Cairo, June 8 (IANS/WAM) The UAE is strengthening measures to tackle the illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, and is committed to enforce the UN mandate to control the activity, an official said.
‘This issue has been given top priority in the security and legislative strategy of the UAE,’ Lt. Colonel Isa Al Shamsi, director of arms and explosives at the interior ministry, said at a conference of the Arab states Monday.
In 2001, the UN member-states unanimously adopted the Programme of Action to prevent, combat and eradicate illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all aspects (UNPoA).
Small arms include handguns, pistols, rifles, sub-machine guns, mortars, grenades and light missiles. Light weapons include heavy machine-guns, mounted grenade launchers, portable anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank guns, and portable launchers of anti-tank missile.
–IANS/WAM
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