Topic: Combating the Spread of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Country: Ethiopia
Delegate Name: Kyler Cousins
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Ethiopia position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
The illicit trade of light arms and small weapons has affected Ethiopia. We have had two major conflicts in the not so distant- civil war in 1975 and the Eritrean war for independence in 1962 lasting until 1992- as a result; small arms and minefields plague Ethiopia. As the British government estimated “at least 400,000 people are killed by illegal small arms and light weapons each year.” The problem of small arms is a major issue for development and security in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopia believes that that through the enactment of a strict arms trade treaty without ambiguous language with indistinct or double meaning will insure that only nations can receive weapons and arms. We do believe that nations should still have the right to defend themselves and receive technological advancements on the weapons front.
Ethiopia firmly rejects allegations of the Arms Control Association made in July, 2012: “The only states joining the NRA in opposition to including small arms and light weapons are a few not so honorable arms exporters and importers–China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and Venezuela–who would rather be able to continue to sell and buy conventional weapons without common-sense global standards.” Because of the widespread use of small arms by non-state groups in many nations of Africa, Ethiopia and many other African nations have not yet signed the 2012 Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), which will go into force 24 December 2014.
This and future small arms control efforts should focus on stopping the flow of weapons to the illicit market instead of stopping the flow of buying and selling weapons between nations. We strongly believe that nations should focus on the prevention of terrorist and civilian groups receiving these weapons. The only way to do this is through international cooperation and support from all nations. Following the adoption of the ATT treaty we should form a DISEC task force consisting of international government officials to oversee the treaty’s implementation and to respond to concerns of Africa and other nations to make this treaty apply to the specific needs of African nations.
