YouSaid · the spoken record

Abdelgadir

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17

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2021-10-06

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2021-10-06

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un-security-council

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1. “The fight against weapons trafficking and misuse cannot be won in boardrooms but requires concrete and practical interventions that address the drivers of the proliferation of weapons.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

2. “Peace operations involve full-blown conflict with formal warring parties, but small arms proliferation goes beyond that context to lower-level transnational organized armed crime, which affects human security. That is why it is important to support the Regional Centre in carrying out its mandate. The opportunity of having a fully-fledged intergovernmental organization whose sole mandate concerns the fight against small arms proliferation, as a specialized agency, should be exploited by the Security Council. In conclusion, arms proliferation therefore covers their production, transfer, possession and use without authorization of a competent authority. Let it suffice to note that it remains the catalyst of armed conflicts in Africa.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

3. “The mechanisms exist, but they face challenges. It is important to recognize that small arms proliferation is a development issue. There is a need for enhanced coordination among stakeholders to avoid duplication and for adequate funding for small arms management and control intervention. Arms control programming is not a stand-alone issue; it is closely linked to poverty reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, it is vital to package arms control interventions within wider development programming, as there is a nexus between sustainable development and security. Despite the threats posed by climate change and the coronavirus disease pandemic, let us not forget that arms proliferation is a worse catalyst that can bring communities and economies to a standstill.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

4. “Above all, there is a need to coordinate all the efforts by the different stakeholders spearheaded by the national institutions responsible for small arms management and control. In that regard, expertise and experience can be exploited to spearhead the fight against small arms proliferation on the African continent. The fourth question concerns which regional or global mechanisms can be developed and/or strengthened to shore up the control of small arms and light weapons in conflict-affected situations. The management of small arms and light weapons calls for the actual implementation of the existing mechanisms globally at the United Nations level, continentally at the African Union level and regionally at the level of the Regional Centre on Small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

5. “At the international level, we have the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons and the Arms Trade Treaty. At the continental level, we have the Bamako declaration and the African Union Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative, while at the subregional level we have the Nairobi Protocol. The major gaps to be addressed include the need to domesticate the existing small arms control instruments within national legislation and making available adequate human and financial resources to implement them.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

6. “The third question concerns how United Nations peace operations can support enhanced weapons and ammunition management, the existing tools and mechanisms that are available to that end and whether there are gaps that need addressing. As I have already said, enhanced weapons and ammunitions management is all about interventions that are aimed at curbing diversion. While technical support from United Nations peace operations to local law enforcement agencies is paramount to enhance weapons management, the inclusion of weapons management components during predeployment training for troops is highly recommended. The tools and mechanisms are already in place.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

7. “Therefore, before and during the deployment of peacekeepers, we suggest the following measures: training in weapons and ammunitions management before the deployment of peacekeepers; the marking and electronic record-keeping of all weapons to be used in the mission before deployment; continued accountability measures for all mission stockpiles; the effective management or destruction of all small arms and light weapons collected during disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes; and continued awareness-raising among the general public in conflict areas on the negative effects of small arms proliferation.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

8. “Arms management and control, whether in conflict-affected or fragile situations or not, has three major objectives, namely, to improve physical security to curb diversion, to improve safety to reduce the risk of unintended explosions, and accountability to know exact numbers for the easy detection of leakage and to take appropriate action.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

9. “While weapons obtained from peacekeepers may represent a relatively small part of those held by armed groups, further diversions could be reduced by improved weapons management and control in peacekeeping operation missions. The second question concerns the specific measures that the Security Council can take to prevent weapons in the possession of peacekeepers from falling into the hands of illicit armed groups, including in relation to its work on arms embargos, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform and countering terrorism. The measures to be taken by the Security Council revolve around the concept of arms management and control in peacekeeping operations.”

   2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

10. “The first question concerns the trends in the illicit circulation, proliferation and misuse of small arms in the context of peace operations and the impact of those trends in shaping the mandates of the Security Council. There is no doubt that there is an increasing trend of the illicit circulation and misuse of small arms in the context of peace operations. Before peacekeepers are deployed, illicit small arms and light weapons are already circulating in conflict-affected areas. We should be seeking out the sources of those illicit weapons before deployment, so that the mandates of United Nations missions include undertaking interventions aimed at cutting off the sources of illicit firearms.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

11. “For example, armed conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia and the Sudan further illustrate how illicit weapons serve as a catalyst in conflicts and fragile situations. Seven of the 13 current global peacekeeping operations are being conducted in Africa, five of which are in our subregion, in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Somalia, the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In fact, when we discuss peace operations, we already know that we are talking about a situation involving illicit armaments. Therefore, a strengthened fight against the proliferation of illicit weapons in its totality would go a long way in reducing the need for peace operations. Allow me to briefly address four guiding questions.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

12. “Secondly, weak physical security and poor management of State-held weapons can result in their diversion. Thirdly, internal political dynamics that involve a struggle for political power without following legal means and bad governance may facilitate a politically motivated supply of arms. Fourthly, ungoverned spaces drive demand for illicit small arms and light weapons by individuals to guard their lives and properties. A fifth driver is economic marginalization, which may facilitate youth radicalization and violent extremism and thereby fuel demand for illegal weapons. As a result of those reasons, over the past two decades the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa have experienced some of the most dangerous armed conflicts in Africa.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

13. “Member States are being encouraged to plan and execute public education and awareness campaigns for “hearts and minds” disarmament. At this juncture, allow me to thank our development partners — especially the Governments of the United States, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the Arms Trade Treaty secretariat, the African Development Bank and the European Union — which have supported the Regional Centre on Small Arms financially in the fight against small arms proliferation. There are many drivers of the proliferation of illicit weapons in our region. Those include, first of all, weak legislative and policy frameworks in many countries where legislation on arms management and control is outdated and not harmonized with the current realities and existing small arms instruments.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

14. “The Centre has constructed six permanent armouries and distributed six containerized armouries, 1,600 safe storage steel boxes and 230 gun racks. “Heart and mind” disarmament awareness campaigns have been planned and undertaken, as we are well aware that almost 70 per cent of small arms are in the hands of civilians. A weapons and ammunition management practitioner’s handbook has also been developed in three languages — English, French and Swahili. Furthermore, the Regional Centre on Small Arms has developed model legislation to guide member States in harmonizing small arms legislation in line with regional and international instruments on small arms. Efforts have been made to coordinate cross-border joint simultaneous initiatives to curb cross-border trafficking in weapons and related products.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

15. “The marking of firearms and electronic record keeping have been planned and coordinated to facilitate identification and reliable tracing. The Centre has distributed 71 marking machines to member States, and firearms marking is ongoing in 11 of its member States. The collection, recording and eventual destruction of excess and obsolete firearms have been planned and coordinated. The Centre has to date supported member States in destroying over 400,000 firearms and over 3,000 tons of unexploded ordnance. Training sessions on weapons and ammunitions management have been planned and executed. The Centre has graduated 22 regional instructors and 35 national instructors and trained over 800 personnel in weapons and ammunitions management best practices. Safe storage initiatives for Government stockpiles have been planned and executed.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

16. “Convinced that a regional institution with the sole mandate of fighting against small arms proliferation was required to coordinate the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol, the Regional Centre on Small Arms was established in 2005. The success and expertise of the Centre’s regional approach are demonstrated through results achieved on small arms management and control interventions, including but not limited to the following. National institutions for small arms management and control have been established at member State level. The Centre has accordingly developed guidelines for the establishment and functioning of national institutions responsible for small arms management and control. Small arms national action plans have been developed to guide the implementation of small arms interventions and as tools for resource mobilization.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source

17. “Mr. Abdelgadir: First and foremost, I thank you, Mr. President, for the invitation to this meeting. Allow me to begin by giving Security Council members a brief history on the Regional Centre on Small Arms. Concerned with the persistent problem of the proliferation of illicit arms and light weapons, the Nairobi Declaration on the Problem of Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa was signed by 10 countries on 15 March 2000. That political declaration set in motion the signing of a legally binding instrument — the Nairobi Protocol for the Prevention, Control and Reduction of Small Arms and Light Weapons in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States.”

    2021-10-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8874 (2021) · source