Events
Practical Solutions To Small Arms Control In Africa 2007 (14-16 Nov 2007) (PDF 454 KB)
SaferAfrica is proud to partner with the International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC) on the presentation of the Practical Solutions To Small Arms Control In Africa 2007 Conference. It will take place from 14 to 16 November 2007 at the Holiday Inn, Pretoria, South Africa. The theme of the conference is how to practically tackle the scourge of small arms and light weapons in Africa.
What is to be gained by attending this conference?
Some of the leading global experts on the issue of small arms control will address this topic, including:
Keynote Presentations:
- Pamela J. Maponga, Senior Political Affairs Officer Officer-in-Charge Conventional Arms Branch Office for Disarmament Aff airs, UNITED NATIONS
- Daniela Dicorrado Andreoni, Head of Sector Peace and Security, Development Directorate-General, EUROPEAN COMMISSION
- Fiona Lortan, Acting Head of Defence and Security Division, Department of Peace and Security, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
- Dr. Agnekethom Pawoumotom Cyriaque, Head of Division - Small Arms, Department for Peacekeeping and Regional Security, ECOWAS COMMISSION (TBC)
- Joseph Musoni, Regional Specialized Officer (Firearms and Explosives) INTERPOL SRB Harare/ SARPCCO Secretariat
Practical Presentations by:
- Jakkie Potgieter, Head of Safety and Security Programme, SAFERAFRICA
- Sarel Buijs, Analyst in the Safety and Security Programme, SAFERAFRICA
- Rick de Caris, Advocate, Director, Budget Holder & Head of Support, Analyst in the Safety and Security Programme, SAFERAFRICA
- Francis Sang, Secretary General, REGIONAL CENTRE ON SMALL ARMS (RECSA)
- Dominic William Hayuma, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Commanding Officer Arms Management And Disarmament Division, TANZANIA POLICE FORCE
- Major General M’lukeni, Deputy Commander, NATIONAL FOCAL POINT ON SMALL ARMS, Namibian Police Force
- Reuben McCarthy, DDR Advisor, DDR Unit UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)
- Brian Wood, Research and Policy Manager for Military, Security and Police Transfers, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
- Alex Nyago, Project Coordinator, Horn And Great Lakes Region, SAFERWORLD UK
- Senior Superintendent JAP Burger, Programme Manager, SAPS Development Assistance Programmes, Division Training: SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE (SAPS)
- Martin Naude, Director, Specific Violent Crime Detective Service Head Office, SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE (SAPS)
- J.J. Bothma, Director and The Acting Head: Firearms & Liquor Control, SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE (SAPS)
- Rebecca Peters, Director, INTERNATIONAL ACTION NETWORK ON SMALL ARMS (IANSA)
- Eric Berman, Managing Director, SMALL ARMS SURVEY (SAS)
- Idriss Mounir Lallali, Head of Alert and Prevention Unit, African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism, AFRICAN UNION
- Joseph Dube, Africa Coordinator, INTERNATIONAL ACTION NETWORK ON SMALL ARMS (IANSA)
If these organisations believe there is value in supporting IQPC’s conference don’t you think you should do the same and register now?!
Call (+ 27 11) 669 5000
You can register online by visiting: http://www.iqpc.com/za/smallarmsRegional SALW Training course 
(15-18 Nov 2006)
SaferAfrica, in cooperation with the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA), conducted a Senior Management Sensitisation Seminar and Law Enforcement Agency Workshop on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Addis Ababa over the period 15 – 18 November 2006. The three day course involved both theoretical and practical components. The topics covered in the course included:
- Nature of the problem, and international and regional responses
- Background to the manifestation and impact of the small arms problem on the African continent, and specifically in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa;
- Development of an international and regional strategy to deal with the problem;
- The United Nations Programme of Action and the United Nations Protocol Against Illicit Manufacture of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components, and Ammunition, with specific reference to national obligations;
- The Bamako Declaration and the African common position on Implementation of the UNPoA, with specific reference to national obligations;
- The Nairobi Declaration and the Nairobi Protocol for the Prevention, Control and Reduction of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa, with specific reference to national obligations;
- Best Practice Guidelines for the Implementation of the Nairobi Protocol, with specific reference to national obligations.
- Institutional framework at the regional and national levels
- Mandate, organisation, role and responsibilities of the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons;
- Mandate, organization, functions and tasks of the National Focal Point (with reference to the Provincial/Regional Task Force);
- Day-to-day functions of the National Focal Point, functions of ministries and departments represented in the National Focal Point;
- Understanding the role of civil society, their participation, functions and responsibilities in the activities of the National Focal Point.
- Training and capacity building for the effective implementation of the Nairobi Protocol
Firearms Destruction (20 Nov 2006)
The destruction of 1,600 firearms occurred on Monday 20 November 2006 in Addis Ababa at a steel melting facility in a public destruction ceremony. During 15-18 November 2006, SaferAfrica managed the preparation of these 1,600 firearms for destruction. The Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) funded this destruction ceremony, while SaferAfrica provided the technical expertise.
