The United Nations has overwhelmingly approved (154-3 with 23 abstentions) a landmark treaty regulating trade in conventional arms.
The legally-binding treaty sets international standards to regulate the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons – from battle tanks, warships and attack helicopters to small arms and light weapons. Major arms exporters, such as the United States and Russia, as well as major importers like China, India and Pakistan, took part in the negotiations.
Daryl Kimball, head of the Arms Control Association, an independent research firm, said the treaty is “historic in the sense that it is the first time that there will be international standards to guide how countries authorize weapons transfers – and the first time that there will be annual reporting on those transfers by all of the state signatories of the new arms trade treaty.”
Human Rights Part of Arms Treaty
Martin Butcher, arms policy adviser with the international humanitarian organization Oxfam, said the treaty also establishes key human rights criteria.
“It’s really important that this treaty puts human rights and humanitarian law in control of the arms trade,” said Butcher. “The states will now have obligations not to transfer weapons to countries where human rights are being abused, where for example civilians are being killed by a government – that’s a strong obligation.”
Paul Holtom, arms transfer expert with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), said the treaty also regulates the transfer of ammunition.
Ammunition Regulated by Treaty
“The case has been made very strongly by states from Latin America and Africa that they feel it’s one thing to control the weapons, to control items,” said Holtom, “but they feel that it’s the small munitions that are a key problem in terms of the fuel for many of the conflicts.”
Daryl Kimball agreed, saying “we have to remember that AK-47s last a long, long time – these are durable weapons. But they can’t function without a fresh supply of ammunition. So these requirements on the export of ammunition are very important.”
No Enforcement Mechanisms
Some experts pointed out that the treaty does not have any enforcement mechanisms. But Oxfam’s Martin Butcher said other means can be used to make states accountable for their actions.
“There will be a lot of moral pressure on countries. They will come together on a regular basis and scrutinize what each other is doing,” said Butcher. “And we shouldn’t underestimate the power of that moral pressure on countries to make them change their behavior.”
The United Nations approval of the treaty brings to a close seven years of negotiations. The pact will now be open for signature and will become part of international law once 50 countries ratify it.
