Improving Supply Chain Accountability for Arms Exports

International Conference with Simone Wisotzki

Schriftzug "Asser Institute" mit dem Untertitel "Centre for International & European Law". Rechts daneben das stilisierte Seitenprofil eines Mannes mit Schnurrbart und Glatze

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

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