The Arms Trade Treaty: a twenty-first century treaty

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), adopted by a vote at the United Nations General Assembly on 2 April 2013, is a symbol of twentyfirst century diplomacy. The ATT negotiation and adoption was not the traditional intergovernmental negotiation that exclusively involved government representatives. It also included the active participation of civil society representatives, who played a significant role prior and throughout both ATT diplomatic conferences. This essay reviews, from a Mexican representative’s point of view, the role that civil society played in the negotiation and adoption of the ATT, thus establishing a new standard for diplomatic negotiations at the United Nations.

Related Subject(s): Peacekeeping and Security