• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN rights chief hails entry into force of landmark global arms trade treaty

23 December 2014 – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein today hailed the imminent entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) as a landmark step in curbing human rights violations that stem from the poorly regulated international trade of weapons.

"The ATT provides a human rights framework for States to evaluate transfers of conventional arms, ammunition and parts, and so end the flow of weaponry that may be used to commit atrocities and other serious human rights violations," High Commissioner Zeid said in a statement.

The ATT, the first treaty regulating the international trade in conventional arms, comes into force on 24 December, having been ratified by the requisite 50th State in September. States that have ratified the ATT must assess the impact of any arms transfer on human rights and international humanitarian law.

"The lax regulations covering the trade in conventional weapons and the consequent widespread availability and misuse of arms have had a huge human cost. The unregulated arms trade is one of the main drivers of armed conflict and violence, contributing and facilitating the commission of human rights and humanitarian law violations," said the High Commissioner.

"One of the fundamental purposes of the treaty is to reduce human suffering by establishing the highest possible common international standards for regulating or improving the international trade in conventional arms," he added.

The High Commissioner called on all States that have not ratified the ATT to do so and to apply the treaty's provisions to the broadest range of conventional arms. "The ATT is a tool for States to prevent the violence and insecurity resulting from the flow of arms, and in so doing to fulfil their human rights obligations," he said.

States that are party to the ATT should not authorise any transfer if they have knowledge that the arms would contribute to genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. In addition, if there is an overriding risk that exported arms could be used to commit or facilitate a serious human rights violation or a serious violation of international humanitarian law, then such transfers should be stopped.

The High Commissioner added that the work of the UN human rights system, including his Office (OHCHR), the UN treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council mandate holders and the Universal Periodic Review, can provide guidance for States on assessing the impact on international human rights law and humanitarian law of any arms transfer.

The ATT was adopted on 2 April 2013 by the UN General Assembly. As of 23 December, 60 States had ratified the treaty, and 130 had signed it, indicating that they intended to ratify.