PGA wishes to congratulate the Parliament of Mozambique for having unanimously approved the Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty.
May 23, 2018, Maputo / New York: Today, PGA was pleased to have been informed by Hon. Antonio Niquice, MP (Mozambique), PGA Executive Committee Member, that the Parliament in Maputo was successful in approving the Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty. Hon. Niquice, along with his colleagues in Parliament and Members of the Mozambique National Group of PGA have played a central role in promoting the Arms Trade Treaty in Mozambique, as the need for arms regulation has increased in the region in the past few years. PGA congratulates the National Assembly of Mozambique for this important and decisive step forward in promoting national, regional and international peace and security.
PGA also congratulates PGA Executive Committee Member Hon. Antonio Niquice, MP for his crucial role and advocacy leading to this historic decision by the National Assembly of Mozambique earlier today. Hon. Niquice made a powerful statement during today’s session, in reiterating the importance of this step, and confirming the commitment of Mozambique with International Peace and Security.
According to Hon. Antonio Niquice, MP:
By ratifying the Arms Trade Treaty, although Mozambique is not an armament-producing country, we are positively sending a signal to the World, contributing to the strengthening of global mechanisms for international regulation of the arms trade, peace-building, security , stability, strengthening of human rights at national, regional and international levels.
A striking and noteworthy aspect is the fact that the ratification of this treaty is consensual, which demonstrates the will of the Mozambicans to live in peace and contribute to an increasingly peaceful and free world of wars and violations of the most elementary and basic human rights. in accordance with the constitution of the Republic of Mozambique, the ratification and domestication of the norms of international law has the same legal value as the legal acts issued by the Assembly of the Republic.
Hon. Niquice participated in PGA's 37th Annual Forum in El Salvador in 2015 on the Role of Parliamentarians in Promoting Peace and Security - Promoting Universality and Implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty and Biological Weapons Convention.
Hon. Niquice subsequently arranged for a High Level Delegation from the Government and National Assembly of Mozambique to participate in PGA's Regional Africa Workshop to Address the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in Dar-es-Salaam in April 2016.
In addition, Hon. Niquice made an important contribution to the success of PGA's Regional Lusophone Workshop to Promote Universality and Implementation of the ATT in Cabo Verde in June 2016.
Hon. Niquice also participated in PGA's 39th Annual Forum in Milan, Italy where the Plan of Action adopted specifically highlighted the importance, inter alia, of the Arms Trade Treaty in Preventing Violent Extremism and Mass Atrocities.
Mozambique previously signed the ATT on 3rd June 2013. In early 2016, the Council of Ministers of the Government of Mozambique approved the ATT and referred it to the National Assembly.
Congratulations, Mozambique!
