ALSO WELCOMES ADOPTION OF LEGISLATION IN URUGUAY ALLOWING FOR GOVERNMENT TO RATIFY THE ATT FORMALLY AT THE UNITED NATIONS

New York/The Hague, 21 August, 2014

PGA congratulates its PGA National Groups in The Dominican Republic and Sierra Leone for their consistent, unyielding and steadfast efforts –over many years - which contributed in a substantive way to the ratification of the ATT by the Governments of their respective countries last week at the United Nations in New York.

PGA also congratulates its PGA National Group in Uruguay who has played an important role – over many years - leading up to the recent promulgation of domestic legislation allowing for formal ratification of the ATT at the UN and looks forward to imminent ratification of the ATT by Uruguay.

PGA Member Dip. Víctor Bisonó MP commented from Santo Domingo – “"I am very pleased to hear that the Government of the Dominican Republic has deposited last week our Instrument of Ratification of the ATT. For over 5 years now, the PGA National Group in the Dominican Republic has been tirelessly working - first advocating in support of the adoption of the ATT and, more recently, pressing for its prompt signature and ratification by the Dominican Republic. In 2012, and again at the instigation of the PGA National Group in Santo Domingo, over 100 Members of Parliament from the Dominican Republic signed the Global Parliamentary Declaration on the Arms Trade Treaty, a global initiative spear-headed by PGA. A special tribute should also be made to Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Chair of the PGA International Council, for her unceasing dedication to the ATT and in ensuring it remained high on the agenda of priorities of the PGA National Group in the Dominican Republic over the past few years. The PGA National Group in the Dominican Republic remains committed to ensuring the prompt implementation of the ATT and looks forward to the imminent entry into force of this vital international treaty."

PGA Member Dr. Bernadette Lahai MP commented from Freetown – "As a national of Sierra Leone and a Member of PGA for nearly a decade, I am filled with such a great sense of satisfaction and pride that Sierra Leone has just last week deposited its Instrument of Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty and, in so doing, becomes the 43 UN Member State to do so and only the 4^th country from the African continent to take this momentous step. On this historic occasion, I cannot help but think about the devastating civil conflict my country lived through in recent years - so many people murdered, maimed and raped because weapons found their way into the worst possible of hands. As a nation, we are still recovering from the trauma that we experienced only 15 years ago. I firmly believe that once this Treaty enters into force and is properly implemented, that the capacity to wage civil war and conflict of the kind that was visited upon my country will be greatly diminished, not just in Africa, but around the world. I, therefore, call on all UN Member States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the ATT at the earliest possible opportunity.”

PGA Executive Committee Member, Dip. Felipe Michelini MP commented from Montevideo – “The Executive Power of Uruguay enacted the Law No. 19.225 of Ratification of the Treaty on Arms Trade, adopted on April 2, 2013 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which establishes common rules regulating exchange of conventional weapons and to promote cooperation, transparency and trust among countries, and contribute to peace and security.”

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For further information on PGA’s Campaign for Signature, Ratification and Implementation of the ATT, contact Peter Barcroft, Director of Peace & Democracy Program, PGA at peter.barcroft@pgaction.org

The PGA Campaign for Signature, Ratification and Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty has been supported by the  United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR), the Foreign Ministries of the Governments of Finland and Germany and also receives core support from the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) and the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA)