Rwanda has been appointed to lead the proliferation of illegal illicit small arms and light weapons in great lakes region for two years.
According to Sheikh Musa Fazil Harelimana, Rwanda was chosen due to her clear political will to address problems posed by the proliferation of illegal small arms.
Other reasons included relentless efforts to destroy illegal arms, peacekeeping role in different countries and Rwanda’s annual financial contribution to Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA).
“We will get on a comprehensive campaign to fight the problem posed by these arms across this region,” Harelimana said.
The idea is that the post-Cold War era, most African or elsewhere war ravaged areas, nations should dump their arsenals and no man should posses Soviet-designed Kalashnikoves, AKM automatic guns commonly known as AK-47s illegally.
In a press conference, Harelimana said Rwanda appointed by ministerial council meeting of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) from 15 eastern and central African member states.
Harelimana says that since 2006, Rwanda has destroyed more than 32,000 illicit small arms and light weapons.
In 2009 UN member states endorsed a resolution to negotiate ATT, a legally binding instrument on the highest possible common international standards for the transfer of conventional arms.
The Treaty is being negotiated in a series of preparatory committees leading up to a negotiating conference scheduled for 2012.
It is estimated that between 500,000 and one million illegal small arms and light weapons are in circulation in East Africa.
Some 300,000 to half a million people around the world are killed each year by small arms and light weapons. They are the major cause of civil casualties in modern conflicts.
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