UN officials warn that illegal firearms are deepening insecurity worldwide News
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UN officials warn that illegal firearms are deepening insecurity worldwide

The deputy disarmament chief at the UN, Adedeji Ebo, issued a warning on Monday to the Security  Council on the escalating violence across the world that has been attributed to the cross-border exchange of small arms and light weapons, in conflicts ranging from Haiti to Africa’s Sahel region.

At the joint UN Meeting, Ebo also outlined several key recommendations, including bridging the gap between UN policy communities. However, in October, the Security Council was reported to be reinforcing the arms embargo in Haiti as gang violence continued, since sanctions did not significantly mitigate surging violence in the previous year. 

Ebo concluded by warning that these weapons are being produced and transferred across borders, which risks fueling instability, and therefore urged the Security Council to integrate small arms controls into peace operations, peace-building strategies, and sanctions monitoring in order to prevent the diversion and illicit manufacturing of small arms and light weapons.

In the recent past, violence has largely been attributed to illicit arms trafficking and diversion, in violation of Security Council-mandated arms embargoes. This was also coupled with a challenge of identifying the origin and supply chain of seized weapons and ammunition. In March this year, at a joint UN meeting on “Small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development,” speakers before the UN General Assembly emphasized that these weapons had fueled wars, exacerbated humanitarian crises, and undermined efforts for peace and stability. 

Additionally, violence escalated in the Sudanese city of El Fasher in October 2025, after the RSF seized full control of the city after more than 500 days under siege. Various countries have since called for a ceasefire, with the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor issuing alarms about the horrific human rights violations. 

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the African Union High Representative for Silencing the Guns, added that small arms are driving instability across the continent.

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