Arms Availability and Violations of International Humanitarian Law and the Deterioration of the Situation of Civilians in Armed Conflicts

Oslo, Norway, 18-20 May 1998

Prepared by the International Committee of the Red Cross and published by the Norvegian Red Cross

Table of Contents

Preface

Welcoming remarks

1.  The human costs of unrestrained arms transfer and the response to date
-Health effect of weapons: issues and ICRC experience
-Case study: southern Africa
-Case study: India-Pakistan-Afghanistan
-Case study: Mali-Towards a moratorium on arms import, export and manufacture
-Case study: sub-regional efforts in Central and South America

2. Controlling arms availability at the international level
-The OAS Convention against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms,ammunition,explosive and other related materials
-Controlling the availibility and unlawful use of arms at the international level:the United Nations and civil society

3. Developing a humanitarian law approach to the problem of arms availibility

4. Potential national action and policy-discussion

5. Potential regional action and policy-discussion

6. Potential international action and policy-discussion

7. Summary report of the Expert Group

8. Concluding remarks

Annexes
-Programme
-Participants list