Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

New Trust Fund Facility Adds Momentum to Arms Trade Treaty

NEW YORK, 7 June (Office for Disarmament Affairs) ‑ In this week, which saw the opening for signature of the Arms Trade Treaty, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs launched the multi-donor United Nations Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR).  The Facility will work closely with complementary international assistance initiatives to ensure better coordination, coherence and information sharing.

The Facility is a flexible, results-focused facility to support all aspects of the Arms Trade Treaty’s implementation, including small arms and ammunition controls.  Aside from at the Treaty’s implementation needs, the Facility will also support projects focused on implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, as determined by the yearly priorities set by the Facility.

Lastly, there is provision for the Facility to fund rapid-response activities, both in conflict prevention and immediate post-conflict situations specifically related to the Arms Trade Treaty and the Programme of Action’s implementation.  In this way, the Facility will assist countries around the world to prevent armed conflict and violence.

The Facility will set annual priority areas for grant-making.  The priority for 2014 will be supporting early ratification of the Treaty by as many countries as possible.  This will include measures such as legal or legislative assistance, institutional capacity-building and technical assistance.  The following organizations are eligible to submit proposals for funding to the Facility:  relevant United Nations agencies; international organizations, in particular regional organizations; non-governmental organizations; and research institutes, including universities.

To date, partners of the Facility include Australia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.  Interested States are invited to join.

Applications for funding from the Facility will be welcome from 1 September to 31 October 2013.   Application forms, required documentation and further information will soon be accessible at www.un.org/disarmament.

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For information media • not an official record