UNDP SEESAC Participates in the Regional Seminar on ATT Negotiations

In preparation of the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Negotiations scheduled for July 2012, United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), the European Union and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia organized a ‘Regional Seminar for Countries in the Wider Europe’. The Seminar, which was designed to support the ATT negotiations through regional discussion and expertise sharing, took place on April 18-20, 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia.

During the first day of the seminar, which was attended by high officials from the Western Balkan and CIS countries as well as representatives of various international and non-governmental organizations and European experts, SEESAC Team Leader a.i, Dr. Ivan Zverzhanovski, presented existing mechanisms for the control of arms transfers in the Western Balkans countries, whose national activities are supported by SEESAC, with funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

To date, SEESAC has supported the publication of 30 National Reports on Arms Exports from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as well as the publications of annual Regional Reports on Arms Transfers, in that way helping the region become one of the most transparent globally, with regards to reporting on arms export.

SEESAC also supports a Regional Information Exchange Process on Arms Exports through organization of meetings where officials responsible for license issuing can discuss topics such as legislative harmonization and implementation; arms embargo destinations; national exports policies; types of goods exported; and denial of licenses. To date, SEESAC has organized seven such meetings. 

As the greatest number of conflict deaths is caused by small arms, their efficient and strong control is paramount for providing a safer and more secure livelihood of people. United Nations General Assembly Resolution 61/89 adopted in 2006 stresses the problem of poorly regulated conventional arms transfers and calls upon the UN Secretary-General and UN member states to work towards the establishment of common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms. The Arms Trade Treaty July 2012 Conference should present the work conducted by the Preparatory Committee sessions and “elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms”.