ISS Guide

The ISS Guide is a 2014 manual designed to help African States ratify and implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). It details the treaty's scope—covering eight categories of conventional arms—and provides a framework for national legislation, including export assessment criteria, recordkeeping requirements, and the use of end-user certificates to prevent illicit arms diversion.

• The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) aims to establish high international standards for regulating the trade of conventional arms and to eliminate the illicit trade and diversion of these weapons. Its broader goals include contributing to regional and international stability, reducing human suffering, and fostering transparency and cooperation among State Parties.
• The ATT applies to eight specific categories of conventional arms: battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large-calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers, and small arms and light weapons.
• The treaty defines 'transfer' as international trade activities including export, import, transit, trans-shipment, and brokering. An exception is made for conventional arms moved by or for a State Party for its own use, provided ownership is retained, which exempts such movements from certain scrutiny and the requirement for end-user certificates.
• The guide recommends that national implementation of the ATT include the establishment of a national control system with a database to track ammunition, parts, components, and conventional arms. This database should record details such as calibre, quantity, serial numbers, manufacturer information, and export license details.
• Prior to authorizing exports, the guide suggests states conduct assessments to ensure arms will not undermine peace and security or be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, terrorism, organised crime, or acts of gender-based violence and violence against children.
• Effective arms control requires rigorous recordkeeping and reporting. The guide proposes that records of transfers and control measures be maintained for at least 10 years and that annual reports be submitted to the Secretariat by 31 May.
• The guide emphasizes the importance of End-User Certificates (EUCs) and delivery verification processes to prevent the diversion of arms to unauthorized end-users or the illicit market.
• The document provides a framework for the legal process of joining the ATT, detailing the roles of 'full powers' documents, ratification, accession, and the possibility of making reservations to modify the legal effect of certain treaty provisions.
• The guide incorporates definitions and standard operating procedures from the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) to help SADC countries develop comprehensive national legislation, particularly regarding brokering and the movement of firearms.
• The document includes a comprehensive list of UN member states that have signed or ratified the ATT as of October 2014, highlighting the varying levels of commitment across African nations, with some having ratified (e.g., Nigeria, Mali, Senegal) and others having voted 'Yes' but not yet signed or ratified (e.g., Ethiopia, Kenya).

APA

Coetzee, B. (2014). ISS Guide. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ArmsTradeTreatyHandbook_2014.pdf

Chicago

Coetzee, Ben. ISS Guide. Institute for Security Studies, 2014. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ArmsTradeTreatyHandbook_2014.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Coetzee |first1=Ben |title=ISS Guide |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2014 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ArmsTradeTreatyHandbook_2014.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{coetzee2014iss, author = {Coetzee, Ben}, title = {{ISS Guide}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2014}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/ArmsTradeTreatyHandbook_2014.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }