On October 30, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, gave an intervention during the First Committee Thematic Discussions dedicated to Conventional Weapons and Implementation of the Programme of Action on Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW).

In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that the Holy See strongly supports multilateral efforts to curb illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and welcomes the unanimous vote in the Third Review Conference on the Program of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons. Curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons, as the Program of Action states, enhances “respect for life and the dignity of the human person through the promotion of a culture of peace,” he said. He called for greater international cooperation and assistance in order to restrict the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons so that the world can be closer to achieving the peace and security that is essential for development and the fight against extreme poverty.

The statement can be found here.