Propelled by the devastating impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus globally, the SCRAP Weapons team at SOAS University of London is building on the United Nations Secretary General’s call for a Global Ceasefire in all corners of the world. As a complementary measure, we are calling on all States and corporations to FREEZE the production and supply of Weapons.
As the disease causes death, poverty, violence and confrontation, States and corporations must harness their capability to divert military modernization, procurement and operational budgets, as a necessary complementary measure towards the delay, containment and eradication of the COVID-19 coronavirus. We suggest that States and corporations, individually and in cooperation, implement moratoria on weapons production and supply.
Support this initiative by Signing the Declaration, Promoting the Formal Text for Governments, Parliaments and International Organisations and Circulating and using the Background paper
We are calling on Civil Society organisations, Youth Networks, and Non-Governmental Organisations to support the FreezeWeapons initiative by Signing the Declaration in Support of Moratoria on Weapons Production and Supply.
Formal Text for Governments, Parliaments and International Organisations. This proposal can be attractive to ministers and heads of government desperate to re-allocate the much-needed resources which are often trapped in destructive military industrial complexes.
Open letter to civil society organisations, governments, parliaments and international organisations to support a Global Freeze on Weapons Production and Supply
The Vatican endorses the #FreezeWeapons initiative
SCRAP) has received public support from The Vatican.
Included in The Vatican’s newsletter on 28 April 2020, SCRAP was listed as an example of an initiative promoting the freezing of arms production and supply. The newsletter encourages readers, churches and faith-based groups to promote disarmament by asking states and corporations to reinvest part of the resources currently dedicated to arms production to global food security instead.
In communication with CISD, The Vatican stated that, “The Vatican Task Force on COVID-19 has enthusiastically welcomed SCRAPs’ initiative and intuitions and, it is giving them public relevance, as you can see from the publication of our newsletters on the Dicastery’s website.”
The Vatican has confirmed that they will “keep supporting SCRAP’s impressive work” in future newsletters.
Our Proposal
The Strategic Concept for the Removal of Arms and Proliferation proposal is a holistic approach to global disarmament proposing the adoption of an international legally binding agreement for complete and general disarmament.
About SCRAP
SCRAP is a holistic approach to global disarmament that proposes adopting an international legally binding agreement for general and complete disarmament. It draws on best practices of past agreements to expand the idea of what is possible...
The SCRAP Treaty
The Strategic Concept for the Removal of Arms and Proliferation proposal is a holistic approach to global disarmament proposing the adoption of an international legally binding agreement for complete and general disarmament.
“The SCRAP Treaty is a template to use Disarmament and Arms Control to save lives, uphold international law, and to allow development and human security to flourish.“
Winnie Byanyima
Executive Director
OXFAM
“we can develop this Strategic Concept into a truly global resource. The SCRAP Treaty exists to reassure and empower those alarmed at the current turn of world events, to aspire for and work towards a safer world”
– Ambassador Abdul Minty
“I like the idea of SCRAP, I like the idea of meeting our security needs…with Arms Control and Disarmament Agreements, that limit destabilizing innovations, to eventually get us to reductions..as much reductions as possible”
Ambassador Robert l Gallucci
How can you become involved in SCRAP?
SCRAP proposes timetables and a draft treaty for consideration at the United Nations General Assembly, which takes place in September every year. Support our efforts to have SCRAP introduced at the UN General Assembly by sending a letter of support to your government.
If you are a student organisation or individual interested in working for SCRAP, please send us an email at scrap.weapons@soas.ac.uk.