Diplomats and other officials from the foreign ministries of 11 Caricom states met with representatives from the Caricom Secretariat and other agencies for a workshop aimed at developing a regional position for the upcoming Diplomatic Conference to negotiate a legally binding global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) at the United Nations.
The Caribbean Coalition for Development and the Reduction of Armed Violence (CDRAV) organised the Third Regional Workshop on Negotiations for the Arms Trade Treaty held last Thursday and Friday under the auspices of the governments of St Vincent and the Grenadines and Australia. In a press release, CDRAV said about 40 officials, including representatives from Caricom IMPACS, customs and civil society attended the workshop for discussions to come to a joint position in time for the July 2-27 UN meeting in New York. Lead Negotiator for Caricom on the ATT, Ambassador Eden Charles of Trinidad and Tobago noted, “An overwhelming number of UN Member States want a strong and legally binding treaty.” He also cautioned that “the ATT must not be a glorified ATT which has no legal teeth,” the release said.
It also noted that Caricom countries have been lobbying for
