17 July 2012

The Arms Trade Treaty

This commentary discusses the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in July 2012. While the Arms Trade Treaty initiative remains the most important initiative relating to conventional arms regulation within the United Nations, the lack of consensus on issues of scope, parameters and criteria and implementation and international assistance makes it likely that we could end up with a weak treaty. However, if provisions for subsequent revisions are made in the treaty, it could provide the scope for incremental improvements and realization of a treaty that sufficiently addresses the risks arising from illicit arms transfers.

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