Security experts discuss solutions to proliferation of small arms in Africa

Nairobi, Nov 20 (IANS) Security specialists are meeting in Kenya's capital of Nairobi starting Wednesday to seek solutions to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Africa.

The three-day forum brought together representatives from the 15 member states of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), and United Nations officials to review ways to curb the illicit flow of weapons in the region.

The RECSA's member states are Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Executive Secretary at RECSA Jean Pierre Betindji said that the proliferation of weapons is a transnational issue requiring a unified response from securities agencies of affected countries.

"The menace can be controlled through improved information sharing among countries as well as enhanced capacities to monitor and detect the crime," Betindji said.

Raymond Omollo, Kenya's principal secretary in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, noted that some of the measures required to reduce the threat of illicit arms in the region include strengthening stockpile management of arms to prevent the diversion of weapons to criminals.

Omollo added that disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of combatants and providing alternative livelihoods will improve peace and security in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

Susanne Dam, acting director of the United Nations Development Programme Regional Hub for Arab States based in Amman, Jordan, told the forum that the region can address the illicit flow of arms through alignment with international treaties like the Arms Trade Treaty.

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