Small Arms Survey

28/05/2026

How can the HDP Nexus help structure responses from humanitarian, development, and peace practitioners to IED threats, while preserving distinct mandates and principles? Read our new blog post:

'Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continue to cause deaths and injuries, endanger communities, and undermine both development and recovery across conflict and crime-affected contexts. Attacks on civilian infrastructure, such as bridges, roads, and communication towers, isolate communities, preven...

21/05/2026

The political ascent of South Sudan’s former Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel was meteoric, and his downfall was just as rapid.

Our 2025 Situation Update traces Bol Mel’s political career, from businessman who funneled state funds into the president’s pockets, to Vice-President, to dismissal and house arrest. As dramatic as this story is, it’s a familiar pattern under Kiir: build up potential successors until their ambitions are revealed, then remove them. Bol Mel, Paul Malong Awan, Nhial Deng Nhial, and Akol Koor Kuc—all thought indispensable, and all dismissed with minimal fuss.

Salva Kiir has ruled South Sudan for two decades. Now 74, in poor health, and having postponed national elections to 2026, the question of succession has been a steady feature of political debate in Juba. Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel, backed by Kiir’s family after diverting state funds into the...

19/05/2026

Armed violence in Ukraine doesn’t just happen at the frontlines. According to official estimates, there are between 1 and 5 million illicit fi****ms circulating in the country. The Survey’s research, conducted with Center for Security Studies CENSS, identified the importance of preventing the misuse of civilian-held fi****ms in order to guarantee long-term safety and stability. Our partnership with Norwegian People's Aid has allowed us to translate this into concrete projects. Throughout April 2026, a new training course was piloted in Kyiv and Kamianske to give Administrative Service Centre staff skills in fi****ms and explosive threat identification, conflict psychology and de-escalation techniques, and safe behaviour protocols in order to ensure the safety of citizens accessing public services, as well as their staff.

More here: https://censs.org/the-center-for-security-studies-censs-is-continuing-its-series-of-training-sessions-for-employees-of-the-administrative-service-centers-on-security-awareness/?lang=en

13/05/2026

Have there been notable shifts in the mechanics of illicit fi****ms trafficking in the Caribbean, including with respect to trafficking from the United States?

Maritime shipments from the United States continue to be a major vector for illicit trafficking, with procurement and shipment of illicit fi****ms from the US concentrated in southern coastal states. Seizures of rifles—especially AR- and AK-pattern models—have risen in recent years, but still comprise a small percentage of all seized fi****ms.

Read more in our 2025 Report on firearm-related violence and trafficking in the Caribbean here:

The Caribbean region continues to suffer from high levels of firearm-related violence, with worrying developments that include the recruitment of children and adolescents into armed gangs, shootings in hospitals, and a surge in gang violence. Most of the weapons seized from perpetrators of these and...

13/05/2026

We were delighted to welcome Raymond Johansen, Secretary General of Norwegian People's Aid, and his team to the Survey this week—not only to celebrate the opening of their new offices in Geneva, but also to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between our organizations.

This global strategic partnership strengthens our joint work on , supporting countries with data, analysis, policy dialogue, capacity development, and safe storage and destruction of weapons and ammunition. The Memorandum reflects years of collaboration, including joint work in and the .

In a world of complex challenges and limited resources, strong partnerships built on shared values and a commitment to meaningful change are more important than ever.

We thank NPA for their continued partnership and look forward to deepening our cooperation and exploring new opportunities for joint initiatives.

06/05/2026

يتطلب التعافي الفعال من آثار الانفجارات العرضية في مخازن الذخائر وضع خطط طوارئ تعتمد على التشاور مع مختلف فئات المجتمع لتحقيق فهم أفضل للمعايير الاجتماعية والثقافية القائمة على النوع الاجتماعي.

تتناول أحدث مدونة لنا حول دراسة حالة جديدة لانفجار في إفريقيا، وتسلط الضوء على الدروس المستفادة التي يمكن أن يعتمد عليها المجتمع الدولي لتعزيز تطوير الأبحاث والبيانات، بما يسهم في تحسين توجيه الأنشطة الداعمة إلى تنفيذ .
https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/node/6681

06/05/2026

How can states effectively address the gendered impacts of unplanned explosions at munitions sites?

Our blog post discusses a recent case study of a in Africa and highlights the need for greater research and data in order for member states to implement Objective 14 of the . It explores not only the immediate aftermath but also the longer term consequences of the incident on the civilian population, and how that differed between genders:

Par Callum Watson et Mines Advisory Group

29/04/2026

Latin America accounted for only 2.8% of reported global small arms imports and 6.3% of exports from 2019-2024. Yet about 10% of the region’s imports concerned military fi****ms—well above the global average of 5.6%. Meanwhile, European imports accounted for 40% of all reported global imports in 2024, driven by Eastern European imports and the impact of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Our new Situation Update, prepared as part of a collaborative project with partners including CCDP PUC Rio and Instituto Sou da Paz and supported by SNIS, examines the global authorized trade in small arms, with a focus on Latin America, between 2019 and 2024.

Read the Situation Update here:

Situation Update: Latin AmericaBased on UN Comtrade data, reported global small arms and light weapons (hereafter ‘small arms’) exports rose sharply from USD 5 billion in 2019 to USD 9.2 billion in 2024. Consistent with previous trade updates, ammunition remains the most traded weapon category, ...

24/04/2026

The Survey’s Manon Blancafort recently co-authored an article with Yulia Yarina that provides an overview of drug and firearm trafficking interlinks in the Caribbean, pointing to a possible nexus between the two. Based on an open-source dataset and building on the Survey’s work in the region, this analysis maps seizure patterns over one year, identifies regional hotspots, and examines how trafficking intent affects joint seizures. Read it here:

The Caribbean region has emerged as an epicentre of transnational organised crime, where fi****ms are not only tools of protection but also increasingly function as both currency and commodities wi...

22/04/2026

Fi****ms cannot maim and kill without ammunition, yet their seizures are frequently overlooked when not accompanied by fi****ms. Our 2025 blog post on ammunition seizures in the Caribbean highlights notable trends as well as the impact on public health:

By Yulia Yarina