UN approves first global treaty for arms sales

UN approves historical arms treaty

With 154 votes in favour, 3 against and 23 abstentions, the UN General Assembly approved yesterday the first global treaty on arms trade in the history, which seeks to regulate the international flow of 70,000 million in conventional weapons, which ranging from small arms to tanks and warships.

Syria, Iran and North Korea voted against, while Russia, China, India, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Venezuela among others opted for abstention after considering that the treaty “privileges” those exporting countries and is susceptible to be “politically manipulated“, and does not include the prohibition of transferring arms to non-state armed groups.

The Assembly convened to 193 nations and left the treaty opened for signature on June 3 and will take effect in 90 days. This treaty establishes binding obligations for governments to assess the transfer of arms and ammunition from falling into the hands of terrorist groups and organized crime.