Abstract
On April 2nd this year, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed the Arms Trade Treaty with a majority vote that has been described as a landmark achievement by many analysts. The issue was brought into the limelight by wide scale violations of basic human rights witnessed during a series of crises in different parts of the world. The efforts towards this end started in early 1990s with Amnesty International’s advancement of the cause. With a maturation process still to follow, the treaty must be recognized as a step towards strengthening international as well as human security. It directly links the trade among parties in conventional arms to the state of human rights.
Awareness about the issue gradually increased due to the support of Nobel Laureates, NGOs and many others, leading to the establishment of a Code of Conduct on Arms Exports by European Union in 1998, which was revised in 2000. Things kept evolving until the debate gained vigor after re-entering UN in 2006. A UNGA resolution supporting the treaty was finally passed in 2009, when Obama administration decided to get on board. The ATT has now been passed. Majority of states have approved the treaty, but initially the states could not be mobilized effectively and the draft was taken to the General Assembly as a last resort, where it was finally adopted by a majority vote.
ATT is unique in comparison to other trade regulating frameworks due to the altruistic spirit which underlies it. Its emphasis is on human security; trying to minimize the violations of basic human rights due to inappropriate and illicit use of arms. It appears to be an improvement over the existing situation, but the draft at this initial stage brings to mind lots of questions regarding the logic, final shape and likely implementation mechanisms that would impact the future shape of the treaty.