African nations unite against proliferation of small arms and light weapons

A number of African countries from the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region have committed to fighting the inflow of illicit small and light weapons, which are attributed to the rising insecurity in the region, thus affecting stability.

In Nairobi, several policymakers, security experts, diplomats, and peace campaigners from the regions emphasized the need to curb illicit weapons and the proliferation of small arms, arguing that the increase has triggered instability.

Convened by Kenya’s Ministry of Interior and National Administration and the Regional Center on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA), a Nairobi-based intergovernmental organization, the five-day meeting seeks to recalibrate national and regional strategies aimed at eliminating the unregulated flow of small and light weapons, the Ministry said.

Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary in the Department of Internal Security and National Administration, said the regional governments have showcased the ability to effectively fight the vice through close collaboration.

“Across this region, the security threat posed by the proliferation of small and light weapons is immense and includes terrorism, conflicts, and violent crime,” Omollo said.

Omollo said that enhanced intelligence sharing, public awareness, capacity building for law enforcement agencies, and the harmonization of policy and legislative frameworks are vital for containing the illicit movement of light weapons.

According to Jean Pierre Betindji, RECSA’s executive secretary, the countries within the region have traditionally worked together, thus managing to track and destroy stockpiles, with tracing and reporting made much easier.

In Somalia, the Al-Shabaab and ISIS militants have often managed to smuggle weapons from Yemen, a country struggling with lawlessness since the Arab uprising that left the country in shatters. However, Somalia has worked with partners to reduce smuggling.

GAROWE ONLINE