About 60% of the human rights violations documented in a study by amnesty international involved the use of small arms and light weapons. The arms trade treaty att regulates international transfers of conventional arms, as well as their ammunition, parts and components, with a view to reducing. This thesis seeks to investigate the prospects and challenges towards the achievement of an arms trade treaty. The arms trade treaty at a glance arms control association. Major importers of conventional arms, by region, 20062010 and 20112015, as per cent of global share 7 figure 2. This is the united nations treaty collection homepage.
Inform the united nations that the united states will, in fact, abide by its arms trade treaty obligations as a signatory to the treaty and begin educating the senate on the facts and benefits of the att, with a view towards eventual ratification. The 20 arms trade treaty att offers the first comprehensive, global and legally binding standards on the trade and transfer of conventional arms. Pdf the arms trade treaty from a global civil society. In doing so, it will adopt an ideational analysis in order to investigate the emergence. Global arms trade treaty a beginners guide 11 march 20, 00. The arms trade treaty att is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons it entered into force on 24 december 2014. What was the genesis of the att and the problem it was originally negotiated to address. The idea for the treaty was conceived not in the boardrooms of weapons manufacturers, nor in the. Restore export oversight of firearms to the state department. In 2003, oxfam, amnesty international, and the international action network on small arms launched a global control arms campaign for an arms trade treaty. The arms trade treaty att is an international treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional arms and seeks to prevent and eradicate illicit trade and diversion of conventional arms by establishing international standards governing arms transfers. Is your state in a position to provide assistance to other states to enable implementation of the provisions of the arms trade treaty. The arms trade treaty is the first legallybinding instrument ever negotiated in the united nations to establish common standards for the international transfer of conventional weapons.
Donald trump has announced that the us will withdraw its support for a united nations treaty regulating the multibilliondollar global arms trade addressing the national rifle association nra. Global arms trade treatys first conference of states parties. While some general data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers by all suppliers, the principal focus of this report is the level of arms transfers. The treaty was adopted by the united nations general assembly in april 20 and aims to increase transparency and promote responsibility and accountability in international arms transfer decisions. States have a right to selfdefence, but these rights come with responsibilities. Comparative analysis of global instruments on firearms and. In establishing for the first time a global norm for.
Treaties, states parties, and commentaries arms trade. Pdf towards a global arms trade treaty and bangladesh. Apr 26, 2019 donald trump has announced that the us will withdraw its support for a united nations treaty regulating the multibilliondollar global arms trade addressing the national rifle association nra. For the purposes of this treaty, the activities of the international trade comprise export, import, transit, transshipment and brokering, hereafter referred to as transfer. Often this is accompanied with political agendas and propaganda even in the western nations to convince all of us on the need to sustain the high expenditure and increase sales all in the name of global security.
The united states worked closely with our international partners during the negotiations to secure a treaty that advances global security and respects national sovereignty and the legitimate arms trade. On september 25, the united states became the 91st state to sign the treaty. The major hindrance for the impact of the att relates to uncertainty about its global. The arms trade treaty att, approved on 2 april 20 by the united nations general assembly, is the latest instrument in continuing efforts at the international level to contribute to peace, security and stability through preventing and countering illicit trafficking, and complements previous global instruments, including the united nations. Each year, the global trade in conventional arms carries and enormous human cost. The arms trade treaty preamble the states parties to this treaty, guided by the purposes and principles of the charter of the united nations, recalling article 26 of the charter of the united nations which seeks to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with. This has been a stumbling block, with the us calling for ammunition to be excluded from any arms treaty. This page provides some numbers and breakdowns of who sells most of the arms, and who buys them. The landmark arms trade treaty att, regulating the international trade in conventional arms from small arms to battle tanks, combat aircraft and warships entered into force on 24 december 2014. The international arms trade treaty att, presently in discussion, is a potentially historical step to regulate this trade.
Implementing the arms trade treaty and the unpo a 2 how we work the centre for armed violence reduction cavr, an international nongovernmental organisation ngo, provides evidencebased research and services to prevent and reduce armed violence as a necessary precondition of effective and sustainable development. The arms trade in its current form around the world is very irresponsible with western nations and military industry looking to make profits not caring who they sell arms to. The us is the biggest weapons exporter, accounting for nearly onethird of world trade. Apr 26, 2019 president trump effectively unsigned an international arms sales agreement friday, moving to withdraw the u. Trends in international exports of conventional arms 6 figure 2. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the pdf. This treaty shall not apply to the international movement of conventional arms by, or on behalf of, a state party for its use provided that the conventional arms. The arms trade treaty 10 list of boxes and tables boxes 2. The arms trade treaty att is a multilateral treaty to regulate the international trade in conventional arms. In 2009, the new obama administration expressed support for a treaty. The united states initially supported and actively participated in the negotiations on the treaty. The agreement sets global standards for regulating transfers of conventional arms, from rifles to tanks and airplanes. The need for an arms trade treaty att, which will create globally binding regulation of the international trade in conventional weapons for the first. The arms trade treaty att was signed by thensecretary of state john kerry on behalf of the united states on september 25, 20, and was transmitted to the senate by the obama administration on.
