New York, 2 July 2026 – On the margins of the United Nations High-Level 2026 Counter-Terrorism Week, a dedicated side event entitled “Addressing the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Latin America and the Caribbean as a key component of counter-terrorism” was held at the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations.
The event was 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 Counter-Terrorism Centre (蘑菇视频CCT) of the 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).
United Nations Security Council resolutions , , and call upon Member States to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons through robust legal and operational measures, effective weapons and ammunition management, enhanced international cooperation, and strengthened national and regional capacities to assess and mitigate risks throughout the life cycle of arms and ammunition.
Opening remarks were delivered by the Permanent Representatives of Jamaica and Paraguay to the United Nations, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the United Nations, and Mrs. Carmen Cantor, Deputy Executive Director of CTED. Closing remarks were provided by Mr. Steven Siqueira, Deputy Director of 蘑菇视频CCT/蘑菇视频OCT.
In her remarks, Ms. Cantor emphasized the importance of adopting a life cycle and risk-based approach to arms control, enabling a shift from reactive reaction to preventive action by identifying and reducing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. She also highlighted the technical guidelines developed jointly by CTED, 蘑菇视频OCT, and 蘑菇视频IDIR to support the implementation of Security Council resolution , noting its value as a practical resource for Member States seeking to strengthen national frameworks and capacities.
The side event highlighted the enduring challenges posed by the widespread availability and misuse of firearms in Latin America and the Caribbean, where illicit flows of SALW continue to drive armed violence, insecurity, and instability. Discussions explored the interlinkages between illicit arms trafficking, terrorism, and transnational organized crime, underscoring how these mutually reinforcing threats create enabling environments that can be exploited by both terrorist and criminal actors.
The programme was divided into two sessions: “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“ and “Mapping of lessons and experiences in addressing the proliferation of SALW within Latin America and the Caribbean and in other contexts.“ It was attended by Member States, international and regional organizations, civil society and academia.
Participants underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, information-sharing, border security, stockpile management, and tracing capabilities to prevent the diversion and illicit trafficking of SALW. They also highlighted the need for comprehensive and coordinated approaches that address the links between arms trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism, while building national and regional capacities to prevent and counter these threats. Participants further recognized the important role played by United Nations entities and key regional partners in supporting Member States through technical assistance, capacity-building, policy guidance, and the promotion of regional and international cooperation.
Resources
The concept note and agenda for the side event can be found here.
Photos from the side event are accessible .
For more information about CTED’s other events at 2026 Counter-Terrorism Week, please visit this page.