Africa campaigners against gun violence hail the U. S. decision to join the negotiations for a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty.

In a joint statement issued in Nairobi, Kenya, the campaigners also urged governments to control deadly trade in weapons.

"The U. S. decision to support strong global controls on the arms trade is great news for Africa," said Joseph Dube, Africa coordinator for IANSA, the global movement against gun violence.

The campaigners said U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saw for herself on her recent seven-nation visit conflicts over natural resources, which are devastating the continent where most families have suffered gun violence, either directly or indirectly.

"We hope the U. S. will show positive leadership and push for a strong treaty, to help break the cycle of violence that is keeping Africa poor," they said.

The U. S. secretary of state announced on Thursday that Washington was committed to "actively pursuing a strong and robust treaty" containing "the highest possible, legally-binding standards for the international transfer of conventional weapons."

This, the campaigners said, is a major policy reversal: the previous U. S. administration consistently opposed the effort to create a treaty.

"Africa has paid the cost of the trade in small arms for too long. This is a victory for thousands of campaigners across the continent," Dube said.

"The U.S. -- the world's largest arms exporter -- now accepts the need for strong international controls. Now it is up to African governments to maintain the pressure for a strong treaty."

All UN member states are meeting in New York this month to discuss security and disarmament.

IANSA members are campaigning for a treaty that will ban transfers of arms or ammunition if they will be used for serious violations of human rights or war crimes, undermine development or involve corruption, and provoke or worsen armed conflicts.