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Conclusion of the Sub-Regional Legal Assistance Workshop for States Parties to the Kinshasa Convention on SALW

WhatsApp Image 2019 09 27 at 14.33.32From September 25 to 27, 2019, the Sub-Regional Legal Assistance Workshop for States Parties to the Kinshasa Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) was held at the Sipopo International Conference Center in Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

This workshop, organized with the support of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, is an integral part of the project "Supporting African States in the framework of the African Union's vision of "Silencing the Guns of Africa by 2020 ": Capacity Building of Central African States ", jointly implemented by the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the United Nations Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) and the Office of the United Nations United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).

The participants for the workshop included delegates from the ECCAS Member States namely; Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe and Chad, international experts in the field of SALW and representatives of UN specialized agencies and sub-regional organizations (list of participants in annex).

The workshop was opened by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Her Excellency Maria Angeles MIAGA, in the presence of:

- Mr Guy-Pierre GARCIA, Deputy Secretary General, Head of Department of Human Integration, Peace, Security and Stability of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS);

- Mrs. Marilyn, Epse Tayim Ngum Fru, Senior Political Affairs Officer, Deputy Head of Political Affairs of the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA);

- Mr. Mady BIAYE, Resident Coordinator ai of the United Nations System in Equatorial Guinea;

- Mr. Anselme Nahmtante YABOURI, Director of the United Nations Regional Office for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC);

- Mr. Leonardo Lara Villarroel, Crime prevention and criminal justice officer at the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC);

- Members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; and

 -The representatives of the United Nations agencies in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

After having welcomed the legislative and regulatory measures already taken by the Member States and the General Secretariat of ECCAS, the delegates noted challenges in the implementation of the Kinshasa Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and made the following recommendations as follows:

To the General Secretariat of ECCAS

  • Establish a small arms and light weapons control unit within ECCAS;
  • Ensure that the annual meetings of National Commissions on the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons become effective;
  • Render operational the ECCAS Sub-Secretariat on the Kinshasa Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons;
  • Promote research and training on small arms and light weapons through the Secretariat of the Kinshasa Convention;
  • Organize and coordinate quality and certified training on the safe management of weapons and ammunitions stocks through the Secretariat of the Kinshasa Convention;
  • Identify and reinvigorate civil society organization networks working on the issue of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa, in order to support the activities of national commissions to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons;
  • Continue advocacy with Member States for the full ratification of the Kinshasa Convention;
  • Intensify advocacy with Member States for the implementation of the Kinshasa Convention.

To States Parties

 Update the legal instruments for the control of small arms and light weapons;

  • Harmonize national legal instruments on small arms and light weapons with the Kinshasa Convention;
  • Realize the Trust Fund to ensure the functioning of the Secretariat of the Kinshasa Convention;
  • Integrate youth and women's organizations into national commissions to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons;
  • Consider the gender dimension in the preparation of national reports addressed to the General Secretariat of ECCAS (Kinshasa Convention) and the United Nations (UN Program of Action).

To partners working in the field of SALW: ECCAS / UNOCA / UNREC

- Support National Commissions in the implementation of the Kinshasa Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons;

- Organize a sub-regional workshop to present and validate the implementation guide of the Kinshasa Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons;

- Organize a joint ECCAS / UNOCA / UNREC meeting to prepare the next phase of the project;

- Develop, as an annex to a joint program, a resource mobilization strategy paper;

-Ensure the continuation of ongoing activities of the project and possibly request an extension without cost for their finalization.

Done at Malabo on September 27, 2019