PS Omollo raises concern over illicit trade in weapons

 Interior PS Raymond Omollo during the launch of the regional programme on peace building and preventing violent extremism in East Africa on November 13, 2024. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

Nairobi is hosting a forum to review strides made in the war against trade in small arms and light weapons in Eastern and Central Africa.

This is in efforts to combat insecurity threats within Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) member states including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Central African Republic.

Other members are Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.

While opening the 15th Technical Advisory Committee  (TAC) meeting on Wednesday, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo expressed concern over the security threat posed by the illicit trade in the weapons.

Omollo said that the forum that will run from November 20 to 22, 2024, seeks to review and strengthen interventions set out in 2020-2026 plan to address challenges associated with plans and strategies to combat insecurity.

"The agenda before you therefore, includes important steps such as, the validation of the draft action plan on Weapons and Ammunition Management in the Disarmament Demobilisation and Reintegration context and the validation of the draft regional harmonised reporting tool of the Nairobi Protocol," he said.

PS Omollo who also chairs the TAC said the National Focal Point Coordinators Forum meets "the practical needs and operational realities of our work in the field."

The Nairobi Protocol is a global agreement formed in 2004 aimed at combatting the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, possession and use of SALW in Grate Lakes Region and Horn of Africa.

PS Omollo said that the meeting will also take stock of border control measures aimed at sealing loopholes in legal frameworks to promote responsible arms transfers.

"We look forward to improving stockpile management and engage in comprehensive disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programs, empowering individuals to lead peaceful and productive lives," he said.

He explained that the review will also involve the assessment of essential reports on the security status of the RECSA region, the progress on previous Council of Ministers resolutions, the comprehensive RECSA annual report and the report on the review of the agreement establishing RECSA.

Further, the RECSA Secretariat will be seeking to rally leaders of the member states to financially support the programme as resources have emerged as a "major challenge" in implementation of the interventions.

"We call upon member states to commit to provide support needed for the implementation of the plans. While mobiling funds from donors, working closely with stakeholders will ensure full operationalisation of the strategic plans," said RECSA Executive Secretary Jean Pierre Betindji.