Ghana has become the 79th State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), just days before the Treaty’s first anniversary of entering into force. Their instrument of ratification was deposited at the United Nations in New York on 22 December 2015.
Throughout the Treaty negotiations, Ghana consistently played a leadership role in calling for the highest possible standards in an ATT. This was particularly true of the push to include ammunition in the scope of the ATT – a contentious issue on which African nations were strong and united.
‘Ghana played a significant role during the ATT negotiations. It is therefore gratifying that Ghana now has become a State Party!’ says Baffour Amoa, former president of the West African Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA), a Control Arms member. ‘It also shows the great effort WAANSA played in the ratification process in the 15 Member States of ECOWAS. Their efforts have greatly contributed in achieving to date 11 ratifications so far in the ECOWAS Region. It is our hope that the remaining four – Benin, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde will soon come on board.’
The year since the Treaty’s entry into force has been an active one. The Treaty gained an overall 18 new States Parties, predominantly from CARICOM and sub-Saharan Africa, and the first Conference of States Parties was held successfully. Looking ahead, the Control Arms Coalition anticipates that the momentum will continue and looks forward to working alongside States Parties as they begin to implement the Treaty.
