Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) final negotiating conference in February 2012

By Adina Moloman

Source: Arms Trade Treaty Preparatory Committee; SRE

Despite the bad publicity caused by drug violence, foreign investment continues to pour into the region of Baja California. Mexico Government and Maquiladora Industry associations are more concerned to increase security measures for foreign companies.

The focus of the discussion is on the guns that fuel such violence is taking shape.

Mexico has very strict gun-ownership laws, but this does not imply that the situation is perfectly controlled; however most of the guns are trafficked illegally from the United States.

In order to attend this kind of issue, On October 30 2009, UN members voted in favour of forming an Arms Trade Treaty were 153 countries voted in favour, 19 abstained and one country (Zimbabwe) voted against.

Negotiations on the Treaty began in 2010, were The General Assembly also indicated that four sessions of the Open-ended Working Group will be held as Preparatory Committee sessions before the expected adoption of the Treaty by the Conference in 2012.

The final session is scheduled for 13-17 February 2012, were it is expected to be concluded with an concrete legal instrument so as to improve transparency in arms trade, promote the adoption of common criteria for arms trade control and establish a binding legal framework for regulating the trade of conventional weapons and munitions as well as the trading and licensing of technologies for their production.

At this event Mexico will be acting as Vice-President.

The main benefit for Mexico is expected, when all countries will adopt a common criteria for export control, effective regulatory framework that will help prevent irresponsible arms transferred and more important to prevent them from being introduced into the illegal market.