Since 2001 there have been at least 132 undesirable explosive events in ammunition storage depots, resulting in over 3,273 fatalities and 3,809 injured.  Most of these events were preventable and governments must accept their duty of care for future management of conventional ammunition stockpiles. 

Inappropriately managed and insecure national stockpiles of conventional ammunition present an imminent threat to local communities, a security threat to societies and, ultimately, impact on national security. Hundreds die every year because of failures to maintain and manage deteriorating ammunition stockpiles. Many more die through the use of diverted conventional ammunition in conflict and by organised crime. The impact that such explosive events have on lives, health, livelihoods, housing, the environment and sustainable development is difficult to estimate; yet the resultant costs after an explosion of health care, explosive ordnance disposal clearance, environmental damage and loss of direct and indirect income are high. 

In July 2008 the Parliamentary Forum adopted a Policy Statement on the Stockpile Management of Conventional Ammunition.   The Forum recognised that this was a globally developing issue that required deeper parliamentary engagement in all regions, so as to ensure the safety and security of conventional ammunition stockpiles. 

The Forum is now ready to engage with parliaments and parliamentarians across all regions to jointly address these challenges, and to ensure that we place conventional ammunition stockpiles beyond harmful effect.