Launch of the ATT Monitor 2024 Report
The event was presided over by Ambassador Robert in de Bosch, representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In his opening remarks, he highlighted the pivotal role of the ATT Monitor in promoting the universalization and implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and advancing its core objectives. Ambassador de Bosch emphasized the fundamental importance of transparency in arms exports, a critical component in fostering peace, security, and trust-building. He also underscored the significance of the ATT Monitor in identifying key challenges to achieving global acceptance of the ATT’s goals and ensuring its full implementation.
Ambassador Răzvan Rusu of Romania, President of the 10th Conference of States Parties to the ATT, emphasized the importance of the ATT Monitor in supporting States Parties with their reporting obligations. He praised the project’s capacity to identify key challenges in advancing the ATT’s objectives and ensuring its full implementation. Ambassador Rusu also highlighted the special thematic chapter of the 2024 Report, which reflects on the 10th anniversary of the ATT.
Ms. Carina Solmirano, Project Lead of the ATT Monitor, provided a comprehensive overview of the status of universalization within the ATT. She welcomed Gambia and Malawi as the newest states to join the ATT family in June 2024. Although the pace of universalization has slowed in recent years compared to the first five years of the Treaty, there is still optimism that states in underrepresented regions and sub-regions will soon follow.
Ms. Solmirano then presented the main findings from the ATT Monitor’s analysis of the 2022 annual reports. She noted that only 69 States Parties (63 percent) submitted reports for 2022—the lowest compliance rate since 2015. Solmirano pointed out that the level of meaningful transparency in annual reports continues to decline, though some good practices are emerging in the type of information provided. Notably, the rate of confidential reporting is decreasing, and more states are offering disaggregated data on arms imports and exports. The 2024 Report highlights that only four States Parties stood out as transparency champions in 2022.
Elizabeth Kirkhman, Senior Adviser at Saferworld’s Arms Unit, shared her insights on the special chapter reflecting on the ATT’s implementation and its outlook for the next decade. She emphasized a general consensus from interviews on the treaty’s positive impact and importance in regulating the international arms trade. However, she also highlighted key challenges in implementation and compliance, including insufficient political will, limited capacity, and low awareness and adoption of the Treaty in certain regions. Looking ahead, she stressed the need to address these gaps, enhance reporting transparency, and encourage greater participation from major arms-trading nations.
Rachel Stohl, Vice-President of the Stimson Center, provided an update on the status of initial and annual reports. She highlighted that only three overdue ATT initial reports were uploaded during the period under review. These reports, which were publicly accessible and utilized the reporting templates, offered detailed responses, identified gaps, and outlined assistance needs—serving as examples of good practices. Stohl also summarized the 2023 annual reports, noting that only 55% of reports had been submitted to the Secretariat, which is close to last year’s record-low compliance rate. On a positive note, there was a reduction in the number of private reports.
Stohl has analyzed the impact of the revised templates. Firstly, the updated questions have prompted some States Parties to provide additional information. For example, three States Parties have utilized the new international assistance section to detail their assistance needs more comprehensively. Furthermore, the introduction of new information-sharing options may have contributed to the increase in UNROCA reporting.
The event strongly emphasized the importance of addressing implementation and compliance challenges to effectively fulfill treaty obligations moving forward. As the Treaty marks its tenth anniversary, this moment serves as a critical time to reflect on the key issues ahead. The discussions highlighted the need not only to increase the number of states ratifying the Treaty but also to ensure that States Parties comply with their reporting obligations to enhance transparency. On a positive note, speakers encouraged the ‘reporting champions’ to share their experiences and continue setting an example by meeting their reporting commitments.
Special thanks to the Government of Canada and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for supporting the production and dissemination of the ATT Monitor 2024 Report.
