The Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Service Peter Shanel Agovaka has returned to the country on Sunday after attending a meeting on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Tonga last week.
The meeting in Nukuโalofa from May 18-19 is to promote the ratification and implementations of the Arms Trade Treaty.
The meeting has highlighted the need for the Pacific Islands Region to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which was adopted on the 2nd of April 2013 and its entry into force on the 24th December 2014.
The meeting also emphasizes the importance of the contributions of members of Parliament and the role they can play in promoting rectification and implementation of the Treaty.
It also recognises the essential role that Civil Societies can and continues to play in providing information, advice and expertise to facilitate refinement and implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Leaders attending the meeting were determined to improve the security and basic welfare of all people and encourage colleague parliamentarians in Governments to take swift rectification and implementation of the ATT, including as appropriate, prompt referral of the ATT to Parliament for parliament rectification.
The workshop noted that only three countries from the Pacific Region have rectified the treaty and encourages other Governments to learn from these countries through available meetings and conferences.
– GCU
