PCASED and SaferAfrica - West Africa SALW Implementation Support workshop - September 4 And 5, 2003 Pretoria, South Africa

Background: The widespread proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons in West Africa has contributed significantly to the lethality and the prolonging of armed hostilities in the sub-region, and has adversely affected conflict prevention and peace building, as current efforts in Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire so clearly demonstrates.

Against this backdrop, the West Africa Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Light Weapons in the sub-region was agreed to by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in October 1998 as an instrument for the promotion of collective and human security, including the fight against the proliferation and widespread availability of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region. The Moratorium was for an initial period of three years (1998-2001) but was extended for a further period of three years.

An evaluation of the ECOWAS Moratorium reveals certain weaknesses such as the failure by states to strictly enforce the provisions of the Moratorium, critical gaps taking into account the activities of brokers and transporters and the lack of a legally binding convention. There is a need to review and harmonize the national legislation pertaining to small arms and light weapons. It is clear that at the time the ECOWAS Moratorium was agreed to it represented an innovative way of dealing with the small arms and light weapons proliferation problem. However, it has since been superseded by other initiatives on the continent and the time has come to review progress made and what steps need to be taken to build on the goodwill generated by the Moratorium.

On September 4th and 5th 2003, representatives from the ECOWAS Secretariat, the PCASED Secretariat, UNOPS, FOSDA, the regional bureau of Interpol for West Africa and Secretariat of WARPCCO, the National Focal Point of Ghana and Gambia, the Nairobi Secretariat for the implementation of SALW action in the Great lakes and the Horn, and SaferAfrica met at SaferAfrica in Pretoria, South Africa to exchange information and practices on:

The status of Regional programmes of SALW in West Africa
International and Regional initiatives applicable to West Africa
Comparative Regional Action Plans on SALW ( Nairobi Secretariat)
Best Practices on the conformation and composition of National Focal Point and National Commissions on Small Arms and Light weapons in Africa
Best practices on coordination of Regional Action through Regional Focal Points
Best practices in the creation and implementation of national plans of action for arms management and disarmament
Identification of the roles for civil society in support of national and regional focal points and the implementation of action.

The meeting discussed and identified needs and requirements applicable for improved regional and national action in West Africa including

National Focal Points and their operationalization: training, funding, workplans, composition.
regional secretariats: training, composition, funding, coordination, operational guidelines, workplan.
information exchange and interactions
compatibility on agendas for action
strengthening legislation
improving operational capacity
reducing demand and availability

Summary recommendations of the PCASED and SaferAfrica West Africa SALW Implementation Support Workshop - September 4 And 5, 2003 Pretoria, South Africa