NEW YORK - October 29 - Momentum builds for Arms Trade Treaty as nations prepare for key UN vote.

As the world's governments prepare for a crucial vote at the United Nations on the future of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), taking place either today [Wednesday] or tomorrow [Thursday], the Control Arms campaign, representing campaigners from around the world, urged all states to back the resolution on the ATT, and move forward rapidly to develop the treaty to end irresponsible arms transfers.

Every day at the current horrific rate, over one thousand people are killed by firearms and many thousands more die indirectly as a consequence of armed violence or are driven from their homes, forced off their land, raped, tortured or maimed. The irresponsible arms trade fuels conflict, poverty and grave human rights abuses.

Over the last two weeks, overwhelming momentum has built amongst governments in favour of the treaty. Over 2,000 Parliamentarians from 125 countries have pledged their support, a group of high-ranking military officers who have worked in some of the world's worst conflict zones have come to the UN to back the treaty, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu sent a powerful message to every nation calling on them to back the treaty and to ‘end the slaughter'.  In addition over 100 states have ‘co-sponsored' the resolution on the treaty, indicating their strong support that the resolution should pass.

Commenting in advance of the vote, Anna Macdonald, from Oxfam International, said:

" This is the chance for the nations of the world to come together, say that the carnage from the irresponsible use of weapons must stop, and actually do something about it by voting to take forward an Arms Trade Treaty."

Mark Marge, from the International Action Network on Small Arms, said:

" An Arms Trade Treaty can't come soon enough. It is a matter of extreme urgency and we need every country to show that they want to end the useless waste of life we see every day around the world because of the misuse of arms."

Brian Wood, from Amnesty International said:

" An overwhelming UN vote by governments to move forward and develop the Arms Trade Treaty will give the world new hope, despite the spoiling tactics of a few. No one at the UN wants to jeopardise the right of states to acquire arms legitimately, so the basic issue is whether world leaders will concede the argument and now commit themselves urgently to prevent irresponsible arms transfers that contribute to massive violations of human rights."