Small Arms Survey podcast

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 explosives and their diversion poses a significant challenge to national and international efforts aimed at preventing the proliferation of IEDs. Many EPCs, however, are critical components in industrial, commercial, and agricultural work, and restrictions—if not considerate of stakeholders in legitimate supply chains—risk negatively impacting key industries.In Regulating Explosive Precursor Chemicals—the latest Small Arms Survey podcast—Manon Blancafort and Paul Amoroso discuss how effective EPC regulation requires constant vigilance, periodic review and when necessary, updating of threat lists, persistent clear communication, stakeholder engagement, and international collaboration.

[EPISODE IN ARABIC] - In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast, the EU-LAS project implementing partners—INTERPOL, the WCO, and the Small Arms Survey—as well and the League of Arab States, reflect on the challenges related to small arms in the Arab region. They review the progress made in phase two of the project to address these challenges and discuss the work that still lies ahead as preparations for the third phase begin.

As part of a project on Private Security Companies (PSCs), the Survey sought to identify the major challenges faced by PSCs in implementing weapons and ammunition management. Two of the topics explored were human rights and gender. In this podcast episode, our host Emilia Dungel delves into the ins and outs of these two cross-cutting topics within the context of private security companies, with guests Adrian Foster (Strategic Project Advisor at the Survey), Sorcha McLeod (Marie Curie Fellow and Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen), and Callum Watson (Gender Coordinator at the Survey).