The firearm and ammunition industry now has a seat at the world table of the United Nations (UN). The 191-country, international relations body has granted official consultative status to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI).

SAAMI, founded in 1926, publishes voluntary industry quality and safety standards, coordinates technical manufacturing data, and promotes safe and responsible firearms use. With its new UN designation, SAAMI is now a global resource for scientific facts on guns and ammunition.

In securing the official designation, SAAMI Managing Director Rick Patterson delivered a presentation to the UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), then for nearly an hour answered questions and responded to concerns regarding firearm industry involvement in UN issues. Final approval was handed down in July.

SAAMI becomes only the fourth firearms-related, non-government organization to be officially recognized by the United Nations. One of the other key firearms and hunting-related NGOs in consultative status is the World Forum on the Future of Shooting Sports Activities (WSFA) which includes many other organizations in the US and other countries.

“The UN creates treaties and model regulations. It’s important for our industry to have a voice in both of these arenas,” said Patterson. “First, international treaties are critical because a treaty actually supersedes the US Constitution, so SAAMI can now speak up during deliberations over any treaties that could ultimately render America’s Second Amendment null and void.

“Second, the United Nations is very active in developing international regulations. There are thousands upon thousands of model regulations for countries to adopt, and SAAMI now has an official opportunity to provide input in the creation of these models. We can’t prevent politicians from deliberately making bad decisions, but we can make sure they don’t unintentionally make bad decisions from a lack of knowledge,” said Patterson.

The UN has been very active in deliberations leading to prospective global gun control regulations that relate to citizens of all countries, government to government transactions and the manufacture and commerce in firearms. Some of these deliberations are clearly part of development of a Program of Action on Firearms while others are linked to the UN’s anti-crime and human rights deliberations.

A UN meeting on transnational crime, which is scheduled for Vienna, Austria, in October, is expected to all take up the issue of firearms marking, trafficking and other regulations.