We begin by extending our condolences to Mimidoo Achakpa of the IANSA Women's Network - Nigeria following the death of her son Charles Lubem Abaagu. He was shot and killed by armed robbers in a car-jacking on 4 September 2011. Our deep sympathy goes out to Mimidoo and family and friends.
Please send your message of solidarity to communication@iansa.org, and we will forward it to Mimidoo.
This is the third of our quarterly Updates on IANSA in Africa to keep you informed of progress on the continent. This issue focuses on the third Arms Trade Treaty Preparatory Committee (ATT PrepCom) held in New York on 11-15 July 2011 from an African perspective.
As you know, at the end of 2009 the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene a conference on the ATT in 2012 "to elaborate a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms". The General Assembly also decided that four Preparatory Committee meetings (PrepComs) should be held to lay the groundwork before the final negotiations.
The third ATT PrepCom focused on the implementation of an ATT. African States and IANSA members were visible and active throughout the meeting. With support from the Government of Belgium, IANSA members from Francophone Africa participated in a series of events and activities alongside fellow civil society representatives.
