Towards a Safe and Secure Nation: The First Consultative Conference on Firearm Control, Ownership and Administration in Botswana, 13-15 May, 2003
Preface
The Botswana Police Service is conscious of the fact
that unregulated and uncontrolled firearms contribute
to heightened levels of social instability in the form
of conflict, violence, violent crimes and other social
disorders in the country as a whole. In this respect
Botswana is fully aware of its international commitments
to the implementation of the provisions of the SADC
Protocol, Vienna Protocol, Bamako Declaration and the
UNPOA. While Botswana is more fortunate than its neighbours
with respect to the illicit proliferation of firearms,
there has recently been an unacceptable increase in
firearm-related crime. Therefore, there is an urgent
need to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing
of firearms, ammunition and other related materials,
and their excessive and destabilizing accumulation,
trafficking, possession and use, because of their links
with, among others, drug trafficking, terrorism, trans-national
organized crime and other violent criminal activities
like armed robbery. As such, the First National
consultative conference on Firearm Control, Ownership
and Administration in Botswana: Towards a Safer and
Secure Nation comes at a most opportune time.
While recognizing that the primary responsibility for
the safety of the Botswana people rests with the Botswana
Police Service, civil society also has a prominent
role to play. In the case of the prevention, management
and resolution of the problem of small arms proliferation
and the reduction of its negative effects in society,
it is clear that there are many roles that civil society
can play such as awareness creation and education campaigns,
research, needs assessments and community mobilization.
The Botswana Police Service welcomes the fact that
civil society recognizes that it has a role to play
and looks forward to a very productive relationship
with civil sociey. It is only through such a partnership
that Botswana's Long Term Vision (Vision 2016), that
challenges Botswana to eliminate serious and violent
crime and the illegal possession of firearms to create
a safe and secure environment which will enhance the
safety of the public and lead to investment, can be
realized.
The Botswana Police Service has taken note of the five
recommendations of the conference and is committed
to ensuring that the recommendations are implemented.
First National consultative conference on Firearm
Control, Ownership and Administration in Botswana:
Towards a Safer and Secure Nation has, without
doubt, been a success and I would like to note the
contribution made to the success of the conference
by BOCONGO, and the technical and material assistance
of Saferworld and SaferAfrica.
Commissioner Botswana Police Service
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