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The Scope and Implications of a Tracing Mechanism for Small Arms ...

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38<br />

In promoting international assistance, two key challenges are to match<br />

needs with available resources, <strong>and</strong> to ensure appropriate coordination <strong>and</strong><br />

in<strong>for</strong>mation-sharing. Experience shows that this does not happen<br />

automatically. One possibility would be to establish clearing-house<br />

mechanisms, so that potential recipients can more easily identify available<br />

resources <strong>and</strong> vice versa. Another option is to establish international<br />

resource centres, where relevant authorities can go to obtain specialist<br />

advice or resources relating to marking, record-keeping <strong>and</strong> tracing. In<br />

practice, an effective international tracing mechanism would probably be<br />

associated with a number <strong>of</strong> international, regional <strong>and</strong> national resource<br />

centres, such as those in southern Africa, the Americas, <strong>and</strong> Europe,<br />

discussed in sections 1.4 <strong>and</strong> 1.5 above.<br />

1.6.4 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Implications</strong> <strong>of</strong> an International <strong>Tracing</strong> <strong>Mechanism</strong><br />

<strong>for</strong> Illicit SALW<br />

<strong>The</strong> technical studies <strong>for</strong> the UNIDIR/SAS Study Group, together with<br />

this overview paper, have sought to describe <strong>and</strong> clarify existing practices<br />

<strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ards relating to marking, record-keeping <strong>and</strong> tracing, <strong>and</strong> to<br />

explore the possible scope <strong>and</strong> contents <strong>of</strong> an international mechanism (or<br />

mechanisms) <strong>for</strong> tracing illicit SALW. It is clear that there are many<br />

challenges to ensuring effective systems <strong>for</strong> marking, record-keeping <strong>and</strong><br />

tracing, <strong>and</strong> also important opportunities to develop <strong>and</strong> strengthen them.<br />

In general, the main obstacles are not technological. Advanced <strong>and</strong><br />

effective techniques <strong>for</strong> marking <strong>and</strong> record-keeping are available <strong>and</strong> there<br />

is experience in using them. <strong>The</strong> challenge <strong>for</strong> all States is to ensure that<br />

decisions are taken <strong>and</strong> resources allocated so as to ensure effective <strong>and</strong><br />

consistent marking, record-keeping <strong>and</strong> tracing at the national, regional <strong>and</strong><br />

international levels. As we have seen, important international <strong>and</strong> regional<br />

norms <strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ards have been agreed in recent years—in the UN<br />

Programme <strong>of</strong> Action <strong>and</strong> the UN Firearms Protocol, <strong>and</strong> in such regional<br />

agreements as those <strong>of</strong> the OAS, OSCE <strong>and</strong> SADC. An international<br />

mechanism <strong>for</strong> tracing illicit SALW would build on these—specifically in the<br />

context <strong>of</strong> the UN Programme follow-up—to enable <strong>and</strong> facilitate<br />

international tracing cooperation.<br />

An international tracing mechanism would be no panacea. <strong>The</strong> small<br />

arms problem is exceedingly complex <strong>and</strong> requires measures going far<br />

beyond weapons tracing. Yet, tracing is a key component <strong>of</strong> these ef<strong>for</strong>ts.

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