US signs historic Arms Trade Treaty

New York, NY – International relief and development organization Oxfam welcomed today’s signing of the Arms Trade Treaty by the United States. As the world’s biggest arms exporter, the United States joins more than half of UN member states that have already signed the treaty. This brings the total number of signatures to 89 in the four months since the treaty opened for signature, and that number is expected to top 100 by the end of the day.

Oxfam urged the US to now live up to the spirit of the treaty by not authorizing any transfer of weapons where there is a major risk of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, such as in the current conflict in Syria. Oxfam also called on the US Senate to quickly ratify the Treaty, and released a report outlining the necessary next steps.

“Today’s signing of the Arms Trade Treaty by the United States is a significant victory for human rights and development,” said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. “While the Arms Trade Treaty cannot reverse history, it could prevent the further fueling of conflict if states begin living up to its principles immediately and refuse to supply arms to countries where they are likely to be used to commit atrocities or other serious human rights abuses.”

The Arms Trade Treaty is the first ever global treaty on the global trade in conventional arms and ammunition, requiring governments to establish common standards for the international trade of weapons. It is the global answer to the inadequate patchwork system of national laws, regional initiatives, and country-specific embargoes that have failed to effectively control the world’s deadliest trade up to now.

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http://www.oxfamamerica.org/press/pressreleases/us-signs-historic-arms-trade-treaty

Why Secretary Kerry did the right thing by signing the Arms Trade Treaty

For the world’s foremost arms exporter, this signature is a powerful step.

Marc Cohen is a Senior Researcher on Humanitarian Policy at Oxfam America.

Today, Secretary of State John Kerry signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) on behalf of the United States. Despite a lot of ill-informed and ill-intentioned criticism of the Treaty, he did the right thing.

As we point out in a new Oxfam briefing paper, Saving lives by common sense, the ATT is an agreement that will have a positive impact on US security, civilians around the world affected by conflict and instability, and poverty alleviation. The Treaty requires arms-exporting countries to refrain from shipments when there is an “overriding risk” that the weapons will support genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. So the ATT places a stigma on arms transfers that are likely to contribute to mass atrocities, violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, terrorism, or global organized crime.

The Treaty requires the governments that sign it to establish effective arms import and export control systems, and also to cooperate and share information about the arms trade. By shining a bright light on one of the world’s least transparent trade sectors, the ATT will inject a new measure of accountability in the global arms bazaar. The Treaty also requires signatory states to assess the risk that arms transfers pose to women and children, and thus offers an important new tool in the worldwide fight against gender-based violence.

The goals of the ATT are in keeping with long-standing US policy and practice. Both Republican and Democratic administrations have sought to keep arms exports from fueling atrocities and have worked to reign in rogue arms dealers. The Treaty will establish a new global regulatory framework for conventional weapons while recognizing that legal arms sales are a legitimate part of international commerce and security.

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http://politicsofpoverty.oxfamamerica.org/2013/09/25/why-secretary-kerry-did-the-right-thing-by-signing-the-arms-trade-treaty/

Following reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry will sign the Arms Trade Treaty on behalf of the USA on Wednesday morning, Salil Shetty, Amnesty International’s Secretary General said:

“This is a milestone towards ending the flow of conventional arms that fuel atrocities and abuse. The USA is the world's largest arms dealer, but has so far had a mixed record of suspending arms supplies on human rights grounds.

“We now need to see this commitment by the US - and the 86 other countries that have signed the Arms Trade Treaty - matched by action. They must implement the Treaty and bring to an end the supply of weapons to countries where they would be used to commit or facilitate genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other serious human rights violations.

“The tragic situation in Syria underlines the horrific human cost of the reckless global arms trade. The Arms Trade Treaty is the opportunity to prevent such human suffering in the future. Governments must seize this once in a lifetime opportunity. The world is now waiting for China and Russia to match the US commitment."

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http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/usa-set-sign-arms-trade-treaty-2013-09-24