/RES/76/232, the Eighth Biennial Meeting of States was convened in New York from 27 June to 1 July 2022.
Biennial Meetings of States have the mandate to consider the national, regional and global implementation of the Programme of Action (PoA) to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects and its International Tracing Instrument (ITI).
BACKGROUND
In 2001, countries adopted the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA). In it, governments agreed to improve national small arms regulations, to strengthen stockpile management, to ensure that weapons are properly and reliably marked, to improve cooperation in weapons tracing, and to engage in regional and international cooperation and assistance.
Marking, record-keeping, and tracing
In 2005, the General Assembly adopted the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), which specifically provides a framework for cooperation in weapons tracing – thus fulfilling one of the commitments governments made in the PoA.
International Tracing Instrument [A] [C] [E] [F] [R] [S]
Improving weapons tracing is also part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Meetings and national reports on PoA and ITI are always combined.
PoA/ITI reporting database: https://smallarms.un-arm.org/
Periodic review of implementation
A conference to review the progress made in the implementation of the PoA is convened every six years. Between review conferences, Biennial Meetings of States (BMS) are held. Additionally, States have held Meetings of Governmental Experts (MGE) to benefit from the knowledge of technical specialists on matters pertaining to small arms and light weapons control.
Timeline of PoA process and meetings
| 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2006 | 2008 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2018 | 2021 | 2022 | 2024 |
| Adoption PoA | BMS1 | Adoption ITI | RevCon1 | BMS3 | BMS4 | MGE1 | RevCon2 | BMS5 | MGE2 | BMS6 | RevCon3 | BMS7 | BMS8 | RevCon4 |
Chair
H.E. Mr. ENRIQUE A. MANALO (born July 21, 1952) is a Filipino diplomat and presently the Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations.
He served as Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Acting Foreign Minister) of the Philippines from March 9 to May 17, 2017.
He was also Undersecretary for Policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2020 and from 2007 to 2010.
He has represented the Philippines and has served as chairman of various international meetings and conferences. While Acting Foreign Secretary, he chaired the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in April 2017. He also chaired various ASEAN Senior Officials Meetings, especially during the Philippine Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017.
Ambassador Manalo has also chaired meetings in a number of UN bodies, and has led the Philippine Delegation in a number of multilateral, regional and bilateral meetings.
Ambassador Manalo has previously served as Philippine Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2016; Non-Resident Philippine Ambassador to Ireland from 2013 to 2016; Philippine Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and Head of the Philippine Mission to the European Union from 2010 to 2011; and Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva from 2003 to 2007.
He is a recipient of three (3) Philippine Presidential Awards, the Gawad Mabini Award with the rank of Grand Cross (Dakilang Kamanong), the Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Grand Cross (Datu) (Gold Distinction) and the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Cross (Bayani).
