UN in Focus Newsbrief N0. 2/2013 Quick Links FES NY Events FES NY Publications More About Us March 2013 Dear Colleagues and Friends, With this Newsbrief we would like to bring to your attention two of our activities in support of current UN processes, respectively on arms trade, and sanctions to prevent natural resources from fuelling conflict. In both cases, the relationship between member states' domestic legislation and the UN are central. On March 18, FES New York will co-host a discussion event for UN Member States that will gather again in New York for what is officially called the Final Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty negotiators will have only nine short days to resolve a number of contentious issues to establish high common standards for international trade in conventional arms. Not only would this document have to be agreed upon by consensus, but signatories will also have to ratify it later domestically. On March 21-22, together with its partners, FES New York will launch a year-long, global dialogue that revisits the existing UN Security Council sanctions regime on natural resources with the aim to formulate recommendations towards a globally more shared approach. Security Council sanctions are very often circumvented by national and international actors thus undermining well-intended national and international legal obligations. In addition, I would like to draw your attention to FES's participation in this year's World Social Forum in Tunis, Tunisia, where colleagues from many offices will present a series of seminars on topics such as"Revolution or Evolution? Strategies for political change in the MENA region" and"Eco-Social Fiscal Justice as Part of a Holistic