Statement by the Deputy Minister for Safety and Security VJ Matthews, at the United

Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light weapons in All its Aspects, July 2001

Mr Vice-President,

Although we have nearly completed a week of deliberations, allow me through you, to also congratulate Ambassador Camillo Reyes on his election as President of this historic Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects. His election is a fitting tribute to the tireless efforts of Colombia to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on a national, regional and global level. The President is assured of our full support for his efforts to ensure a successful conclusion of this important Conference. South Africa will also work closely with Colombia in guiding our future implementation efforts.

We also recognise the important contribution that Japan , and you in person Mr Vice-President, have made in the fight against illicit small arms and we will also continue to co-operate with Japan in this regard. May I also use this opportunity to pay tribute to Ambassador Carlos Dos Santos for the sterling work he has done in guiding us so successfully through the arduous sessions of the Preparatory Committee. Let me also express our appreciation to the United Nations for organising and hosting of this Conference.

Mr Vice-President,

It is an opportune time to recall that the purpose of the United Nations is, among others, to maintain international peace and security, and to that end take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. A further purpose of the United Nations is also to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character. We should also recall that there is wide recognition that the unimpeded access to unlimited quantities of small arms and light weapons sustains conflicts, exacerbates the lethal nature of crime and violence and threatens international humanitarian law. This situation clearly endangers stability and severely constrains socio-economic development. In this context the United Nations has an important role to play in addressing the problems associated with small arms and light weapons. The Conference provides the international community with a unique opportunity to collectively express itself on the dangers posed by these weapons and to adopt a realistic and implementable programme of action. Such a collective effort would initiate a long-term process to prevent, combat and eradicate this threat to peace, stability and sustainable development.

Mr Vice-President,

South Africa 's national controls to combat, eradicate and prevent small arms proliferation focuses on the introduction of stricter control measures on the transfer of these weapons to government end users. It also focuses on the eventual removal of factors that fuel the demand for these weapons such as unemployment, poverty and lack of education and opportunity. However, there are limits to what can be achieved multilaterally in respect of the control over the transfer of small arms and light weapons. South Africa strongly believes that Governments bear the primary responsibility for ensuring that small arms and light weapons do not find their way into the illicit trade by implementing strict legal and administrative controls. In April this year, South African President Thabo Mbeki signed into law South Africa 's Firearms Control Act, which effectively tightens control over the possession of firearms by ensuring that only responsible persons will be allowed to possess firearms, so as to prevent these from entering the illegal market. The Act also discourages the unnecessary possession of large quantities of firearms and seeks to provide the South African Police Service with the necessary power to combat the problem of illegal firearms effectively.

South Africa 's objective is to reduce the number of illegal small arms and light weapons in circulation, as well as to reduce the flow of illegal weapons into our region and country. South Africa is in this context pleased with the developments in the Southern African Development Community. To this end, my delegation fully associates itself with the statement made by the distinguished Minister of Home Affairs of Namibia on behalf of the Members of SADC. The development of a SADC Protocol on small arms, which would facilitate sub-regional co-operation to combat illicit small arms proliferation is of particular relevance to this Conference and the draft Programme of Action. A valuable partnership has been established not only in the region but also with the European Union in our efforts to stem the tide of illicit small arms.

Through an ongoing co-operative effort between Mozambique and South Africa to find and destroy arms caches in Mozambique, we have since 1996 managed to destroy in excess of fourteen thousand small arms, seven thousand anti-personnel mines, seventeen thousand hand grenades, mortars and projectiles and over four million rounds of ammunition.

Mr Vice President,

South Africa is furthermore firmly of the view that stringent measures should be put in place to control the transfer of surplus small arms with the emphasis on destroying such arms rather than selling them on the open market. Africa , in particular, has experienced the practice of having excess weapons dumped on our continent, which in turn are used to fuel conflict and crime. This is not a recent phenomenon but has been going on for decades. As an important measure to stem the proliferation of these weapons, the South African National Defence Force is in the process of completing the destruction of over 270 000 surplus and obsolete small arms stockpiles. Similarly, the South African Police Services are currently disposing of several tons of State owned surplus and other confiscated illicit firearms. Incidentally, we were able to arrange that one of these destruction events coincided with the opening of this Conference on Monday, 9 July 2001.

I also wish to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Norway for their co-operation and generous assistance that has greatly facilitated the destruction of our surplus small arms. I recognise that other States have undertaken similar laudable initiatives and urge those who have not yet done so to join us in this preventative measure. Such practical action visibly demonstrates our commitment and resolve to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects.

Mr Vice-President,

There are perceptions that the draft Programme of Action being considered by the Conference is either not ambitious enough or that it goes beyond the mandate of the Conference. Comments have even been made that the international community could lose interest in this issue if the Conference has a negligible outcome. South Africa is, however, of the view that the draft Programme of Action is a delicate balance of the differing views and represents a practical and implementable action programme. This document provides the framework to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects in a realistic, sustained and comprehensive manner. South Africa agrees with the letter and spirit of this document because we are convinced that action can only be achieved through a comprehensive and sustainable approach based on the real needs and possibilities as identified by affected regions. The draft programme of action achieves that aspiration.

Mr Vice-President,

Africa does not have the luxury to lose interest in the ravages caused by small arms and light weapons. As an affected region we are gravely concerned that the illicit trade in these weapons, in all its aspects, continues to have devastating consequences for our development and well being.

Africa has witnessed the horrific effects of small arms and light weapons in fuelling internal conflicts and violent crime. We are confronted with the terror of armed banditry and the reality that our children are turned into soldiers and our women become the principal targets of violence.

Africa has collectively responded to this threat through the adoption of the Bamako Declaration on the Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small arms and Light Weapons, thereby providing a framework for an African solution to a problem that transcends national and regional boundaries. In terms of this framework the small arms problem is addressed from an inclusive perspective of arms control and disarmament, post-conflict peace building, conflict prevention and socio-economic development.

Mr Vice-President,

Africa does not have the time to engage in endless discussions of options for future control, which remain at the centre of concern of many countries that through the decades have dumped these arms on African soil. Africa cannot wait for the future in the hope that prevention can work. We need to act now because our problem is real and present.

Africa , like other affected regions, has only one opportunity to combat and eradicate this scourge. That is why we need the type of action proposed in this draft programme of action. It was to serve the present crisis in affected countries that this Conference came into being and it is fitting that its recommendations speak directly to their needs.

In the process of achieving consensus, this Conference should also inspire each country with the desire for concerted action at the global, regional and national levels.

South Africa is ready to act. We support this Draft Programme of Action, but we are also willing to take unilateral commitments to realise a comprehensive and sustainable approach to the prevention, combating and eradication of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects. The cornerstone of our commitment rests with the evolving plan for Africa 's renewal and reconstruction. In the realisation of this common vision, which is founded on the shared values such as democracy, good governance, peace and stability, sustainable people centred development and good neighbourliness, we would seek to eliminate those obstacles that stand in our way to realising our vision for Africa .

Mr Vice-President,

The struggle against the excessive and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons is not an impossible task but requires more than just government to government co-operation. We have to recognise that without an international partnership between States and civil society our efforts to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects will falter. The value of this Conference is therefore found in the opportunity that we have to forge such a relationship to the benefit of us all.

I thank you.