The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons continues to endanger global stability, especially in post-conflict regions where non-state actors and traffickers exploit weak institutions. As the General Assembly weighs multiple resolutions, it is essential to distinguish between measures that offer short-term relief and those capable of delivering lasting peace. For this reason, the Syrian Arab Republic supports draft resolution QQQ, which anchors its strategy in Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR), the only approach proven to create durable, long term stability.

DDR has been successfully implemented by the United Nations in varied environments, including Sierra Leone, Nepal and Bosnia, demonstrating that it is flexible, scalable and adaptable to the capacity of individual Member States. Unlike simple buyback programs, which exchange money for weapons without addressing why armed groups exist, DDR removes weapons while also reintegrating former combatants into society. This two-tiered approach reduces both the supply of weapons and the incentive to rearm.

Buybacks alone offer only temporary relief. Without reintegration or economic alternatives, individuals often reenter conflict or acquire new weapons, forcing States to repeatedly buy back arms at growing financial cost. DDR, by contrast, invests in training, employment and community reintegration, breaking the cycle of violence at its roots. Far from being unfeasible, DDR is one of the United Nations most reliable tools for post-conflict recovery.

Draft resolution QQQ also reinforces DDR by strengthening accountability systems, while expanding tracing mechanisms and enhancing border security to disrupt trafficking routes. Together, these measures create the conditions required for DDR to succeed.

For these reasons, the Syrian Arab Republic affirms that DDR is not an idealistic aspiration but a practical, evidence-based strategy. Draft resolution QQQ offers the only sustainable path toward reducing illicit arms flows, stabilizing post-conflict societies and securing a safer future for all.