Member States Highlight UNRCPD Cooperation at CSP2

31st August 2016

The Second Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), or CSP2, took place in Geneva from 22 to 26 August 2016. In the statements delivered by Member States in the United Nations’ General Assembly General Debate, four States highlighted their collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD).

Thailand emphasized the crucial role of international cooperation and assistance in ensuring early ratification, effective implementation and promoting the universalization of the Treaty. Thailand also stated that regional cooperation should be encouraged and highlighted its co-hosting of the Southeast Asia Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty with UNRCPD in Bangkok, citing the utility of sharing good practices and challenges for its future ratification and implementation process. Thailand’s full statement can be read here.

The Philippines stated its “unwavering support for the ATT” and highlighted several events hosted in conjunction with UNRCPD, including the 2013 Second Asia Regional Meeting to Facilitate Dialogue on the Arms Trade Treaty in Manila and the workshop on Building Capacity in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control through the United Nations Programme of Action (UN-PoA) held in Manila in 2015. The Philippines also expressed its thanks to UNRCPD and the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR) for a three-phased technical and legal assistance project scheduled to take place at the end of this year. The full statement is available here.

Lastly, Australia and New Zealand mentioned their financial contribution towards the upcoming Pacific Capacity Building Workshop for the Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty in Samoa. New Zealand expressed that there is much that can be done to encourage greater uptake of the Treaty in the Pacific region, highlighting that it is particularly looking forward to the Pacific workshop in collaboration with UNRCPD. Australia stated its pleasure to have supported the work of UNRPCD, emphasizing this partnership, as well as cooperation with other partners, as valuable practical contribution to states’ implementation of the ATT. Australia’s full statement can be read here and New Zealand’s full statement can be read here.