On June 3, 2013, the inauguration ceremony for the signature of the Arms Trade Treaty was launched. As a result of several years of important negotiations and efforts by the States parties, the treaty obtained recognition that they long strived for.

The members of the Human Security Network in Latin America and the Caribbean (SEHLAC) María Pía Devoto, Héctor Guerra, Jesús Martínez and Pamela Guzman participated in the ceremony in headquarters of the United Nations (UN) in New York.

Earlier this year, on April 2, the General Assembly approved the document which, starting with the signature date, will be the first formal treaty regulating arms trade and establishing the regime constituted by national norms regarding the control of arms transfer and its respective intermediaries.

Due to the problems that Latin America faces as a result of the arms trade business and its poor regulation, which often provokes armed conflicts and corruption, the region is especially interested in the establishment of a global arms treaty.

Despite the previous and current opposition against certain provisions of the treaty expressed by various countries in the region, the majority of Latin-American countries supports the treaty and voted in favor of the document in April. On June 3 they signed the treaty, which will come into force 90 days after the ratification by 50 signatories.

Translated by Liana Sukonova (APP)