Arms Trade Treaty: Momentum builds for the elephant baby…

The “Open Minded Working Group” was a slip of the tongue one country delegate made
in his opening statement at this week’s talks on the Arms Trade Treaty (formally known as the Open Ended Working Group.) If only, was the feeling of my NGO colleagues and I listening from the back of the room.

The talks began slowly, and we heard a number of negative interventions from States not yet convinced global arms regulation is really needed. But today, things picked up and there was new energy in the room and strong statements of support coming from all corners of the world, including Liberia, the Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Cote D’Ivoire, UK, Kenya, Nigeria and Norway. Between them they called for an Arms Trade Treaty to be based clearly on international human rights law, international humanitarian law and sustainable development. The US also showed new openness to engage in constructive dialogue in a promising intervention.

Whilst slower than we would like it’s clear that momentum is building, and that many states are ready to see the development of a Treaty with real teeth. Meaning a treaty that will help put an end to the irresponsible arms transfers that fuel conflict, poverty and human rights abuses around the world. As many times before the Nigerian representative summed it all up better than anyone through a proverb from his country, stating that whilst a “rat takes 4 weeks to have a baby, an elephant needs 24 months. A tough ATT is an elephant baby”.

Tomorrow the Chair will circulate his draft report, what it will say and whether states will agree it remains to be seen.  I’ll keep you posted.