commerce des armes

A major diplomatic negotiation aiming to regulate the trade in weapons and ammunition is at risk of failing due to member states’ insistence to give every state the right to veto a future treaty, according to the Control Arms coalition.

In reaction to the delay in Arms Trade Treaty Talks, Jeff Abramson, Director of the Secretariat of the Control Arms Coalition said:

According to new figures, more than $2.2 billion worth of arms and ammunition have been imported since 2000 by countries operating under arms embargoes.

More than $2.2 billion worth of arms and ammunition have been imported since 2000 by countries operating under arms embargoes, according to new figures released today by international humanitarian agency Oxfam.

Baffour Amoa, spokesperson for the Control Arms Coalition said:

New York : Campaigners today called on governments meeting at the United Nations to ensure no weapons or munitions are sold to human rights abusers. The call came as delegates meet this week to resume negotiations on a global, legally-binding Arms Trade Treaty.

States must use every available minute to draw up a new international arms treaty that could save thousands of lives every year, NGOs from around the world said today as negotiators from 192 governments begin formal talks at the United Nations on Monday.

On 6 December 2006, the UN General Assembly first voted to work towards an Arms Trade Treaty to protect civilians worldwide from irresponsible arms transfers.

Irresponsible arms transfers are undermining many developing countries’ chances of achieving their Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets.