Calls to curb illicit arms trade goes global

Following the ATT, which entered into force on December 24, 2014 — which took place between September 11 and September 15, 2017, in Geneva, Switzerland, countries across the world have been called upon to ensure significant reduction in illicit arms trade by 2030, which is one of the associated targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.
The conference was attended by 106 states – Nigeria inclusive – international and regional organisations, as well as representatives of society and industry.

Director of the Control Arms Coalition, Anna MacDonald, in her address, called for more action on saving lives, rather than shuffling papers, stating that “governments are too focused on procedures and bureaucracy and not focusing enough on implementation.”

Director of the Institute of Church and Society Nigeria, an organisation represented by the Control Arms Coalition, Very Reverend Kolade Fadahunsi, called for participating states to the ATT to show more efforts towards considering universal implementation and
transparency a duty, in order to reduce human suffering in South Sudan and North-East Nigeria.

Ms Radhya Al-Mutawakel of the Mwatana Organisation for Human Rights, an organisation represented under the umbrella of the Control Arms Coalition, in her testimony, highlighted the effects of weapons in her home country, Yemen, and called for an immediate stop to the “transfer of weapons to Saudi Arabia and all other countries this week where they are being used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law. There should also be an international independent commission to investigate the violations by all parties in the conflict in Yemen as the first step towards accountability and the end of impunity.”

Present at the conference, in which Mr Dumisani Dladla was confirmed as the secretary of the conference in line with his capacity as head of the secretariat, included: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Finland, Mr Timo Soini; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Swiss Confederation, Mr Didier Burkhalter; Ambassador Klaus Korhonen of Finland; Under-Secretary-General and UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms Izumi Nakamitsu, among others.

Recommendations at the conference included: thematic discussion that explored and highlighted the links and synergies between the Treaty and 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda with particular reference to Goal 16 of the SDGs – the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies – and one of its associated targets – a significant reduction in illicit arms flow by 2030; highlighting the importance of the Voluntary Trust Fund, a facility established to give effect to international implementation assistance, through the deposit and disbursement of funds, to support requesting states parties in implementing their obligations under the treaty; adoption of the fourth conference of states parties, submitted by the secretariat.