Treaty for Intl. Arms Deals

In an effort to show its increased commitment to world peace, Brazilian officials are supporting a treaty that would regulate international weapons trade.

Recently, Senator Ricardo Ferraço, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Commission, defended the ratification of the treaty to include strict laws pertaining to arms deals on a global level. Ferraço said that Brazil needs to commit to peace by approving this treaty quickly through the proper channels so it can move on to other nations. 

The United Nations approved the treaty, but some nations heavily involved in arms trade—namely Russia and China—abstained from voting while countries such as Syria, Iran and North Korea voted against it. 

Fifty countries must approve of the treaty before it can become international law. If the law passes, arms deals will become much more transparent. Ultimately, the goal is to allow international officials to keep an eye on all deals made throughout the globe, reducing the risk of customers using their purchased weapons for terrorism or any other malicious act. 

Brazil is very much in favor of this because officials believe it will go a long way toward preventing serious international incidents and will serve as a step in the right direction toward a more peaceful planet. Of course, exporting weapons is a major source of income for many countries. In fact, the global arms market is estimated to be at $70 billion. Preventing the sale of such items could have hazardous effects on national economies.

That’s why global federations don’t want to prevent the sale of weapons across country borders, but rather just keep an eye on them to make sure they are legitimate business deals. Companies relying on this practice in Brazil should contact lawyers in Brazil who can provide detailed information on the country’s laws regarding this trade.