Non-governmental organization “Landmine Survivors Initiatives”, as member of the international Control Arms Coalition, informs public on progress related to the adoption of the global Arms Trade Treaty.

Control Arms Campaign was launched in 2003 and has since gathered support for the Arms Trade Treaty from over a million people worldwide. In December 2006, 153 governments finally voted at the United Nations to start work on developing a global Arms Trade Treaty. Momentum for the treaty has been building ever since. In 2009, the UN General Assembly launched a time frame for the negotiation of the Arms Trade Treaty which includes several preparatory meetings, before the final negotiating conference scheduled for July 2012.

An important role in raising public awareness on importance of the Arms Trade Treaty have religious leaders, which are often first to recognize and speak out on devastating effects of irresponsible use of weapons in communities and stress out necessity to regulate arms and ammunitions trade.

In relation to this, we would like to emphasize support of the Inter-religious Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina expressed through signing the Interfaith Declaration as support to the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Interfaith Declaration expresses concerns of religious leaders on humanitarian suffering caused by irresponsible transfer of weapons and calls government to take over responsibility in negotiating for as stronger Arms Trade Treaty as possible.

We would like to especially emphasize the fact that this is not the first time that the Inter-religious Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina gives constructive contribution in supporting the international treaties on disarmament, and remind of support that the Inter-religious Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina gave in advocating for the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008.