The firearms were made available for destruction by the decision of the National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons of the Government of Ethiopia (NFP), who declared approximately 11,000 firearms obsolete. These firearms included not only obsolete firearms, but those stocks seized and captured by the law enforcement agencies in Ethiopia. In this November destruction, 1,600 firearms were destroyed, while the remaining 9,400 firearms are to be destroyed by smelting during January 2007.
The actual destruction took place on Monday 20 November 2006 in Addis Ababa at a steel melting facility. The guest of honour was the Speaker of the National Assembly, who also set the stack of firearms alight. After the firearm tower burnt out, the weapons were left to cool after which they were moved directly to the smelter for the final destruction. Read more...
Operation Rachel XII (1) (1 October 2006)
Operation Rachel XII (1), which started on the 1 October 2006 and ended on the 19 October 2006, delivered once again a crunching blow to the illicit pool of firearms available in Mozambique and in Southern Africa.
In total 3060 Small Arms and Light Weapons was destroyed. This include 1180 AK -47’s, 332 SKS Rifles, 193 Mauser Rifles, 744 Black Powder Rifles and 246 .303 Rifles. 159 Handguns, 105 missiles such as RPG-7 & RPG-2’s and 75 000 different firearm magazines were also destroyed. Also destroyed were 300 000 rounds small arms ammunition.
In attendance to the destruction that took place on the 18 October 2006 was the UK High Commissioner for Mozambique, the UK High Commissioner for South Africa and a representative from the Belgium Government in Mozambique. The Government of Mozambique was represented by the Police Chief of Operations while the South African Government was represented by Mr. D. Estevao, First Secretary in the South African High Commission in Mozambique and Commissioners from the SAPS.
The operation also saw unprecedented media coverage as media representatives from international and regional houses covered the event.
Mr. Ettienne Hennop from SaferAfrica joined Operation Rachel XII (1) for the duration of the operation and traveled approximately 6700km with one of the groups to experience the working and living conditions of the operators in the operation and to evaluate the SARPCCO trainees that again formed part of the operation. 27 SARPCCO police officers formed part of the operation as their practical module for their Illegal Cross Border Firearm Destruction training.
Analysing the statistics on what were destroyed it is notable that this is again of the best destructions of weaponry in the history of Operation Rachel and that about 95% of the weaponry were in a good working condition.
Operation Rachel XII (1) was a huge success if we only look at what was destroyed. Operation Rachel’s future looks secure from funding and other sponsorships if we look at the level of coverage and attendance from those that do have influences on decisions that need to be made in this regard.
Training of Provincial Coordinators of the Plataforma Nacional da Sociedade Civil Angolana para as Elieções (PNASCAE) (30th October-8 November 2006)
The Training of the Provincial Coordinators of the
Plataforma Nacional da Sociedade Civil Angolana para as Elieções (PNASCAE) was held from 30th October-8 November 2006 at the Instituto de Formacao da Administracao Local (IFAL) in Luanda. The training was attended by the provincial coordinators as and members of the executive of the PNASCAE.
The training was part of the second phase of activities of a six month on the capacity of civil society on electoral processes. Ahead of the start of voter registration on 15 November, the provincial coordinators attended a 10 day course that covered Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) included modules on introduction to electoral administration, public outreach, voter registration and electoral observation. The course was facilitated by the members of the PNASCAE and the Ministerial of Territorial Administration who had just recently completed the Training of Facilitators (TTF) Course held in September 2006. The facilitators were supervised Kenneth Mpyisi, Governance and Development Programme, SaferAfrica and Cesar Pereira da Silva, Secretaradio Technico de Administracao Electoral (STAE).
Governance and Development Programme Technical Support to Electoral Processes in Angola (10-28 September 2006)
In November 2005, Angola 2000 was appointed the umbrella organization for the Plataforma Nacional da Sociedade Civil Angolana para as Elieções (PNASCAE), a permanent body composed of civil society organisations involved in electoral processes.
In December 2005, the President of the PNASCAE and Director of Angola 2000 requested SaferAfrica's technical and financial assistance for capacity building of members of the PNASCAE.
Angola 2000 and SaferAfrica have a Memorandum of Understanding that covers cooperation in the field of peace, security and good governance. SaferAfrica agreed to provide financial and technical assistance to the PNASCAE and to assist in the fundraising for the additional training.
The first Building Resources in Democracy Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) training workshop for election-related civil society organisations was held March 6 – 17, 2006 at SaferAfrica offices. This was aimed at building the enabling capacity of the PNASCAE to play an effective role in the electoral process in Angola. To achieve this aim, the training focused on selected components of the BRIDGE modules. The training was conducted in both English and Portuguese. This ABRIDGE workshop was funded and coordinated by SaferAfrica based in South Africa. The training was facilitated by Kenneth Mpyisi and Theophilus Dowetin. The topics treated included the following:
- Code of Conduct for an EMB
- An EMB and its Stakeholders
- Political System and Electoral System:
- Concept of Free and fair Elections
- Voter Registration: Purposes, Types/Method, Criteria, Attributes, Stages,
- Participation of Women Politics: Challenges and Possible Interventions
- Electoral Public Outreach: Principles, Types & Design
- General Principles of Good Boundary Delimitation
- Preparing for an Electoral Event: Approaches to the Count
- Sub Regional Electoral Initiatives & Guidelines for SADC
- Role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Election Administration in Africa - Case study of Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
- Legal and Institutional Framework Election Administration in Angola
- Lessons Learnt from the African Experience for CSO Participation in Election Following the training in Pretoria Kenneth Mpyisi from the Governance and Development Programme traveled on two occasions in April and July 2006 to assist in fundraising and coordination of further training activities. In August 2006 the Embassy of the Netherlands agreed to financially support further capacity building activities.
