On the margins of the United Nations High-Level Counter-Terrorism Week, a dedicated side event titled “Addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean as a key component of counter-terrorism” will be held on Thursday, 2 July 2026 from 08:00 – 09:30am EDT. The side event will take place at the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations and will also be accessible via Microsoft Teams.
The side event will bring together policymakers, practitioners, and experts to examine one of the most urgent security challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean: the proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and its links to terrorism and transnational organized crime.
Co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Jamaica, Paraguay and Uruguay to the United Nations and co-organized by the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (蘑菇视频OCT), the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (蘑菇视频IDIR), the event will provide a platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and practical cooperation to strengthen responses to the terrorism–arms–crime nexus.
The event will focus on the persistent challenges posed by the widespread availability and misuse of firearms in Latin America and the Caribbean, where illicit SALW flows continue to fuel armed violence, insecurity, and instability. It will also examine how these dynamics intersect with terrorism and transnational organized crime, creating conditions that can be exploited by both criminal networks and terrorist actors.
Discussions will highlight key regional trends and risks, while identifying practical responses and good practices to strengthen prevention, detection, and disruption of illicit arms trafficking. Attention will be given to strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing border management and law enforcement cooperation, and improving information-sharing mechanisms in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
Participants will reflect on national and regional efforts, explore opportunities for capacity-building and technical assistance, and promote coordinated, multi-stakeholder approaches to address linkages between SALW proliferation, terrorism, and transnational organized crime in Latin America and the Caribbean
The event will bring together senior officials and experts from Member States, United Nations entities, international and regional organizations, as well as representatives from academia and other relevant stakeholders, providing a platform for dialogue and collaboration.
Prior registration is required for all participants wishing to attend, whether in person or online. Interested participants are invited to register using this .
The concept note and draft agenda are available here.
Draft agenda
08:00-8:15 High-level opening remarks
- Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Brian Christopher Manley Wallace, Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations
- Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Marcelo Eliseo Scappini Ricciardi, Permanent Representative of Paraguay to the United Nations
- Opening remarks by Mrs. Gabriela Gonzalez, Deputy Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations
- Opening remarks by Mrs. Carmen G. Cantor, Deputy Executive Director, CTED
08:15-08:35 Panel discussion
Key trends and challenges pertaining to addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean in a counter-terrorism context
08:40-09:10 Panel discussion
Mapping of lessons and experiences in addressing the proliferation of SALW within Latin America and the Caribbean and in other contexts
9:10-9:25 Q&A
9:25-9:30 Closing remarks
To find out more about CTED’s activities for Counter-Terrorism Week, please visit our dedicated page.