On 7 December, the UN General Assembly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty Resolution in a vote that included even more supporting states than the resolution’s preceding First Committee vote. In the UNGA vote, 157 States voted in favour of the resolution, with none opposed and 26 abstentions.
Following an earlier vote held during the plenary session of First Committee, an additional ten states voted today in favour of the resolution (Central African Republic, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Lesotho, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Timor Leste, and Vanuatu).
UNGA vote on 2015 ATT resolution
The newly-adopted resolution, amongst other provisions, encourages States Parties and recent signatories of the ATT to:
- Make available their initial report, as well as their first annual report for the preceding calendar year, to enhance confidence, transparency, trust and accountability.
- Provide financial assistance to States likely unable to attend Treaty meetings due to lack of funding.
- Strengthen State cooperation with civil society, including NGOs, industry, and relevant international organisations and to work with other States parties to ensure Treaty implementation.
The resolution also calls on States that have not already signed, ratified, or acceded to the Treaty to do so immediately. Control Arms welcomes its adoption and looks forward to further implementation and universalisation in future.
The Arms Trade Treaty resolution was co-sponsored by more than sixty States.
