Kenya in unanimity with 14 other member states under the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) will present a joint position on Small Arms and Light Weapons at the Fourth Review Conference in New York in June this year.
The conference aims to address the challenges posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region, in line with the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The members who are currently attending the Regional Preparatory meeting on Small Arms and Light Weapons at a Nairobi hotel have joined hands to combat the illegal movement and trade of small arms and light weapons.
Presiding over the opening session of the two-day Regional Preparatory Meeting on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo reiterated Kenya’s commitment to combat the illegal arms trade.
Dr Omollo said the meeting is reviewing efforts such as the destruction of confiscated and obsolete firearm stockpiles and the marking of all state-owned weapons for enhanced traceability.
“By May 2023, the National Police Service had marked 98 per cent of its firearms stock, while the Kenya Defence Forces had achieved a 70 per cent marking rate,” announced the PS.
He said Kenya has also made significant strides in enhancing physical security in conflict-prone areas, capacity building for law enforcement agencies, and investing in modern technologies for border surveillance to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which contribute to banditry, terrorism, transnational crimes and criminal gangs.
“The illicit trade in small arms knows no borders and respects no laws, making it imperative for us to strengthen our collaborative efforts at both regional and international levels,” stated Dr Omollo.
The two-day Preparatory Meetings have brought together government experts from East and Southern Africa, who include Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
The meeting aims to take stock of key achievements in advancing the implementation of Action Programmes and related International Tracing Instruments by the respective Member States while reflecting on the challenges, emerging risks, and opportunities in respective countries.
Discussions will also focus on enhancing national and regional cooperation and technical assistance to governments to address the illicit flows of small arms and light weapons.
The outcome of the Regional Preparatory Meeting will inform the regional position and priorities for the upcoming Fourth Review Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
The Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) is headquartered in Nairobi.
By Bernadette Khaduli
