Arms Trade Treaty
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a multilateral treaty that regulates the international trade in conventional weapons.
It entered into force on 24 December 2014.113 states have ratified the treaty, and a further 28 states have signed but not ratified it.
The ATT is an attempt to regulate the international trade of conventional weapons for the purpose of contributing to international and regional peace; reducing human suffering; and promoting co-operation, transparency, and responsible action by and among states.
The treaty was negotiated in New York City at a global conference under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) from 2–27 July 2012. As it was not possible to reach an agreement on a final text at that time, a new meeting for the conference was scheduled for 18–28 March 2013. On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the ATT.
Explosive devices EWIPA
The current process toward a political declaration aims to address the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, particularly weapons with wide area effects. When explosive weapons are used in populated areas, they cause immediate and long-term harm to the civilian population and civilian infrastructure.2 In particular, the use of EWIPA kills and injures large numbers of civilians and causes psychological harm. Hundreds of thousands of civilians across almost 120 countries have been killed or injured by explosive weapons in the past decade alone, and 90 percent of those civilian casualties occurred in populated areas.3 Reverberating effects include damage to critical infrastructure and displacement of the local population, among other adverse impacts.
Autonomous weapons
Autonomous weapon systems select and apply force to targets without human intervention. After initial activation or launch by a person, an autonomous weapon system self-initiates or triggers a strike in response to information from the environment received through sensors and on the basis of a generalized “target profile”. This means that the user does not choose, or even know, the specific target(s) and the precise timing and/or location of the resulting application(s) of force.
The use of autonomous weapon systems entails risks due to the difficulties in anticipating and limiting their effects. This loss of human control and judgement in the use of force and weapons raises serious concerns from humanitarian, legal and ethical perspectives.
Conventional Arms Data for Accountability (CODA)
The proliferation of conventional arms has been a major challenge in many parts of the world, leading to conflicts, violence, and loss of lives. The situation is particularly dire in Africa, where the availability of small arms and light weapons has contributed significantly to instability and insecurity in many countries. This has resulted in numerous conflicts, civil wars, and acts of terrorism, leading to massive displacement of people, loss of lives, and destruction of property.
The CODA project will contribute significantly to the promotion of transparency and accountability in the transfer and use of conventional arms in Africa through the collection and analysis of data on arms transfers and holdings for the identification trends, gaps, and challenges in the management of conventional arms in the region.
This information will help to make informed decisions while engaging policymakers and other stakeholders on how to better manage the transfer and use of conventional arms, ultimately contributing to peace and security in the region.
We believe that the involvement of religious leaders will be critical as they play a vital role in promoting awareness of the project, encouraging participation, and fostering a culture of accountability and responsibility in the management of conventional arms.
The CODA project will make a significant contribution to the promotion of peace and security in Africa and we are committed to supporting the project and working closely with all stakeholders to ensure its success.