From left: Anna Macdonald (Oxfam), President Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Rebecca Peters (IANSA) and Valerie Yankey-Wayne (IANSA).

The President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, met with an IANSA delegation during the First Committee of the UN General Assembly on 17 October. They discussed last week’s report on the cost of armed conflict in Africa, as well as the work of the IANSA Women’s Network. On the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), President Johnson-Sirleaf said: ‘You can count on me and on my government to keep working until we get this essential treaty in place.’

President Johnson-Sirleaf is Africa's first elected woman Head of State, and was previously an economist and campaigner for women's rights, especially in peacebuilding ahd conflict prevention. She co-authored the major study Women, War, Peace (UNIFEM, 2002).

IANSA has a strong presence at the First Committee, which proposes and debates resolutions for the UN General Assembly on peace and international security. Several more governments have submitted their views on the ATT during the past week, bringing the total number of responses to around 100.

On 17 October, IANSA Director Rebecca Peters met with Sergio Duarte, the UN Secretary-General's High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The High Representative is the leading UN official on disarmament issues.