New York: Delegates at the UN’s Third Biennial Meeting of States on small arms adopted a draft outcome paper Thursday to strengthen global efforts to mark and trace weapons.

Formally called the “International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons,” the paper commits states to mark existing stocks of weapons held by governments, armies and security forces, in order to reduce the chances of their flow to war zones.

The move came just before the conclusion of the weeklong meeting, which brings together governments and civil society organizations around the world to work on implementing a program to combat the trafficking of weapons.

IANSA, a strategic partner of The Advocacy Project (AP), brought a delegation of more than 50 people to the meeting in New York, including AP intern Jessie Schwartz and Peace Fellow Jennifer Scott.

Read the full article on the BMS.