arms trade

Marking the first anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on all States that have not yet done so to sign and/or ratify the instrument without delay to facilitate its entry into force.

With 18 countries, including the United States, signing onto a new treaty regulating international trade in conventional arms today on the sidelines of the annual General Assembly high-level debate, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the total number of signatories now exceeded half of all United Nations Member States.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed that countries have a historic opportunity to eliminate excessive and poorly regulated weapons transfers through the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which opened for signature today at the world body’s Headquarters in New York.

The United Nations refugee chief today applauded the approval by the General Assembly of the first-ever treaty to regulate the global arms trade, stressing that it will help to reduce the terrible human cost of this lucrative enterprise.

The United Nations General Assembly has approved a global arms trade treaty that failed to achieve unanimous support last week but garnered the support of a majority of Member States when put to a vote today.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged participants of the United Nations Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to conclude work by 28 March on a comprehensive instrument that would establish standards for international trade in conventional weapons.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today reiterated his support for a comprehensive arms trade treaty ahead of next week’s United Nations conference at which representatives from 193 Member States will seek to reach agreement on this “landmark” instrument.

Countries must seize the opportunity provided by a United Nations conference to regulate conventional arms trade in a way that prevents grave human rights violations, a UN independent expert stressed today.

Ten United Nations agencies and their partners have urged Members States to place humanitarian concerns at the forefront of their discussions aimed at reaching agreement on a comprehensive and robust arms trade treaty.