The effectiveness of the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has been under fire. Designed to regulate international trade in conventional arms, lack of support by some of the world’s great powers has reduced its reach.
But it is important to have realistic expectations. It is too much to expect that the ATT, or any other international treaty, can force major powers to resist actions that they judge to be against their strategic interests.
Setting international principles and standards and enabling coalitions of willing governments, civil society groups and international organisations to co-operate on implementing control even without the co-operation of some ‘sceptical’ states remains an important aspect of the treaty, and one worth emphasising.
