MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines became a party to two international treaties last week, one of which aims to eradicate illegal arms trade, while the other looks to reduce stateless persons around the world.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. submitted the country’s instrument of ratification for the Arms Trade Treaty and the country’s instrument of accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness to the United Nations.
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Both treaties will enter into force for the country on June 22.
Combatting illegal arms trade
The Arms Trade Treaty regulates the international trade in conventional arms, which according to the international body includes small firearms up to battle tanks as well as combat aircraft and warships.
Humanitarian and development work has been affected due to attacks against its staff and other humanitarian groups, which may be a result of “poorly regulated arms trade,” the United Nations had noted.
The treaty aims to prevent and wipe out the practice of illegal arms trade by imposing international standards for transfers.
The Philippines was the first Southeast Asian country to sign the ATT in 2013 and it is also the first Southeast Asian country to become a party to the treaty after depositing its certificate of ratification last week.
There are 110 state parties to the treaty, according to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Some 54 member states are not yet part of the ATT, while 31 signatories have yet to become state parties to it.
“Joining this treaty is in line with our commitment to ensure international and regional peace, security, and stability through the regulation of the illicit transfer, flow or diversion of conventional arms using internationally agreed standards,” Locsin said.
Backing an individuals' right to nationality
The Philippines also submitted its instrument of accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The UN describes an “accession” by a state to a treaty as an act where the state “accepts the offer or the opportunity to become a party to a treaty already negotiated and signed by other states.”
“It would enable the Philippines to address gaps due to differences in the citizenship and nationality frameworks without impinging on the Philippines’ sovereignty to regulate nationality,” the department said.
The 1961 Convention, through its guidelines, protects and ensures that every individual has the right to acquire or retain a nationality.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said millions are denied a nationality, noting that individuals become stateless due to discrimination and/or gaps in some countries’ nationality laws or as a consequence of displacement.