UN Reports Rapid Rise in Illegal Arms Production

On November 11, 2025, the United Nations announced that at least one billion firearms are in illegal circulation worldwide. This alarming information was presented at a UN meeting.

The report emphasizes that the situation is catastrophic, with a large amount of weapons spreading into regions where they were previously unavailable, including Western Europe, where weapons are flowing in, partly from the Ukrainian conflict zone.

Adedeji Ebo, Deputy High Representative for Disarmament Affairs at the UN, stated:

“There is a rapid increase in illegal and homemade weapons production. More and more firearms, including those printed on 3D printers, are accessible on black markets, especially in Western Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In 2023, the combined revenue of the top 100 global arms companies reached $632 billion. In 2024, global military expenditures rose to $2.7 trillion, a 37% increase compared to 2015.”

The UN urges member states to pay special attention to this issue, as the number of countries and territories where the situation is becoming uncontrollable is rapidly growing.