Small Arms Survey

Thanks to all the participants at our training event two weeks ago in Mauritania. As part of our EU-LAS III project, the workshop focused on how weapons & ammunition management helps build national capacities to combat diversion and illicit trafficking across and within borders.

Last week Survey Director Mark Downes participated in the launch of the @gvagrad.bsky.social ’s #GenevaPolicyOutlook 2026 to discuss his contribution to the publication.

Read the #GPO2026 here: www.genevapolicyoutlook.ch

Making the Enemy: The War in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal States Clashes in South Sudan’s Western Bahr el Ghazal and Western Equatoria are not a breakdown of order; they fulfil a political purpose. This disorder has enabled President Salva Kiir’s regime to weaken…

The disorder generated by conflict in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal states has enabled Salva Kiir’s regime to inflict political defeats on its opponents in Juba, while fracturing opposition forces in the periphery.

More here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/mak...

Weapons Compass: Proliferation and Control of Arms and Ammunition in Wartime Ukraine Since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, vast quantities of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition have been deployed to the front lines, some of which have been lost…

What are the main elements of Ukraine’s regulatory framework on arms and ammunition, and what improvements are needed to tackle the various proliferation challenges arising from the war?

Find out more in our recent joint Report with CENSS: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/wea...

Wun Weng’s Victory: The Rise and Fall of Benjamin Bol Mel 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…

What does the rise and fall of South Sudan’s former Vice-President Benjamin Bol Mel indicate about the future of the country?

Find out in this HSBA Situation Update launched in December: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/wun...

Pathway to Policy: Firearms Trafficking and Public Health in the Caribbean 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 the Caribbean, have the types of illicit firearms circulating and being misused evolved in recent years? And with what implications for crime, violence, and public health?

Find out in our recent Report launched last December: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/pat...

There was a sharp decrease in respondents’ exposure to firearm safety awareness campaigns in Ukraine in 2025. More in this infographic, updated with data from a population survey conducted in Ukraine in October of last year: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/civ...

How can women diplomats be better supported in their involvement with the Arms Trade Treaty? At the recent event organized by @controlarms.bsky.social , Latvia, @unidir.org , @icrc.org and the ATT Secretariat, the Survey led a session on on ATT universalization and women's meaningful participation

Explosions accidentelles dans les dépôts de munitions : impacts sexospécifiques / The Gendered Impacts of Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites « À ce jour, les données sur les victimes des UEMS sont rarement ventilées par sexe et il n’existe que peu d’analyses des impacts sexospécifiques des UEMS sur les populations civiles à court, moyen…

Drawing on interviews conducted by national researchers in a neighbourhood impacted by a UEMS incident in Africa, this blog post from 2025 highlights the need for more research on gender-differentiated effects to better support the implementation the GFA: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/exp...

The Authorized Trade in Small Arms: Latin America from a Global Perspective 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 20...

Ammunition remains the most traded small arms category worldwide, accounting for 35% of the value of reported global imports for the period 2019–24. Read more in this Situation Update from 2025, part of a collaborative project supported by SNIS: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/aut...

Civilian firearms in Ukraine since the Russian invasion How have civilian attitudes and perceptions towards firearms in Ukraine been impacted by the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion?The Small Arms Survey has been monitoring what impact the ongoing war has…

How do Ukrainians feel about current firearms regulations? Our population survey from January 2025 shows that 56% of respondents think that regulations should be stricter, and 73% believe that firearm possession should be limited to specific weapon types: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/civ...

Drivers of Extremist Sympathies: Security, Ideology, and Firearms in Lebanon and Tunisia Lebanon and Tunisia share a common struggle against extremism, but the social, political, religious, and ideological make-up of each country is quite different. The Small Arms Survey conducted a…

By contrast, in Tunisia, those who believed that firearms were essential in their community were 57% more likely to sympathize with extremist groups. Find out more here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/dri...

Drivers of Extremist Sympathies: Security, Ideology, and Firearms in Lebanon and Tunisia Lebanon and Tunisia share a common struggle against extremism, but the social, political, religious, and ideological make-up of each country is quite different. The Small Arms Survey conducted a…

Based on a general population survey, this 2025 #SANA paper demonstrates that in Lebanon, respondents with #firearms in their household were 28% more likely to sympathize with extremist groups.

Small Arms Survey Podcast #56: Regulating Explosive Precursor Chemicals The dual-use nature of explosive precursor chemicals (EPCs) makes implementing counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) measures complicated. These chemicals are misused to manufacture improvised…

Explosive precursor chemicals are not only components in IEDs but also have industrial and agricultural uses. This podcast from 2025 discusses the need for a collaborative approach that secures supply chains effectively while minimizing regulatory burdens: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/sma...

Linking the Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites Database to the Global Framework on Ammunition Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) pose challenges on a global scale as they can occur anywhere. Since 2009, the Small Arms Survey has developed and maintained a database on UEMS,…

Proper #ammunition management practices, as promoted by the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, can prevent—or at least mitigate—the effects of unplanned explosions at munitions sites #UEMS. More in our 2025 Fact sheet: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/lin...

The Bullet Trail: A Year of Ammunition Seizures in the Caribbean and What They Mean for Public… By Yulia Yarina

Criminals replace #ammunition more frequently than they acquire #firearms. Investigating illicit ammunition can provide information on supply chains and entry points for action. Read more in our 2025 blog post on ammunition seizures in the Caribbean: smallarmssurvey.medium.com/the-bullet-t...

