Last April, after six years of negotiations and more than 10 years of campaigning by civil society, the international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) passed to “resounding applause and loud cheers” in the United Nations General Assembly Hall. Two months later, on June 3, the treaty opened for signature by the 193 member states. Over 60 countries signed the ATT that very day, with the United States-the world’s largest arms exporter-expected to follow suit soon.
-snip-
“Even with the consensus process this is far beyond what we expected…even though the criteria do not line up with the Arias Code of Conduct, or the original Amnesty International proposal.” –Rachel Stohl, Stimson Center
To read the full story, click here.