Kenya urges UN to adopt treaty on arms trade
By Kevin J Kelley, in New York
Posted Friday, July 6 2012 at 15:33
Posted Friday, July 6 2012 at 15:33
Kenya on Thursday called for adoption of a global treaty to prevent terrorists from acquiring the type of weapons being used to perpetrate attacks on civilians.
“Kenya continues to suffer negative effects of unregulated trade of small arms and light weapons, which is causing devastating impact on social, political and economic well-being of its people,” Assistant Minister of Defence David Musila declared at the United Nations headquarters.
“This greatly retards progress in the realisation of Kenya's development.”
Speaking during negotiations to craft an Arms Trade Treaty, Mr Musila expressed support for a “robust, comprehensive” agreement that will include controls on small arms, light weapons and ammunition.
Efforts to regulate sale of weapons such as assault rifles and hand grenades are likely to encounter resistance during the treaty talks that run until July 27.
African nations strongly favour curbs on the trade in small arms, but some developed countries may block a treaty that includes that category of weapons.
A large group of US Congress members recently urged President Obama to ensure that an international treaty puts no restrictions on small arms and ammunition.
The negotiations at the UN are bound by the principle of consensus decision-making. Any one of the 193 UN member-states can thus prevent adoption of treaty provisions to which it is firmly opposed.
Kenya has played a leading role in the global campaign to establish a strong Arms Trade Treaty, Mr Musila told the conferees.
He noted that Kenya was one of six countries that sponsored the UN re
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