•Interior PS Omollo encouraged all the governments represented at a regional meeting to prioritize setting national targets and implementing national action plans in small arms and light weapons control.
•The PS said such regional processes will in a great way assist states to adequately tackle the problem of illicit SALW and its transnational challenges.
Image: MINA
Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo has challenged regional states to implement action plans in the fight against small arms and light weapons.
He said this will enable the member states to control the circulation of illicit firearms in general.
Omollo urged the countries for their commitment to implementing the relevant international instruments, among others, the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, its International Tracing Instrument, the Nairobi Protocol, and SADC Protocol.
“We must strengthen our legal and regulatory frameworks, enhance our border security measures, and improve our capacity for arms tracing, marking, and record-keeping,” he said.
“I similarly, urge the RECSA and the SADC regions to endeavour to set regional targets and develop regional roadmaps agreed upon common goals towards reducing the illegal possession, misuse, and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition.”
Omollo encouraged all the governments represented at a regional meeting to prioritize setting national targets and implementing national action plans in small arms and light weapons control.
“I also take this opportunity to encourage all governments to embrace and support the implementation of commitments under the African Union Silencing the Guns initiative. He made remarks when he opened the Regional Preparatory Meeting for East and Southern Africa for the Fourth Review Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Nairobi."
He said such regional processes will in a great way assist states to adequately tackle the problem of illicit SALW and its transnational challenges.
Omollo said there has been conflicts that continue to make the situation dire.
Omollo said that small arms and light weapons continue to wreak havoc in communities, fuel conflicts, undermine peace and stability, and hinder socio-economic development across East and Southern Africa and the continent at large.
“The illicit trade in small arms knows no borders and respects no laws, making it imperative for us to strengthen our collaborative efforts at both regional and international levels,” he said.
He said the meeting presents a valuable opportunity for those in attendance to take stock of achievements, assess the challenges that lie ahead, and chart a course of action that will enable countries to effectively address the root causes of the proliferation.
He added Kenya stands firm in its commitment to fully implement the Program of Action and the International Tracing Instrument and recognizes the crucial need to strengthen national legal and institutional frameworks, enhance border controls, and promote regional cooperation in arms control.
According to the PS, Kenya has taken significant steps towards the goals, such as enhancing physical security and stockpile management of government stockpiles, capacity building of law enforcement agencies on national and other international guidelines on small arms control, and investing in modern technologies and equipment to enhance the border surveillance capabilities.
Omollo said effective implementation of these measures requires more than just local efforts as it requires sustained political will, adequate resources, and enhanced international cooperation and assistance.
This comes in the wake of increased armed conflicts in several countries including Somalia, Sudan, and DRC which affects the whole campaign.
President Designate of the Fourth Review Conference, Maritza Chan Valverde of Costa Rica, as well as Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs graced the event.
Image: MINA
They were joined by delegations from over 26 countries from the Eastern and Southern Africa region, and regional and sub-regional organizations such as the African Union, the Economic Community of East African Community (ECA), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC.
The regional preparatory meeting was dedicated to fostering exchange of views on the state of implementation of the UNPoA and ITI and discuss a set of priorities in preparation for the UN PoA’s Fourth Review Conference (RevCon4), scheduled to take place in New York from 17-28 June 2024.
The widespread availability and illicit proliferation of SALW serve as key drivers and enablers of armed conflicts, violent extremism, and the expansion of terrorism, among other sources of violence and insecurity.
Small arms control measures have proven themselves to be effective tools to disrupt the supply of illicit SALW to terrorist and criminal groups.
“Adequate small arms control is a crucial means of reducing armed violence, preventing conflict and building peaceful and inclusive societies - without which sustainable development cannot happen,” said Nakamitsu.
The introduction of the International Tracing Instrument in 2005 further strengthened this framework, by emphasizing the need for effective marking and record-keeping of weapons, thus aiding in their traceability.
These measures are integral to the global effort to address the challenges posed by the illicit arms trade and align with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the meeting was told.
The Nairobi meeting will provide a forum for participating States and other stakeholders, including regional organizations to identify region-specific SALW-related challenges and discuss priorities for RevCon4.
The two-day meeting will feature thematic presentations and group discussions on various themes, such as developing effective national policies, enhancing tracing of SALW through the International Tracing Instrument framework, and identifying and developing strategies to curb the supply and demand of SALW.
It also offers a unique opportunity for participating States and regional organizations of Eastern and Southern Africa to engage in constructive discussions on combating terrorism, illicit trafficking and transnational crimes within the framework of the UN PoA and contribute to countries’ voluntary national reports.
They will also explore the synergies between UN PoA and regional instruments such as the Nairobi Protocol on small arms and the South African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on control of firearms, along with Weapons and Ammunition Management and commitments made in the area of preventing violent extremism and with regards to integrating SALW control into 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its linkages to the African Union 2063 Agenda for inclusive and sustainable development.