The illicit arms trade is prevalent in many ways throughout the world, mostly through small arms and ammunition sales. The groups who illegally trade these weapons range from terrorist groups such as ISIS to governments like the nation of Qatar’s who sells these weapons to groups that oppose terrorist groups.. These trades, if sold to terrorists or other groups with harmful intent can ignite deadly international or civil wars. Recent data suggests there are nearly 100,000 deaths each year because of the illicit arms trade. If not solved, there will be thousands of weapons flowing throughout different countries and terrorist groups could impose more harm. As a committee, we must work together to create a practical resolution.
The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was passed to combat this issue on December 24, 2014.
This treaty did not just cover the small guns and ammunition the majority of the trade. This treaty also covered but tanks and machine gun trade. The ATT makes sure that every country creates a system to regulate the export of ammunition. Additionally, nations that need financial help for this resolution can request funding from the UN. However, there are many flaws in the ATT, most notably, the lack of signatories from the three most leading irresponsible arms traders. Qatar abstained because this treaty was weak on terroism. In a region destroyed by terroism, any treaty that Qatar would sign must impose harsh consequences on terroism. Because of these flaws many countries have pulled out of the treaty including the United States of America.
Qatar abstained to the ATT. Qatar supplies weapons to Syian Government opposition or the Syrian National Coalition backed by western countries. Qatar would want to join the ATT if it was stronger on terroism. Qatar has sold the 3rd least amount of small arms and ammunition in the region. This means that Qatar is NOT the issue in this argument and should be able to do with regards to trading with who they want to. The weapons being sold are mostly to ISIS opposition. Qatar would like there to be less weapons in the region to limit conflicts. Including when the UAE attempted to invade Qatar.
The delegation of Qatar would look favorably upon a resolution that is stronger against terroism. This would help the war on terror by limiting ISIS and make the region safer. The delegation of Qatar would look favorably upon a resolution that would also want there to be harsher consequences if caught selling weapons to a terrorist group. Qatar would want less threat of terroism in the region and preventing the illicit arms trade would do just that.
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/CN/2014/CN.630.2014-Eng.pdf
https://fas.org/asmp/campaigns/smallarms/IssueBrief3ArmsTrafficking.html
- Andrew Klein
