Controlling small arms and light weapons in Kenya and ... - Saferworld
Controlling small arms and light weapons in Kenya and ... - Saferworld Controlling small arms and light weapons in Kenya and ... - Saferworld
s a f e r w o r l d · w o r k i n g p a p e r 5Table 1: RECSA’s collaboration with partnersPartnerAfrican UnionEuropean UnionEast African CommunityInternational Conference on theGreat Lakes RegionInter-Governmental Authority onDevelopmentCommon Market for Eastern andSouthern AfricaUnited Nations Centre for Peaceand Disarmament in AfricaUnited Nations DevelopmentProgramme – Bureau for CrisisPrevention and RecoverySaferworldInstitute of Security StudiesSmall Arms SurveyMines Advisory GroupEast Africa Action Network on SALWArea of co-operationEstablishment of a Continental SALW Steering CommitteeContinental SALW control programme in AfricaArms marking, public awareness, research and capacitybuilding.RECSA mandated to implement the SALW project, addingfour other states that are not members of RECSA, namely:Angola, Zambia, Central African Republic and Republic ofCongoCo-operating in disarmament projectsAdopted the Nairobi Protocol to guide issues of SALWBrokers and dealers electronic softwareNational action plan development, capacity-building andpublic awareness.Research on harmonisation of firearms laws, capacitybuildingResearch, capacity-buildingResearch, capacity-buildingStockpile managementCivil society mobilisationSource: RECSA 2009 13RECSA’s broad base of partnership is based on the spirit and letter of both the NairobiDeclaration and Nairobi Protocol, which underscore the necessity of informationsharing and cooperation between governments, inter-governmental organisations andcivil society. 14RECSA’sstrategyThe Coordinated Agenda for Action and its Implementation Plan, established underthe Nairobi Declaration, are the broader frameworks that guide implementation ofSALW action by RECSA. In practice though, RECSA has implemented its activitiesbased on periodic strategic plans and implementation strategies. The current implementationstrategy runs from 2009–2014 and sets the various milestones that NFPsshould achieve during this period. The milestones highlighted in this strategy lie inthree main thematic areas, namely: strengthening of institutions, effective informationprovision and promotion and facilitation of SALW management. 1513 Wairagu F, ‘Progress in the Implementation of the Nairobi Protocol’, paper presented during RECSA’s Implementing PartnersForum, Nairobi, 16 February 2009.14 Nairobi Protocol, Article 2(c); the Nairobi Declaration recognises the same.15 RECSA, Regional Implementation Strategy, 2009–2014, Nairobi, 2009.
6 c o n t r o l l i n g s m a l l a r m s a n d l i g h t w e a p o n s in k e n y a a n d u g a n d a : p ro g re s s s o f a rProgresstowardsstrategyimplementationRECSA’s progress in implementing is best considered along the three thematic areaslisted above. As we shall see, while some have criticised RECSA for the narrow focusof its strategy, this does have the merit of clear focus and attainability, certainly incomparison to some NFPs whose plans can be quite wide-ranging and costly.Institutional and legislative measuresn RECSA has overseen the ratification and deposit of instruments of ratification at itsSecretariat by member states, namely: The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia,Republic of Uganda, The State of Eritrea, Republic of Rwanda, Democratic Republicof Congo, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Djibouti, Republic of Burundi, and theRepublic of Sudan, from 2004–2007. 16n RECSA has also organised regular Ministerial Review Conferences and GovernmentalExpert Meetings. This has ensured that SALW discussions maintain relevance at thetop levels of government in the member states. (However, considering the challengesrelated to lack of political will among member states to honour their commitments,the utility of these meetings is frequently questioned by sceptics.)n Facilitating and co-ordinating establishment of NFPs by member states is perhapsRECSA’s most significant achievement under this theme. The challenge is however,that the structures in most countries are not functioning as effectively as hoped due toa myriad of institutional and political problems (see below). The organisation has alsoprovided technical support to states on the review of SALW legislation in a numberof countries linked to the development of Best Practice Guidelines. However, evenwhere progress has been made to review legislation, the application of the best practiceguidelines has been minimal. Apparently most countries have not proactively soughtassistance from RECSA to assist in the process. 17 Further, despite the progresshighlighted above, the pace of harmonisation of laws and policies across the region(considered by many to be an ‘easy win’) has been slow. There seems to be consensusthat this is one area where RECSA needs to redouble its efforts. 18Research and informationIn the area of research and information, various best practice guidelines and actionplans have been developed by RECSA, as follows:n Best Practice Guidelines on Arms Control and Management adopted by the Groupof Government Experts in May 2005 and endorsed during the 3rd Ministerial ReviewConference in June 2005n Best Practice Guidelines on Practical Disarmament (2009/2010)n Guidelines for Regional Harmonisation of Legislation on firearms and ammunition(2005)n Researchers’ Manual on SALW (June 2010) 19n In addition, RECSA has co-ordinated the development of National Action Plans onSmall Arms in member states, most notably Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi,Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia.Overall, this appears to be one of the areas where good progress has been made.For example, the Best Practice Guidelines have been developed through wideconsultations with various actors and they embrace international best practice.16 See www.recsasec.org/ratification.htm, 30 January 2011.17 For more information on harmonisation of legislation, see Saferworld, Harmonising Small Arms Legislation: Selected CaseStudies, (London: Saferworld, 2011).18 Ibid.19 RECSA, Small Arms and Human Security Research: A Manual for Researchers in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa Regionand Bordering States, (2010).
