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Central Africa Common Position on the Arms Trade Treaty

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Central Africa Common Position on the Arms Trade Treaty SPECIAL UNREC FOCUS: April 2011 - N°13 CENTRAL AFRICA COMMON POSITION ON THE ARMS TRADE TREATY The adoption of the Sao Tome Declaration on 16 March 2011 Since December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly initiated discussions on an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). In this context, the General Assembly decided to organize in 2012 a Con- ference on the ATT. UNREC provides technical assistance to African States to strengthen their participation in this process. UNREC assisted ECOWAS Member States in the drafting of a com- mon position and is also contributing to the drafting of the African Union common position on the ATT. On 16 March 2011, building on the ECOWAS common position, the eleven member States of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC): Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Repu- blic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda and Sao Tome and Principe adopted the Sao Tome Declaration on a Central African Common Position on the ATT prepared, at their request, by UNREC in its capaci- ty as Secretariat of UNSAC. The Declaration was adopted by concensus following extensive debate on the ATT process within the framework of the 32nd ministerial meeting of UNSAC which took place in Sao Tome from 12 to 16 March 2011. With the Sao Tome Declaration, Central Africa becomes one of the African sub-regions that have harmonized their views on the scope, parameters and implementation of the future ATT. It places Central Africa in a position of strength in the negotiation process. During the heated debates which resulted in the common position, member States constantly evoked their indivi- dual national priorities and concerns with the unchecked flows of weapons which, they said, had affected human security and development in the sub-region seriously over the past de- cades. The Sao Tome Declaration takes into ac- count the Central African specificities and chal- lenges in the fields of human rights, humanita- rian law and security, as well as the issue of weapons circulation. www.unrec.org Page 2 Central Africa is thus making a significant contribution to the process of negotiating a “strong and effective” ATT which is due to conclude in 2012 under the auspices of the United Nations. The report of the 32nd UNSAC ministerial meeting and the full text of the Sao Tome Declaration of Sao Tome are available at the following website address:http://unrec.org/docs/saotome.doc The report of the 30th meeting of the Committee is available on the following website : www.unrec.org. The main provisions of the Sao Tome Declaration The Sao Tome Declaration reiterates UNSAC Member States’ support for the fundamental prin- ciples of international relations: respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect for UN embargoes, the right of States to individual and collective self-defense, the ban on the use of force, States’ responsibility in controlling the flow of weapons and the non-interference in the internal affairs of States. The Sao Tome Declaration also addresses the scope of the future ATT by stating that it should cover all types of conventional arms, including SALW, ammunition and all parts and components that can be used in their manufacture, repair and assembly. Transfers of conventional weapons should be prohibited for non-state armed groups. In addi- tion, activities to be covered by the ATT include: import, export, transit, transshipment, trans- port, brokerage, licensing, re-export, transfers, leases, loans, transfers and donations. Regarding criteria and common parameters, the Declaration states that the ATT must have precise criteria for assessing transfers of conventional weapons, with the understanding that transfers that do not meet the criteria agreed by States Par- ties shall be refused. The criteria mentioned relate to the respect of human rights and international humanitarian law, the prevention of conflict and of armed violence, arms embargoes, the risk of diver- sion into illicit networks, etc. The Declaration affirms the commitment of Central African States to an ATT that imposes natio- nal obligations on its States Parties and that is supported by an international implementation support organ. Dissemination and implementation of the Sao Tome Declaration The Sao Tome Declaration demonstrates the support and commitment of the eleven States of the Committee to adopt a unitary approach to have their voices heard. In this context, UNREC will pro- vide technical assistance to States in the implemen- tation and dissemination of the Declaration. Specific activities will be undertaken with national bodies, international institutions and civil society organiza- tions. www.unrec.org .
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