Key facts
- Fewer than 40% of Arms Trade Treaty member states submitted their 2025 reports on time.
- The ATT Monitor team highlighted a decline in transparent reporting on weapons imports and exports.
- The treaty aims to regulate conventional arms trade and prevent illicit flows.
- The 2022 reporting compliance rate was 63%, the lowest since reporting began in 2015.
- Conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine have contributed to a decline in global peacefulness.
The body overseeing the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has condemned a significant lack of transparency among its member states regarding the reporting of weapons trade. Alexandra Marksteiner of the ATT Monitor team stated that only 46 out of 118 member states submitted their 2025 reports on time, representing less than 40 percent compliance.
The treaty, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2013, aims to regulate the international flow of conventional weapons to combat illicit trade. Member states are obligated to assess potential arms transactions for risks such as circumventing international embargoes, diversion to criminals, or human rights violations.
The ATT Monitor report for 2022 revealed an even lower compliance rate, with only 69 states submitting reports, marking the lowest level since reporting began in 2015. Furthermore, only 35 states submitted their 2022 reports on time. The proportion of confidential reports has also seen an increase over the years.
This decline in transparent reporting is particularly concerning given the current global climate of increasing military expenditure, escalating conflicts, and a retreat from multilateralism. The report highlights that regional peace and stability are at their lowest levels since the treaty's entry into force in 2014, with conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine significantly contributing to a rise in global violence and cross-border conflicts.