The Head of the French Arms Trade Treaty delegation, Eric Danon, debated corruption in an ATT with journalist Jean Guisnel and Benoît Muracciole, NGO activist from the “Action, Sécurité, Ethique Républicaine” (ASER) on Radio France International's radio show “Géopolitique, le débat”. Danon emphasised France's leadership on strong anti-corruption provisions for the ATT.

On 2 July 2011, Ambassador Eric Danon, Head of the French Delegation negotiating a UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), was joined by journalist Jean Guisnel, author of the book 'Weapons of Mass Corruption', and Benoît Muracciole, NGO activist from the Action, Sécurité, Ethique Républicaine (ASER), to discuss the upcoming ATT Preparatory Committee in New York from July 11 to July 15.

An important part of their conversation was how strong anti-corruption provisions could best be included in an ATT. ASER is one of the organisations working together with Transparency International’s Defence and Security Programme in the NGO coalition which works with States and defence companies towards a robust ATT.

While Jean Guisnel highlighted the financing of an arms deal as well as retro-commissions as key areas to address corruption risks, Benoît Muracciole emphasised the importance of having strong regulations for agents and intermediaries involved in any brokering activities. Ambassador Eric Danon stressed the French leadership on both preventive and retrospective anti-corruption mechanisms in an ATT and called for other States to support the French initiative for an ATT to also address the issue of money-laundering.

Ambassador Danon furthermore discussed the position of some of those influential States that oppose strong corruption provisions (like China) or remain sceptic, but made it very clear that already existing anti-corruption instruments do not at all make it redundant to address anti-corruption in an ATT. This argument was strongly supported by Benoît Muracciole, who pointed out the need for a sector specific approach to tackle corruption in the arms trade.

Below you can listen to the 2nd part of the Traité sur le Commerce des Armes (Arms Trade Treaty) programme, which was moderated by Marie-France Chatin as part of the RFI radio show Géopolitique, le débat (“Geopolitics - The Debate”) on July 2, 2011.

2 - Traité sur le commerce des armes

(19:29)

 

 

Learn more about the UN Arms Trade Treaty.

Learn more about our work to include strong anti-corruption mechanisms in a robust Arms Trade Treaty.

Learn more about Benoît Muracciole’s organisation ASER.

Listen to the full show Géopolitique, le débat on Radio France International.