UN General Assembly
2011

conflict in the subregion of the Economic Community of West African States, particularly in the Mano River Union basin. However, we are encouraged by the unfolding developments and prospects of relative peace in our sister republics. At the same time, we are concerned about the continued threats posed to peace and stability by the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons across our subregion. International cooperation and assistance are necessary in order to eradicate this menace. Sierra Leone, for its part, recently launched a five-year action plan to expand the scope of its activities concerning small arms and light weapons. Considering the prevailing incidence of violence and armed conflict in various regions of the world, the choice of the theme, “The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes”, for this year’s general debate is relevant and appropriate. Of course, we are quite conscious of the inevitability of disputes in the conduct of inter-State as well as intra-State relations. But it is imperative to respect the set of principles enshrined in Article 2 of