Inadequate controls on arms transfers have led to widespread availability and misuse of weapons. Global arms trade treaty a beginners guide amnesty. Samantha nutt, doctor and founder of the international humanitarian organization war child, explores the global arms trade and suggests a bold, common sense solution for ending the cycle of violence. But the att in its current form lacks fundamental elements needed for a. President trump effectively unsigned an international arms sales agreement friday, moving to withdraw the u. The arms trade treaty att, which entered into force in december 2014, is part of the international response to the tremendous human suffering caused by the widespread and poorly regulated availability of conventional weapons. United nations everyone knew it was going to happen. The treaty was adopted by the united nations general assembly on april 2, 20 and opened for signature on june 3, 20. The arms trade treaty will enter into force following ratification by 50 states. The arms trade treaty is a potential groundbreaking humanitarian treaty that would regulate the international trade in conventional weapons. Implications and consequences of the arms trade treaty. The upcoming negotiations on a global arms trade treaty in july, 2012 mark a new development within arms control regimes. Sarah parker, policy support officer for the arms trade treaty, speaks to the global initiative about the impact of the att, its complementarity with other weapons instruments and the international response to the treaty.
Average value of military expenditure in the asean community 8 figure 3. While the nra and a bipartisan majority of progun senators have succeeded in blocking this treatys. Arms trade treaty united states department of state. The att entered into force on december 24, 2014, with the goal of bringing accountability and transparency to the global arms trade. The att is the first treaty to establish legally binding standards for regulating the global trade in conventional weapons. Progress on the treaty, which is expected to be passed by a. The arms trade treaty att would establish a legallybinding global agreement to control the. The small arms survey the small arms survey is a global centre of excellence whose mandate is to generate impartial, evidencebased, and policyrelevant knowledge on all aspects of small arms and armed violence. Serious human rights abuses have been committed around the world using a wide range of weapons, arms, munitions and related materials. After all these years, it is frustrating to know that still, there exist no binding international standards to regulate, control and monitor the massive activities that fall within the boundaries of conventional arms transfers. In april 20, the united nations general assembly adopted the arms trade treaty att to control the virtually unregulated import, export, transit and brokering of conventional arms. To effectively execute these tasks, their armed and security forces legitimately employ a range of weaponry, which they acquire through national production or through import. Permanent representative of australia to the united nations in geneva and ambassador for disarmament. The report typically follows the trends of major arms suppliers, but as was noted in the 2007 grimmett report, there has been an increase in participation of other nontraditional suppliers, such as israel, spain, sweden and ukraine.
Sep 11, 2001 the arms trade is big business, with some trillion dollars being spent on military budgets and purchases each year around the world. This paper complements control arms practical guide on how to use the arms trade treaty to address genderbased violence, which provides guidance on the legal and policy frameworks relevant to gbv and outlines a variety of indicators and other measures export authorities can use to identify and understand risks of gbv in different contexts. Arms tradea major cause of suffering global issues. In 2006, states began exploring the feasibility and elements of a global arms trade treaty.
The treaty will be negotiated at a united nations conference in new york between july 2 27. With support from the united nations trust facility supporting cooperation on arms regulation unscar, our work has focused on applying global arms control instrumentsthe arms trade treaty att and the united nations small arms programme of action unpoapredominantly in southeast asia, the pacific and the caribbean. Apr 02, 20 in 2006, states began exploring the feasibility and elements of a global arms trade treaty. There is currently no effective international legislation on the global arms trade. Implications and consequences of the arms trade treaty att. Nov 07, 2019 the treaty promotes responsibility and transparency in the global arms trade by prohibiting certain kinds of arms transfers and establishing specific criteria for making arms transfer decisions all of which are already reflected in u. In some parts of the world, its easier to get an automatic rifle than a glass of clean drinking water. The purpose of the att, which was finally adopted in 20, is to contribute to international and regional peace, security, and stability, by regulating. The treaty entered into force on 24 december 2014, meaning it officially. It is the first legally binding international treaty to bring the arms trade under control, obliging states to ensure responsible and effective. Government publishing office 114th congress treaty doc.
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