BRIDGE Training
The first BRIDGE training workshop for election-related civil society organisations was held at S
aferAfrica,173 Beckett Street, Arcadia in Pretoria. This week was aimed at building the enabling capacity of the Plataforma Electoral Angolana to play an effective role in the electoral process in Angola. The training was facilitated byb Theophilus Dowetin and our own Kenneth Mpyisi. Click here to read more...
International Peace and Cooperation Programme hosts Expert Consultation on the governance of fossil fuels in the SADC region (18th September 2006)
The expert consultation on the exploitation and management of fossil fuels in the SADC region was held 
at SaferAfrica in Pretoria on 18th September 2006. The experts were drawn from public companies, private sector, non-governmental organisations and governments
The consultation aimed to initiate exploratory discussions on the minimum standards that should govern the management and use of fossil fuels in the SADC region, including the identification of implementation and monitoring mechanisms. The meeting aimed to delineate the principles, guidelines and standards needed to ensure that the management and use of fossil fuels enhances peace, stability, security and sustainable development.
The consultation was sponsored by the Conflict and Governance Facility of the European Union (CAGE) and South African Treasury. Read More...(PDF)
International Peace and Cooperation Programme hosts Expert Consultation on the governance of mineral resources in the SADC region (25th August 2006)
The Expert Consultation on the Governance of mineral resources in the Southern African Development 
Community (SADC) Region was held at SaferAfrica in Pretoria on 25th August 2006. A total of nine expert participants were drawn from member states, national and regional non-governmental organisations, research institutions, multi-lateral organisations and the business community
The consultation aimed to initiate exploratory discussions on the minimum standards that should govern the management and use of mineral resources in the SADC region, including the identification of implementation and monitoring mechanisms. The meeting sought to begin to generate critical information and analysis of the state of resource governance in order to inform the participation of the SADC region in the AU-led continental process towards the development of minimum standards for the governance of natural resources in Africa.
The consultation was sponsored by the Conflict and Governance Facility of the European Union (CAGE) and the South African National Treasury. Read More...(PDF)
International Peace and Cooperation Programme hosts Expert Consultation on the governance of marine resources in the SADC region (15 August 2006)
The Expert Consultation on the Governance of Marine resources in the SADC Region was held at 
SaferAfrica in Pretoria on 15 August 2006. The experts were drawn from government departments, consultants, non-governmental organisations, and multi-lateral research institutions
The consultation aimed at initiating exploratory discussions on the minimum standards that should govern the management and use of marine resources in the SADC region. Specifically, the meeting aimed to delineate principles, guidelines and standards needed to ensure that the management and use of marine resources enhances peace, stability, security and sustainable development.
The consultation was sponsored by the Conflict and Governance Facility of the European Union (CAGE) and South African Treasury. Read More...(PDF)
Arms Destruction in Botswana (12 August 2006)
During July 2006 the Deputy Commissioner of
Police, Commissioner
Kenny Kapinga, requested SaferAfrica to assist the Botswana
Police with a public destruction of firearms. On 12
August 2006 the President
of Botswana, HE Festus Mogae, lit the flame that destroyed
the firearms.
Read
more...
International Peace and Cooperation Programme hosts Expert Consultation on the governance of land resources in the SADC region (4 August 2006)
The Expert Consultation on the Governance of Land in the Southern African 
Development Community (SADC) Region was held at SaferAfrica in Pretoria on 4 August 2006. A total of thirteen expert participants were drawn from national and regional non-governmental organisations, universities and training institutions, multi-lateral organisations and independent land consultants. Read more...
International Peace and Cooperation Programme hosts Expert Consultation on the governance of water resources in the SADC region (10 July 2006)
The Expert Consultation on the Governance of Water 
Resources in the SADC Region was held at SaferAfrica in Pretoria on 10 July 2006. The experts came from multilateral institutions such as the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Secretariat and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), research institutes and academia, as well as government and civil society from countries in the SADC region. View report (PDF) | Click here to enlarge photo
Arms Destruction II in Uganda (18 May 2006)
The smelting process started on 18 May 2006 at the Steel Rolling Mills smelter based in Jinja. The firearms were transported by the UPDF to the 
smelter where the following process took place:
- All firearms were off loaded and once again checked that they were safe.
- The serial numbers and markings of each firearm were recorded.
- The wood and plastic on the firearms were then removed before they were weighed and then moved to the furnace for smelting.
- This process was done under the constant supervision of the UPDF.
- The process was finished on 05 June 2006.
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