International weapons treaty

ast week, more than 60 countries, including Brazil, Japan and the U.K., came together to sign a major treaty regulating the global arms trade. The U.S. has announced it will sign soon. This is the first international movement to slow the illicit trade in weapons in the black market that are used to fuel conflicts and terrorist attacks.

The goal of this process is to create a protocol that is legally binding to regulate the legal trade of conventional weapons. It will also provide effective tools to prevent these shipments from being diverted to the illegal market.

According to ambassador Antonio Jose Vallim Guerreiro, a member of the Brazilian Conference on Disarmament, the negotiation process of this legislation took seven years to complete and Brazil has been on board this process from the early stages.

He added that for Brazil, this treaty represents a milestone in the pursuit of a more peaceful and secure world. It also protects citizens in situations of conflict and will reduce urban armed violence.

“Each one was crucial in the realization of this aspiration,” he said. “Brazil is fully committed to ensuring that the balanced, objective and non-discriminatory approaches prevail, as well as international cooperation and assistance to ensure a central role in all efforts.”

Any company that does international business, like with Brazil, would be wise to partner with Brazilian lawyers to investigate how this treaty could impact shipping processes. Being away of the changes before they take effect can keep a business ahead of the competition.