Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter to take part in the first conference of the treaty regulating the arms trade
Bern, 21.08.2015 - Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter will take part in the First Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) on Monday in Cancun. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 2 April 2013, the treaty, signed by around 130 states of which about 70 – including Switzerland – have already ratified it, is the first to see the international community reach agreement on binding provisions at the level of public international law to regulate the international trade of conventional weapons which are responsible for the death of over 500,000 people a year, according to human rights organisations.
By ratifying the treaty, the States Parties undertake to introduce a national control system and to implement their obligations in a uniform, objective and non-discriminatory manner. The ATT will help combat the illicit trade in conventional arms. The signatory states agree to conduct trade responsibly in order to increase international and regional security and stability and to reduce human suffering.
Each signatory state will in future have to evaluate whether there is a risk of the arms sold being used to infringe an international embargo or violate human rights or of them falling into the hands of criminal networks prior to all transactions (import, export, transit or brokering). The treaty covers the full range of conventional arms, including guns, aircraft, warships and missiles.
Switzerland has been very active in promoting this treaty and will continue to play an active role within the framework of its implementation. This also involves encouraging the expression, as universally as possible, of a political will in this field to ensure progress is achieved on the ground. This pursuit of effectiveness and universality will be strengthened if Geneva’s candidacy to become the seat of the permanent secretariat established under the ATT is accepted.
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