The First Ministerial Review Conference of the Nairobi Declaration on the Problem of the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa

OAU/AU (Organisation of African Unity/African Union)
H.E.. Ambassador Said Djinnit (AU Secretariat)

Honourable Major Madoka, Minister foreign affairs and International cooperation Kenya

Your Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen

I would like, at the outset to apologies for the absence of the Ambassador Said Djinnit, Interim commissioner of the commission of the African union, who regrets that he is unable to be among you. On behalf of the interim chairman Amara Essy, I would like to thank the government of the republic of Kenya for the invitation extended to the AU and to pay tribute to its continued effort to promote peace, security and stability in the region. The recent Machakos protocol signed between the Government of Sudan and SPLA/M under the auspices of President Arap Moi is a clear illustration of the commitment and leadership shown by Kenya.

The Kenyan government was instrumental in the adoption in March 2000 of the Nairobi declaration which articulated a number of steps to be taken by the countries of the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa in order to address the scourge of illicit small arms and light weapons. It represented a key understanding of the magnitude of the problem of small arms in Africa and the momentum that led subsequently to the landmark Bamako declaration on the illicit proliferation circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons. This ministerial review conference is yet another testimony to the commitment of the region. It will go a long way in maintaining the momentum that has been gathering pace in the continent and improving lessons learned in the development of the review mechanisms and the improvements of the effectiveness.

Excellencies ladies and gentlemen

The issue of small arms are a matter of great concern to the African union. It is part of the overall agenda of the Union to promote peace, security stability and development. OAU efforts led to the adoption in December 2000, of the Bamako declaration. This declaration was the result of a process that took into account national and regional initiatives such as the Nairobi declaration as well as inputs from the civil society organizations. It provides a framework that meets the needs of African countries and allows for information exchange between sub-region and with the rest of the international community.

The Bamako Declaration provided a significant input to the UN conference of July 2001 which adopted a programme of Action. Indeed OAU member states were successful in their endeavour to include in the UN programme of Action many of the Key elements of the Bamako declaration.

These include:

• The establishment of national coordination bodies and institutional infrastructure for policy guidance research and monitoring of efforts to prevent combat and eradicated the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
  
• The adoption of the necessary legislative measures to establish as criminal offence the illegal manufacture possession and trade in small and light weapons
  
• The development of action oriented research and public awareness programs working with civil society organizations to that end.

However the Bamako declaration contains provision that could not agreed upon at the UN conference.

These include:

• The development of national programs for responsible management of licit arms
  
• The negotiations of arrangement among neighbouring countries for effective systems of control
  
• The codification and harmonization at the regional level of the legislation governing the manufacture trade brokering possession and use of small arms and light weapons and ammunition and
  
• The restriction of small arms and light weapons transfer to governments and authorized registered licensed traders only.

As a follow-up to the Bamako declaration, the commission of the African union is working towards the convening of a meeting of Experts that will prepare an Implementation plan. The meeting is expected to undertake a thorough comparison of the Bamako declaration and the UN programme of action with a view to identifying the steps taken by AU member’s states under both documents. The implementation plan will outline the priority implementation areas; identify activities to be undertaken at the continental regional and national levels; set time frames and target dates for the completion of the activities agreed upon and provide an estimate of the resources required. In this exercise the AU will take due account of the ongoing regional and national initiatives.

Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen

The importance that the AU attached to the issue of small arms is also reflected in the relevant provision contained in the memorandum of understanding MOU of the Conference of Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA), adopted by the Heads of State and Government at their First standing conference held in Durban, South Africa in July 2002.

Under the MOU African Head of state and government have agreed to take the following steps by the year 2003:

• The establishment where they do not exist of national and regional coordination agencies or frameworks and institutional infrastructure for policy guidance research and monitoring
  
• The adoption of the necessary legislative and other measures to establish as criminal offences the illicit manufacture possession and trade in small arms and light weapons and
  
• The adoption of appropriate national legislation or regulations to prevent the breaching of arms embargo as decided by the UN Security Council.

It has further been agreed:

• To establish at national, regional and continental levels, a framework for regular dialogue with arms manufactures and suppliers with a view to stopping illicit supply of small arms and light weapons
  
• To institute by 2005 regional and continental conventional arms register and
  
• To convene, by 2004, the second ministerial conference of the illicit Proliferation Circulation and Trafficking of small arms and light weapons to review the status of the implementation of the Bamako declaration and the UN program of action.

I would like to add that the newly adopted protocol establishing the peace and Security Council of the AU makes a direct reference to the impact of illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons in threatening peace and security in Africa and undermining efforts to improve the living standards of the African peoples.

Already we are learning from experience. The OAU completed on 7 February 2002 a military observer mission to the Comorian island of Anjouan. The purpose of that mission was to assist the local officials in the identification collection and stockpiling of weapons that were circulation in the island. A list of 415 known weapons was used as the basis for collecting weapons from civilians, gendarmes and members of the defense force. 83% of the weapons on that list were collected and secured in local armouries. The mission also reduced the number of weapons possessed by members of the gendarmerie and the armed forces to one weapon per person and produced computerized records of the in the three armouries on the island. This process was undertaken to support the framework agreement for reconciliation in the Comoros of February 2001.

It is also worth mentioning the ongoing efforts by the AU intergovernmental Bureau for Animal Resources (IBAR) which has launched an innovative approach to promote peace and resolve local disputes in the Karamajong Cluster where efforts to eradicate and control major livestock diseases have reportedly been strewed by local conflicts fuelled by the proliferation of small arms IBAR has began a series of community to community meetings bringing elders together to discuss how to stop the escalation violence associated with the proliferation of small arms.

Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen

The First Ministerial Review Conference of the Nairobi Declaration on the Small Arms is a shining example of African determination to solve one of its intractable problems through collaboration and cooperation. The AU has no doubt that it will achieve its objectives, and thus contribute to our common goal of promoting peace security and stability in our continent.

I thank you.