Mauritius to Host Indian Ocean Arms Trade Treaty Conference in November

Mauritius is set to play host to a major regional diplomatic event focused on international arms control, after the Cabinet gave its approval on Friday, 9 May, for the country to organise a conference on the universalisation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The three-day event, scheduled for 11–13 November 2026, will bring together representatives from Indian Ocean states to deepen cooperation and tighten controls over the international transfer of conventional weapons. **What is the Arms Trade Treaty?** The ATT is a landmark international agreement, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 and in force since 2014, that regulates the global trade in conventional arms — from small arms and light weapons to tanks, warships and combat aircraft. Its goal is to prevent weapons from being diverted to conflict zones, authoritarian regimes, or criminal networks. As of 2025, over 110 countries have ratified the treaty, though several key arms-producing and arms-importing nations remain outside it. **Why Mauritius?** The conference is being organised in partnership with Expertise France — the French public agency for international technical cooperation — under the European Union's "Partner-to-Partner" programme, which supports developing nations in implementing and promoting international agreements. By hosting the event, Mauritius is reinforcing its growing role as a hub for regional diplomacy and security dialogue in the Indian Ocean. The island nation has increasingly positioned itself as a neutral, stable platform for multilateral engagement. **What will the conference cover?** The agenda will focus on: - **Promoting ratification** — encouraging Indian Ocean states that have not yet signed or ratified the ATT to do so, by highlighting the concrete benefits of membership. - **Sharing best practices** — exchanging experiences on how to implement the treaty's obligations at the national level, including licensing systems and reporting requirements. - **Strengthening dialogue** — building bridges between ATT member states, non-member states, and regional organisations to improve collective security in the Indian Ocean region. The conference is seen as particularly timely given ongoing security challenges in parts of the wider region, including concerns about arms flows linked to conflicts and instability in East Africa and the wider western Indian Ocean. **What this means** For Mauritius, hosting this conference is both a diplomatic statement and a practical contribution to regional stability. It signals that the country — despite having no standing army and a relatively small defence footprint — takes international security governance seriously and wants a seat at the table on issues that affect its wider neighbourhood. For Indian Ocean nations still outside the ATT, the event could serve as a persuasive nudge toward joining the global framework. Source: ION News