The regional profiles of illicit small-calibre ammunition (2015-2021) Under the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, States committed to enhance the marking and tracing of conventional ammunition under national ownership and control…

Markings on recovered illicit ammunition provide data that helps authorities identify leads in suspected cases of ammunition trafficking and diversion, and yield information on subregional, regional and international trends. More in our 2025 infographic: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/reg...

National Action Plans as Tools for Effective Small Arms Control: Lessons from West Africa Guidance provided at the Fourth Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons in June 2024 underscored the importance of aligning national action plans (NAPs) with…

#NAPs help foster diverse, meaningful participation in national and local #smallarmscontrol processes, deepen understanding of the root causes of violence, and address small arms control from a #development perspective. More in this paper from 2025: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/nat...

A History of Outsourced Violence: The Rise of the Rapid Support Forces, Libyan National Army, and Wagner Group In the war against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have relied on external backing and regional partnerships that extend well beyond Sudan’s borders. While these…

In the war against the Sudanese Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces have relied on external backing and regional partnerships that extend well beyond Sudan’s borders.
Our new Situation Update examines the history of outsourced violence in the region: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/out...

We are seeking expressions of interest from data experts to provide key content expertise to support the Survey’s data-related projects. Interested? Please send your expression of interest and a short CV to nathalie.fauvarque@smallarmssurvey.org by 5 February 2026.
#callforinterest #consultancy

Developing Strategies and National Action Plans on Small Arms Control Guidance provided at the Fourth Review Conference of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons in June 2024 underscored the importance of aligning national action plans (NAPs) with…

The effectiveness of #NAPs is enhanced when human security, sustainable #development, good #governance, & #gender sensitivity are built into their design. Our How-to guide, from 2025, presents ways these perspectives can be included to strengthen NAP impact: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/dev...

On The Brink: The Politics of Violence in South Sudan South Sudan is once again on the brink of war. The regime of South Sudanese President Salva Kiir is bombing civilians and detaining the opposition, while foreign embassies close and evacuate staff.…

The system created by Kiir’s mode of rule prevented the electoral process and blocked the Tumaini Peace Initiative. As our #BriefingPaper from 2025 discusses, the price of this unchecked power is civil war in #SouthSudan. Read more here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/bri...

Up Close and Personal: Lessons Learned from a Municipal Disarmament Operation in Pehuajó, Argentina By Juan Francisco Martos and Romina Guilarducci with Callum Watson

#Argentina recorded 250 #femicides in 2023; 75% were committed in the context of domestic violence & 21% were committed with a #firearm. This blog post from 2025 discusses a civilian disarmament initiative in Pehuajó that could inspire similar responses: smallarmssurvey.medium.com/up-close-and...

We are grateful for all the support our work has received this year, and wish everyone a safe and peaceful 2026!
For more information about our projects, visit smallarmssurvey.org

Weapons Compass: Proliferation and Control of Arms and Ammunition in Wartime Ukraine Since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, vast quantities of small arms, light weapons, and ammunition have been deployed to the front lines, some of which have been lost…

More findings from our series of surveys—and deeper analysis on weapon proliferation and arms control in Ukraine—can be found in our Report ‘Weapons Compass: Proliferation and Control of Arms and Ammunition in Wartime Ukraine’. More information here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/wea...

Civilian firearm possession and safety in Ukraine since the Russian invasion What are civilian attitudes to and experiences with firearm safety and training in Ukraine?In line with the Small Arms Survey’s on-going monitoring of the impact that war has had on Ukrainian…

33% of Ukrainian respondents have received some form of official firearm safety training.
Out now an update to key findings from our latest population survey. Read more here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/civ...
@germany.diplo.de @npaid.bsky.social

South Sudan: Succession, Conflict Dynamics, and Implications for Stability On 28 November 2025, the Small Arms Survey's HSBA project hosted a webinar discussing South Sudan’s power struggles, emerging conflicts, and the growing uncertainty surrounding Kiir’s…

Conflicts in Western Equatoria and Western Bahr el Ghazal.
White armIES mobilization in Upper Nile and Jonglei.
Succession uncertainty in Juba.
What does this mean for stability in #SouthSudan?

Find out more in this #HSBA webinar, recorded on 28 November: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLkY...

More than Might: How inclusive and accountable strategies can transform C-IED responses 'For years, the response to IEDs was predominantly a military one, focusing on efforts to 'defeat the device', 'attack the networks', and 'prepare the force'. While these steps are important, they…

How effective has modern counter-IED (C-IED) doctrine been at addressing the impact of IEDs on local communities? Out today, we discuss past and current C-IED approaches, their drawbacks, and how adopting a whole-of-society approach could enhance their impact.
www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/mor...

A Country for Old Men: The State of the Nuer White Armies of South Sudan In Thuok Riekni, the camp of the SPLM/A-IO-loyal Gawaar Nuer prophet Makuach Tut, one can grasp the predicament of South Sudan’s present. The government has completely withdrawn from service…

Published today, our new Briefing Paper on South Sudan examines the state of the Nuer self-defence forces, commonly referred to as the white armies, and the role they play in the country’s fractured politics and shattered peace.

Read more here: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/cou...

Out today, our new joint Report with CENSS on proliferation and control of arms and
ammunition in wartime Ukraine: www.smallarmssurvey.org/resource/wea...

This Report was produced with support from @germany.diplo.de