UN Arms Trade Treaty to take effect in December

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — An ambitious treaty designed to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade will take effect on Dec. 24 after it was ratified Thursday by five more countries. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement that more than 50 countries have now ratified the treaty, meaning it will soon take force. “Today marks a milestone,” Ban said,… Read More

Fifth Biennial Meeting of States on Illicit Trade in Small Arms

By Jennifer Fierberg In a Press Release by the General Assembly of the UN dated 16 June 2014, they stated: “Since 2003, Member States have gathered to consider implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, adopted in 2001.  The Programme of Action prescribes… Read More

Further ratifications show wide global support for Arms Trade Treaty

Urgent call from campaigners for extra push from states – especially African countries – to ratify and help treaty enter into force and save lives New York, June 3 2014: Campaigners say the Arms Trade Treaty which will control the poorly-regulated trade in weapons and ammunition is more urgent now than ever before as the death toll in conflicts across the… Read More

“Africans want to lead a peaceful and progressive life” ~ An interview with Brigadier General Mujahid Alam

By: Jennifer Fierberg While in New York City at the United Nations covering the Arms Trade Treaty negotiations I had the amazing opportunity to interview Retired Pakistani Brigadier General Mujahid Alam on his role in the negotiations and how a strong Arms Trade Treaty could affect Central Africa. General Alam spent fifteen years in Central Africa and wrote a very… Read More

Statement from Vision GRAM regarding the Adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty-

Wednesday April 3, 2013   Today Vision GRAM celebrates the victory of the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty. After a long battle, 154 states voted in favor, with 23 abstentions and 3 voting against. This is significant, as states took this RESPONSIBLE action on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world whose lives will be saved… Read More

Take it or Leave it

By Jennifer Fierberg Control Arms has published their reaction to the final draft of the Arms Trade Treaty. Just before the negotiations ended earlier today the President of the committee stated “take it or leave it” and then an hour later the final draft was published. Control Arms is an organization formed to support a strong Arms Trade Treaty and… Read More

Failure is not an option

By: Jennifer Fierberg For the next two weeks numerous NGO’s, world government leaders and other groups will convene on the United Nations to negotiate the Arms Trade Treaty that failed to be reached in July 2012.This treaty has been in the making for six years. The goal of this treaty is to create a level playing field for international arms… Read More