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s a f e r w o r l d · w o r k i n g p a p e r 5Table 1: RECSA’s collaboration with partnersPartnerAfrican UnionEuropean UnionEast African CommunityInternational Conference on theGreat Lakes RegionInter-Governmental Authority onDevelopmentCommon Market for Eastern <strong>and</strong>Southern AfricaUnited Nations Centre for Peace<strong>and</strong> Disarmament <strong>in</strong> AfricaUnited Nations DevelopmentProgramme – Bureau for CrisisPrevention <strong>and</strong> Recovery<strong>Saferworld</strong>Institute of Security StudiesSmall Arms SurveyM<strong>in</strong>es Advisory GroupEast Africa Action Network on SALWArea of co-operationEstablishment of a Cont<strong>in</strong>ental SALW Steer<strong>in</strong>g CommitteeCont<strong>in</strong>ental SALW control programme <strong>in</strong> AfricaArms mark<strong>in</strong>g, public awareness, research <strong>and</strong> capacitybuild<strong>in</strong>g.RECSA m<strong>and</strong>ated to implement the SALW project, add<strong>in</strong>gfour other states that are not members of RECSA, namely:Angola, Zambia, Central African Republic <strong>and</strong> Republic ofCongoCo-operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> disarmament projectsAdopted the Nairobi Protocol to guide issues of SALWBrokers <strong>and</strong> dealers electronic softwareNational action plan development, capacity-build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong>public awareness.Research on harmonisation of fire<strong>arms</strong> laws, capacitybuild<strong>in</strong>gResearch, capacity-build<strong>in</strong>gResearch, capacity-build<strong>in</strong>gStockpile managementCivil society mobilisationSource: RECSA 2009 13RECSA’s broad base of partnership is based on the spirit <strong>and</strong> letter of both the NairobiDeclaration <strong>and</strong> Nairobi Protocol, which underscore the necessity of <strong>in</strong>formationshar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> cooperation between governments, <strong>in</strong>ter-governmental organisations <strong>and</strong>civil society. 14RECSA’sstrategyThe Coord<strong>in</strong>ated Agenda for Action <strong>and</strong> its Implementation Plan, established underthe Nairobi Declaration, are the broader frameworks that guide implementation ofSALW action by RECSA. In practice though, RECSA has implemented its activitiesbased on periodic strategic plans <strong>and</strong> implementation strategies. The current implementationstrategy runs from 2009–2014 <strong>and</strong> sets the various milestones that NFPsshould achieve dur<strong>in</strong>g this period. The milestones high<strong>light</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this strategy lie <strong>in</strong>three ma<strong>in</strong> thematic areas, namely: strengthen<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>in</strong>stitutions, effective <strong>in</strong>formationprovision <strong>and</strong> promotion <strong>and</strong> facilitation of SALW management. 1513 Wairagu F, ‘Progress <strong>in</strong> the Implementation of the Nairobi Protocol’, paper presented dur<strong>in</strong>g RECSA’s Implement<strong>in</strong>g PartnersForum, Nairobi, 16 February 2009.14 Nairobi Protocol, Article 2(c); the Nairobi Declaration recognises the same.15 RECSA, Regional Implementation Strategy, 2009–2014, Nairobi, 2009.
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