Trafficking of illicit firearms ‘still a problem in Africa’

Illicit accumulation and trafficking of firearms on the African continent is still a problem despite several approaches initiated to combat the vice, the head of the African Union Commission, Division of Defence and Security, has said.Dr. Tarek Sharif noted that there was still need for African countries to coordinate in order to effectively combat the scourge which leads to loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in Africa annually.“The issue of illicit small firearms is still a problem on the African continent and that’s why we need to move fast to contain it,” Sharif said, shortly after the opening of a two-day meeting on the ‘fight against the illicit accumulation and trafficking of firearms in Africa project,’ which kicked off in Kigali yesterday. The three-year project implemented in Africa and funded by the EU at a tune of Euro 3.3million, is scheduled to end this year.It was coordinated by the Regional Centre on Small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States (RECSA), and aims to strengthen the capacity of regional police chiefs’ cooperation and initiate the establishment of an AU continental police chiefs coordinating body.Following its launch in January 2010, over 300,000 illicit firearms have so far been voluntarily surrendered and destroyed in the 15 RECSA member states It is estimated that about 500,000 illegal Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) are in circulation in East Africa alone, a situation the region considers a major threat.Last September, experts from African countries developed and endorsed a continental strategy on SALW, in Lome Togo, which is scheduled to be adopted by the Executive Council of the AU Commission in a meeting slated for June this year.The strategy aims at regulating and putting restrictions on the trade in arms and how best the system can be regulated. “We hope, by the end of the year, we will have policy frameworks and implementation strategies to control the trafficking of illicit small arms and light weapons,” Sharif statedThe UN is also scheduled to hold a conference in July to come up with a ‘Regulate Arms Treaty’.Dr. Francis Sang, the Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), commended Rwanda for her efforts to contain and fight against the proliferation of illicit firearms and explosive materials.So far, over 32,000 illicit firearms have been destroyed in Rwanda since 2008. Last year up to 40 tones of ammunitions were also destroyed in Gabiro army barracks.Following the acquisition of the firearms’ marking machine in 2010, all small arms in the hands police, army and private security have been marked. The marking of those owned by Rwanda Correctional Services is scheduled to start late this month.In 2007, Rwanda also established a Central Firearms Registry (CFR) to strengthen firearms registration, stock heap management and trace any illicit firearms within the country.Article 34 of the penal code, on the registration and marking of firearms, states that, any arm owned or carried by licensed persons shall bear a serial number and other identification marks recorded in the appropriate register of the National Police. According to the law, “Any person who illegally uses a firearm, refuses to show a firearm or related documents to relevant authorities or who refuses to surrender the firearm to relevant authorities when required, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of seven days to one year and a fine ranging between Rwf 50,000 and Rwf 250,000 or either of these penalties”.One of the principles of the Nairobi protocol of 2004 is to ensure that there is proper stockpile security and management of arms.“We are developing the customary software so that we have proper records of all arms in states’ possession,” Sang explained.The customized software was supposed to be installed in all RECSA member countries by January for proper control and management of firearms in Africa.Musa Fazil Harelimana, the Minister of Internal Security, who presided over the official opening, observed that despite the existence of regional instruments and initiatives, there was still need for coordinated efforts by the continent to effectively tackle issues related to SALW.