As part of the “100 Days of Speaking Out!”, a countdown to the treaty negotiations, Control Arms will regularly feature stories and profiles of different people who support a bulletproof ATT.
A new Oxfam report which looks at how the poorly-regulated arms trade is paralyzing development in some of the poorest countries in the world is being published on June 13.The report is being launched ahead of the Arms Trade Treaty talks that will be held in New York July 2-27.
The report argues that the illicit and irresponsible global trade in arms and ammunition weakens the ability of governments to sustain progress in development. It says that military expenditure in fragile and conflict-affected countries grew by 15 per cent between 2009 – 2010, while Official Development Assistance (ODA) grew by only 9 per cent.
With just weeks to go before diplomats meet at the United Nations, Oxfam says that a specific criteria on development as part of the Arms Trade Treaty is one of the best ways to ensure that arms sales do not have a negative impact on socio-economic development.
