THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ILLICIT ACCUMULATION AND TRAFFICKING OF FIREARMS IN AFRICA (FIRST PAN AFRICAN PROJECT ON SALW FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION)

Transcription

1 Cooperating to Disarm European Union THE FIGHT AGAINST THE ILLICIT ACCUMULATION AND TRAFFICKING OF FIREARMS IN AFRICA (FIRST PAN AFRICAN PROJECT ON SALW FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION) PROJECT SUMMARY

2 Introduction The Regional Centre on Small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States (RECSA) has received funding from the European Commission for a three year project entitled The Fight Against the Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of Firearms in Africa to be implemented on the African Continent. Objectives of the Project The project will be implemented with guidance of the Project Steering Committee. The overall objective of the project is to support the fight against the proliferation of firearms and explosive materials in Africa. The specific objectives are- 1. To support the Africa-European Union (EU) strategic partnership in the fight against illicit accumulation and trafficking of firearms and explosive materials through enhanced implementing capacity. 2. To raise the awareness and knowledge of relevant institutional and civil society actors on the legislative and institutional aspects of the fight against the illicit accumulation and trafficking of firearms with the view to foster the role and/or establishment where they are not in place of National Focal Points (NFP) and to develop and/or implement of National Action Plans (NAPs). 3. To strengthen the African Regional Police Chiefs Organizations (RPCOs) and the capacity of and cooperation between national, regional and continental law enforcement agencies to fight cross-border illicit trafficking in firearms and explosive materials. The expected results are- 1. Establishment of NFPs, development and adoption of NAPs enabled. 2. RPCOs strengthened. 3. Capacity and cooperation between national law enforcement agencies (police, border guards and customs) improved within and among countries. Page 2 of 7

3 4. Cooperation with dedicated/specialised bodies for the collection of data on illicit transport of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) improved. 5. Exchange of information through data bases and electronic record-keeping in each subregion enhanced. 6. The basis to enable the strengthening of an African Union (AU) Continental Police Organization. The above results will be achieved through the implementation of the following activities- I. ENDORSEMENT OF THE PROJECT a. Kick off Trans-regional Seminar The seminar will be held in Nairobi and be attended by AU, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and (RPCOs/Sub Regional Bureaus [SRBs]) and other proposed Project Steering Committee members to further define the project objectives and activities. b. Regional Seminars Four regional seminars will be held in Kenya, Gabon, Mali and Zimbabwe to cater for the RECSA, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) regions. The seminars will be attended by Regional Police Chiefs, parliamentarians, customs, immigration, civil society, and any regional mechanisms participating in the project. These meetings are expected to come up with a clear roadmap for the effective implementation of identified project activities within the respective regions. c. Steering Committee Meetings The Project will have a steering committee comprised of - RECSA, European Commission, AU Steering Committee on Small Arms (AU, EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and SADC), Central African Police Chiefs Committee (CAPCCO), Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization Page 3 of 7

4 (EAPCCO), Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organization (SARPCCO) and West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) as full members, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), INTERPOL and World Customs Organization (WCO) as observers. The Project Steering Committee will meet twice a year. II. AWARENESS RAISING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING a. Annual Trans-Regional Seminar for Parliamentarians The seminars will be held once each project year. They will bring together selected parliamentarians to share regional experiences and report on the achievements or challenges in their countries. b. Regional Parliamentarians Seminars There will be four regional seminars. The purpose of the annual forums is to educate parliamentarians on the government commitments under the various instruments and the role of parliaments in ensuring that States fulfill their obligations and commitments as per the instruments. c. Annual Trans-regional Civil Society Seminar There will be one trans-regional seminar held once each project year. These seminars will be used to share new information and equip the civil society to adequately lobby their governments to implement the regional and continental instruments on SALW. d. Regional Civil Society Seminars There will be four regional seminars. The goal will be to share experiences and information on the new opportunities of cooperation with the regional bodies dealing with small arms in their respective areas. Page 4 of 7

5 e. Funding of Unique Civil Society Initiatives This will aim to identify unique interventions by civil society through a competitive process and winning interventions will be funded to a maximum of 10,000 per region per year. f. Development of and implementation of NAPs Technical support will be offered for the development of one NAP per year for each region. The Project will support the implementation of NAPs where they have been developed by facilitating technical officers to offer guidance during the implementation process. III. STRENGTHENED REGIONAL POLICE COOPERATION ORGANIZATIONS (RPCOs) THROUGH LEVELLED CAPACITIES AND EFFECTIVE COOPERATION a. A Trans-regional Seminar for all African RPCOs The purpose of the seminar is to acquaint RPCOs with each others structures and functioning mechanisms. b. Capacity needs assessment carried out in all RPCOs and NFPs The assessments will determine the available capacities and hindrances for cross regional cooperation. c. Improvement of Modes of Operations and Amelioration of RPCOs Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Systems This activity will include connecting the NFPs and the regional SALW implementing institutions through ICT. d. Build Networks The networks will be used for best practices exchange and further cooperation within and outside Africa where appropriate. Page 5 of 7

6 IV. CAPACITY AND COOPERATION BETWEEN NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (POLICE, BORDER GUARDS AND CUSTOMS) IMPROVED WITHIN AND AMONG COUNTRIES a. Standardized training modules on arms trafficking These modules will be designed and delivered in each sub-region and harmonised at the transregional level. b. Workshops on Inter-agency Cooperation These workshops will be organized in key selected countries and aim at the elaboration of practical tools to facilitate inter-agency cooperation. c. Awareness Raising Activities on INTERPOL Trans-National Crime and Terrorism Prevention The project will support the provision of sufficient equipment such as national databases for law enforcement authorities to operate at their fullest capabilities. d. Regional and National Central Bureaus (R-NCBs) The bureaus will be upgraded and trained. e. Contact officer's networks among R-NCBs and SALW instruments implementing organizations will be reinforced. Page 6 of 7

7 V. FACILITATED EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC RECORD-KEEPING IN EACH SUB-REGION a. Trans-regional Seminar on Arms Marking Best Practices This will bring other regions to the RECSA level where States are marking their stocks. b. Provision of Machines to Mark SALW This project seeks to have the other regions embark on marking of SALW. The project will support the procurement and delivery of marking machines. This activity will entail a training component on the use of the machines. c. Software for the Electronic Record-keeping of Marked Weapons This activity will enable the development and provision of software to enable the tracing of arms to units and individuals. d. Joint Task Forces Joint Task Forces (JTFs) will be established in each sub-region amongst voluntary countries. JTFs would be specialized multi-disciplinary entities for the exchange and cross-examination of information to identify members of criminal groups involved in sub-regional small arms trafficking activity with the view to conduct simultaneous joint investigations and operations. e. Harmonization of Legislation The Project will support the strengthening of the legislative and institutional capacity of States to harmonize legislation in line with the regional instruments. f. Generation of Reliable Information A study will be commissioned to generate information on illicit transportation of SALW in collaboration with specialised bodies. Page 7 of 7