If the vast majority of global homicides involve guns (Amnesty International 2024) and with gun violence reaching endemic levels, how come that gun exports still increase? How come, despite these risks and numbers, that the European arms industry enjoys state-approved exceptions and juridical protections, which in turn enables it to circumvent international sanctions in its exports? At the same time, victims of gun violence struggle to gain information on the arms trade.
In the conference “Improving supply chain accountability for arms exports”, policymakers, experts and CSO representatives from the United States, the European Union, and Guatemala will discuss how to improve arms tracing and regulatory challenges of the arms trade in Europe. PRIF’s Simone Wisotzki will participate in Panel 1: “From manufacture to crime scene: how to improve arms tracing?”, which will be held on 14 May, 10:30 am and will focus on how arms can be traced form manufacturing to crime scenes. The conference is organized by the Asser Institute, Global Rights Compliance, and the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. It is coordinated by Asser Institute’s León Castellanos-Jankiewicz.
When: Monday, 13 and Tuesday, 14 May 2024
Where: Asser Institute for International and European Law, Schimmelpennincklaan 20-22, 2517 JN, The Hague
No entrance fee required. To registration
Program
Day 1: Monday, 13 May 2024
15:00–15:45: Registration
15:45–16:00: Opening
- Christophe Paulussen, Senior Researcher and Acting Academic Director, Asser Institute, The Hague
16:00–17:15: High-Level Policy Roundtable
- Chair: León Castellanos-Jankiewicz, Asser Institute, The Hague
- Panellists:
Amb. Tina Kaidanow, U.S. Department of State, Washington D.C.
Christian Espinoza, Secretary of Strategic Intelligence, Guatemala
18:00: Dinner (by invitation only)
Day 2: Tuesday, 14 May 2024
10:30– 11:45:Panel 1: From manufacture to crime scene: how to improve arms tracing?
- Chair: Alexander St. Leger, Center for Advanced Defence Studies, Washington D.C.
- Panellists:
Simone Wisotzki, PRIF
Andrei Serbin Pont, President, Coordinadora Regional de Investigaciones Económicas y Sociales, Buenos Aires
Daniel Núñez, Academic Director, Diálogos, Guatemala
11:45– 12:45: Lunch
12:45–14:00: Panel 2: Human rights due diligence in the arms industry?
- Chair: Jowita Mieszkowska, Global Rights Compliance, The Hague
- Panellists:
Giovanna Maletta, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Rosa Rosanelli, Vice President and Head of Compliance, Patria Group, Helsinki
Third panellist to be named
14:00–14:30: Coffee/Tea Break
14:30–15:45: Panel 3: Access to remedies for gun violence
- Chair: Antonio Guzmán Mutis, Junior Researcher, Asser Institute, The Hague
- Panellists:
Miguel Reyes Moncayo, Deputy Legal Advisor, Mexican Foreign Ministry, Mexico City
Lissette Vazquez, Programme Officer, Fundación Myrna Mack, Guatemala
Third panellist to be named
15:45–16:00: Closing
16:00: Closing reception