Delegation from the Principality of Liechtenstein

Position paper for General Assembly First Committee.

 
The topics before the First Committee of the General Assembly (GA1) are Youth for Disarmament,
Non-proliferation, and Peace, and the Illicit Supply of Weapons to Non-State. The Principality of
Liechtenstein is aware of the need for strong international cooperation and coordination among
countries to successfully reach those goals.
 
I. Youth for Disarmament, Non-Proliferation, and Peace.
 
Since the birth of the United Nations, the goals of multilateral disarmament and arms limitations
have been central to the organization’s effort to maintain international peace and security. The UN
has given the highest priority to reducing and eventually eliminating nuclear weapons, destroying
chemical weapons, and strengthening the prohibition on biological weapons, all of which pose vast
threats to humanity. Furthermore, the international works closely on the excessive and destabilizing
proliferation of small arms, and light weapons and has mobilized to combat the massive deployment
of landmines, instruments that threaten the economic and social fabric of societies and kill and
maim civilians, many of whom women and children. There is also wider recognition that all types of
weapons impact women, men, boys, and girls differently.
 
Recalling the resolution 74/ 64 of 12 December 2019 "Youth, disarmament and non-proliferation” in
which members of the UN had been committed to working with youth communities. Recognizing
that youth people in all countries are key agents for social change, economic development, and
technological innovation, the focus has been to reaffirm the important and positive contribution that
youth can make to the promotion and attainment of sustainable peace and security, as the younger
generations bring new views, insights, ideas, and leadership to this policy issue. As part of this, the
UN has strongly supported young communities and the tremendous change they can make in
society. Specifically, in 2018, the UN Secretary General’s report “Securing our Common Future and
Agenda for Disarmament” emphasizes how “youth movements have often been more inclusive of
various perspectives, including from victims and affected communities, indigenous peoples and
underrepresented populations such as women.” In this, the UN fully acknowledges the hard work
and the global leading role that the younger generations are taking. One of these initiatives is the
Youth 4 Disarmament program, which is generously financed by the government of Germany. This
initiative is a call for young people between the ages of 18 and 24 across the globe to apply for an
innovative learning program aimed to empower them to work for disarmament in their communities. 
 
 
The Delegation of Liechtenstein is fully committed to achieving these purposes. To prove this,
Liechtenstein has ratified the non-proliferation treaty (NPT). Secondly, the delegation is working
towards achieving a prohibition of weapons that are excessively injurious or that affect communities.
In addition to that, Liechtenstein is also working towards strengthening and further developing
international law. Liechtenstein also highlights the role of the NPT in preventing nuclear proliferation
for over fifty years. It embodies a multilateral approach, in which international law provides a basis
for fundamental consensus toward nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament.
 
The delegation of Liechtenstein invites the member states to consolidate a clear pathway for the
establishment of strong rule enforcement so that the future young generation will not suffer from
this. Throughout the implementation of military forces that control the trade-in and trade-out of arms.
The digital implementation of tools allows citizens and younger generations to be aware of the
situations that are living within the country. The implementation of pedagogical programs with the
help of people who have been victims of arm conflict shows the young generation how is to deal
with this and how they can prevent falling into this path. With this initiative, the delegation of
Liechtenstein wants to access those communities that are in a vulnerable situation and make them
part of the change that the member state  needs.
 
 
 
 
II. Illicit Supply of Weapons to Non-State Actors.
 
The illicit arms trade is a delicate situation all over the world, that involves not only states but a
complex network of actors and a global market of illegal weapons. This has been in part driven by
the reality of globalization, as the removal of barriers to the flow of goods and capital also made the
transfer of weapons much easier. As a result, non-state armed groups and criminal networks are
better armed and more empowered, and capable of challenging the state monopoly of force. One
key point is the role that the delegation of Liechtenstein played in the implementation of a resolution
against the republic of Myanmar because of the blood bathing that the Myanmar army is
perpetrating against its people. In which the delegation of Liechtenstein pronounced this violation of
human rights directly related to the illicit supply of weapons to these non-state actors.
 
The constant surge of mass-production weapons has created restrictions on firearms. If we can
include Programs of action to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light
weapons in all its aspects. In this instrument, the governments agreed to improve national small
arms regulation to strengthen stockpile management, that firearms are reliably marked, improve
cooperation in weapon tracing and engage in regional and international tracing. This measure is
now part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This instrument constitutes the
normative framework on small arms and light weapons which all UN members, including the
Principality of Liechtenstein, have agreed upon. Under Article 51 of the UN charter, all UN member
states have a right to self-defense, which usually is interpreted to mean states can legitimate trade
in military equipment vital to national security. Additionally, to this, the United Nations institute for
disarmament and research (UNDIR) briefing the 15-member organ, said the division and trafficking
in weapons and ammunition is defining factor in undermining peace and security. The objective is to
systematically integrate conventional arm control measures into the conflict prevention and
management toolbox.
 
The delegation of Liechtenstein is fully aware of all those problems that affect international
cooperation and the different actors of the international system. The delegation has a national plan
of implementation of the program of action on small arms and light weapons and the international
tracing Instrument proposes a multilateral disarmament and arms limitation effort to prevent armed
conflict and subsequent human suffering, as well as the prevention of international instability.  All
states must do their utmost to achieve general and complete disarmament efforts due to account of
applicable human rights law and international humanitarian law to maximize their legitimacy and the
implementation of all actors. The delegation invites the member states into a clear path of action to
address this issue. By compromise into strong rule enforcement of arms control and regulation
among states and active collaboration and cooperation in which the key component will be the well-
being of all citizens of the world. throughout the implementation of specific technologies that prevent
illicit transfer such as arms for crime, terrorism, or guerrillas. With this mention the program UNIDIR
is an tool the delegation of Liechtenstein will actively encourage this tool due the ability of tracking
the source of the problem and actively tackle the problematic throughout digital data and rule
previously implemented.