On December 7th, 2017, the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil has moved forward with the process of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Brazil, by approving the text of the Treaty.

As Brazil has a bicameral political system, the ATT Bill was also submitted to the Federal Senate for due review and consideration - and on December 14th, 2017, further to the predictions of PGA Members in both Chamber and Senate, the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate has unanimously voted for the approval of the ATT Bill.

On December 18th, 2017, PGA was pleased to have been informed by the office of Sen. Ana Amelia, PGA Member and former Chair of the PGA National Group that, the ATT Bill has finished all of its domestic review processes and is ready to be voted by the Plenary of the Senate, early in 2018, when the Plenary of the Senate reconvenes.

According to PGA Member, Sen. Ana Amelia,

Brazil is one of the countries with the highest rate of deaths by fire arms. The organized crime is becoming more and more powerful, with the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons. The Ratification of the Treaty by Brazil is an important measure to prevent the illicit trade of arms and combat organized crime

Original quote in Portuguese:

O Brasil é um dos países com alto índice de mortes por armas de fogo. O crime organizado está cada vez mais poderoso, com armas de grosso calibre, sofisticadas e contrabandeadas. A adesão do Brasil ao Tratado sobre o Comércio de Armas é medida importante para barrar o comércio ilegal de armamentos e combater o crime organizado.

PGA is pleased to have seen its members take important steps in the past 24 months towards the support and promotion of the Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Since December 16, 2015, PGA has been working closely with Members of Parliament from the Chamber of Deputies, whom have been instrumental in supporting the Arms Trade Treaty, and the introduction of improved legislation to prevent the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons.

In 2015, Dep. Jean Wyllys, PGA Member and current Chair of PGA National Group in Brazil, has played an important role in promoting the approval of the ATT Bill in the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Constitution and Justice Committee, where the Bill was stalled for almost two years.

As Dep. Jean Wyllys said:

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We have just approved in the Foreign Relations and National Defense Committee, the Arms Trade Treaty, formulated by the United Nations in which Brazil is a signatory. This is a major step towards the final approval in the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, especially if we consider that the treaty has been deadlocked in this Committee for over a year. My engagement as PGA member, and now as coordinator of the Brazilian group at Parliamentarians for Global Action was instrumental in this process. Our country urgently needs to adapt their domestic law for the Treaty and the delay in proceedings was a great concern, as articulated at the PGA Annual Forum in El Salvador that I attended last month.

Among the highlights of the Arms Trade Treaty is the commitment of arms exporting countries - Brazil is the fourth largest exporter of small arms in the world! - To deny exportation when there is evidence that such weapons will be used or may be diverted to commit genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes in international conventions to which we are members, that may threaten peace and security, may be used to violate international humanitarian law or human rights or international instruments violations related to counter-terrorism and transnational organized crime, or even the possibility that these weapons are used to commit or facilitate serious acts of gender violence or serious acts of violence against women and children.

Now the text will go to the Public Safety Commission and Combating Organized Crime, of which I am not a Member, but where I will  also keep my commitment to monitor and, so far as possible, expedite the adoption of the Treaty through coordination with  other members of the PGA Brazilian Group.

Original quote in Portuguese:

Acabamos de aprovar, na Comissão de Relações Exteriores e Defesa Nacional, o Tratado de Comércio de Armas Internacional, acordo formulado pelas Nações Unidas do qual o Brasil é signatário. Este é um passo importantíssimo para aprovação definitiva no plenário da Câmara Federal, principalmente se considerarmos que a matéria estava há mais de um ano com sua tramitação parada. Foi fundamental para tanto o meu engajamento, agora como coordenador do grupo brasileiro de Parlamentarians for Global Action. Nosso país precisa urgentemente adequar sua legislação interna aos dispositivos do Tratado, e a demora na tramitação foi alvo de grande preocupação na reunião da PGA em El Salvador, da qual participei no mês passado.

Entre os pontos altos do Tratado de Comércio de Armas Internacional estão o compromisso dos países exportadores de armamentos - e o Brasil é o quarto maior exportador de armas leves no mundo! - a negar a exportação quando há evidências de que tais armamentos serão utilizados ou poderão ser desviados para a prática de genocídio, crimes contra a humanidade, crimes de guerra tipificados em convenções internacionais das quais façamos parte, que possam atentar contra a paz e a segurança, utilizados para violar o direito internacional humanitário ou dos direitos humanos, violações de instrumentos internacionais relacionados ao combate ao terrorismo e ao crime organizado transnacional, ou, ainda, a possibilidade de que esses armamentos sejam utilizados para cometer ou facilitar atos graves de violência de gênero ou atos graves de violência contra mulheres e crianças.

In 2016, Dep. Aluisio Mendes, has successfully participated in PGA’s Lusophone States Workshop to Promote Ratification and Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty, kindly supported by the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR).  Further to the organization of that Workshop, Cape Verde ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, becoming the first Lusophone State in Africa to Ratify the ATT.

On that occasion Dep. Aluisio Mendes has said:

As a Brazilian parliamentarian, and member of PGA, I believe that it is a matter of time before the treaty is ratified by Brazil. We have gathered a strong front of MPS who believe in the ratification and full implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty. As of lately, Brazil has been focused on a more domestic agenda, but as I stated during my participation at the PGA Lusophone Workshop in Cape Verde, in 2016, Brazil is committed to put a stop to the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons, and the ratification of the treaty will be beneficial to the whole region and will certainly send an strong message to International Community.

Original quote in Portuguese:

Como parlamentar brasileiro e membro da PGA, acredito que é uma questão de tempo até que o tratado ser ratificado pelo Brasil. Reunimos uma forte frente dos parlamentares  que acreditam na ratificação e na plena implementação do Tratado de Comércio de Armas. Nos ultimos tempos, o Brasil tem se concentrado em uma agenda mais doméstica, mas, como afirmei durante a minha participação no Workshop Lusofono da PGA em Cabo Verde, em 2016, o Brasil está empenhado em pôr fim ao comércio ilícito de armas ligeiras e de pequeno calibre , e a ratificação do tratado será benéfica para toda a região e certamente enviará uma mensagem forte à Comunidade Internacional.

Further to the PGA Workshop in Cape Verde, Dep. Aluisio Mendes has personally taken the lead in supporting the ATT Ratification process, and on September 20, 2017, PGA was pleased to have been informed that Dep. Mendes leadership played an important role in the approval of the ATT Bill in the Public Safety and Combat Against the Organized Crime Committee, which he is a member. The ATT Bill was sent to the Plenary of the Chamber, and Dep. Mendes personally consulted with the Speaker, to have the vote of the ATT Bill included in the Agenda before the end of 2017 - which he was successful, once again.

Along with support of other PGA members in the Brazilian Senate, the Cabinet of Senator Ana Amelia sees no existing obstacles and predicts that the Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty should take place in Mid-February 2018.

PGA is confident that the Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty is an important milestone for the Treaty, and it will certainly generate momentum for other Portuguese speaking countries whom are in very close to also ratify the treaty.

In 2018, PGA will be organizing a Lusophone Workshop in Guinea Bissau, under the topic of “Mobilizing Parliamentarians to Advocate for Improved Compliance with the UN Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Promoting More Effective Participation by Women MPs in Defense/Security/Interior Committees”. This Workshop will kindly be sponsored by the United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR).