After years of negotiation, the UN General Assembly is to vote on the first treaty to regulate the global trade in conventional arms.

Progress on the treaty, which is expected to be passed by a majority, was delayed by major arms exporters like the US, which only approved the idea in 2009 after Barack Obama was elected president.

Opposition from three states under existing arms sanctions – Iran, North Korea and Syria – prevented the treaty being adopted by consensus, so it went to a vote instead.

While the treaty will be greeted by peace campaigners as a step towards conflict resolution, sceptics question its real impact.

What does the treaty aim to achieve?

The global weapons trade is worth an estimated $70bn (£46bn), feeding dozens of ongoing armed conflicts from the civil war in Syria to Mexico’s drug wars.

UN treaties regulating weapons of mass destruction already exist, but none to control the conventional armaments which kill people daily.

According to a draft copy of the treaty published by the UN, it will set international standards for the trade in conventional arms and seek to prevent illegal arms-trading.

Governments will be expected to review arms export contracts to ensure the weapons do not violate existing arms embargoes, will not be used for war crimes, human rights abuses or organised crime and will not be diverted for illegal use.

Governments will also be expected to regulate arms brokers.

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