Top of PageGun Policy News
Firearm violence prevention and gun control
Sudan,Syria,Russia,China,Papua New Guinea,Fiji,Oceania
Pacific Nations Push for Global Arms Trade Treaty to Curb Gun Trade
19 March 2012
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
Every year illicit trade in small arms results in thousands of deaths. Most of them in developing countries, including the Pacific, where the impact of gun violence has been devastating.
Now the international community is to meet at the United Nations to finalise the first ever global arms trade treaty.
HELEN HAKENA, WOMEN'S RIGHTS CAMPAIGNER: I was seven months pregnant when gunmen came into our village terrorising the entire village community. My house was burnt to... (GunPolicy.org)
Handicap International Graffiti Contest Promotes Gun Control in Libya
21 November 2011
Tripoli Post (Libya)
The Saturday forecast warned of a rainy November afternoon - a crowd gathered nonetheless at the Tashkil Libya Al-Hurra Brigade in Keesh for one of Benghazi's first ever formal graffiti contests organised by French NGO Handicap International to raise awareness of the dangers posed by small arms and light weapons.
However, for many of the young contestants it was as much an opportunity for personal expression, as it was about tackling one of Libya's most pressing... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Small Arms in Burkina, New Actors Committed [Francais]
10 November 2011
Sidwaya (Burkina Faso)
[Translated summary: According to the National Commission for the Fight against Proliferation of Small Arms (CNLPAL), around 2 million small arms are circulating in Burkina Faso. Many of these small arms are home-made. During 2008, 248 small arms were seized, including 170 home-made, against 378 seized in 2009, including 249 home-made. In the first quarter of 2010, 140 small arms were seized, including 50 home-made.]
La Commission nationale de lutte contre la... (GunPolicy.org)
North Africa,East Africa,Rwanda
Rwanda Government Steps Up War Against Illegal Small Arms
28 October 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
In a bid to implement the international declarations and protocols that call upon states to adopt measures to fight against the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Rwanda on Wednesday officially launched its National Action Plan (NAP).
The five-year plan will see national focal points formed, mass mobilisation and campaigns conducted and cross-border cooperation reinforced to effectively control and prevent illegal arms trade in the... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudan,Congo (DRC),Djibouti,Central Africa,East Africa,Rwanda
Rwanda to Lead Campaign Against Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons
20 October 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
Rwanda was, on Tuesday, elected to spearhead a regional campaign against illicit small arms and light weapons.
The country was picked by delegates attending a ministerial council meeting of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), a grouping of 15 eastern and central African countries, dedicated to eradicating the proliferation of illegal arms across their borders.
The meeting was held in the Horn of African nation of Djibouti.
Rwanda was elected on the basis of... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania,Sudan,Somalia,Seychelles,Kenya,Eritrea,Ethiopia,Djibouti,East Africa,Congo (DRC),Rwanda,Burundi
RECSA Calls for Increased Efforts to Reduce Small Arms in East Africa
16 September 2011
New Times (Rwanda)
The Executive Secretary of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), Dr. Francis K. Sang, has called upon all countries within the region to come up with more mechanisms and strategies to fight against the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons.
RECSA is an intergovernmental body based in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together 13 countries from the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region.
All member states that subscribe to the centre, including Rwanda, are... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Gun Control, Firearm Licensing Restrictions, Penalties to Increase
30 August 2011
Nairobi Star (Kenya)
The government is to introduce new laws for acquiring guns. Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons Director David Kimaiyo has said the new laws will include stiff penalties for misuse of illegally acquired guns.
Kimaiyo said there had been many cases of misuse of licensed guns but now proper vetting will be done before guns are issued. He said currently the laws dealing with licensed guns did not adequately deal with their abuse.
Kimaiyo who was... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Norway,United Kingdom,Africa,Afghanistan,Mexico
Gun Trade Inevitably Leads to the Sort of Atrocity Inflicted on Norway
31 July 2011
Independent (UK), Opinion
In discussion of the atrocity in Norway last week, there is one subject which has been notable by the almost total silence about it: guns. In response to recurring massacres in American high schools and British villages, in response to footage from Africa and Afghanistan showing ragged, untrained young men brandishing automatic small arms, in response to a man coolly murdering dozens of youngsters in an hour-and-a-half, funfair-like shooting spree on a Norwegian island,... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Eradication Targeted for Action in Sierra Leone
21 July 2011
Cocorioko.net (Sierre Leone)
A Five Year National Action Plan on Small Arms was today presented at a State House ceremony attended by President Ernest Bai Koroma, Vice President Sam Sumana, Ministers and Development Partners . The Plan covering the period 2011-2015 is the Working Document of the Small Arms Commission which provides a framework detailing interventions, strategies and activities to be undertaken in regulating the manufacture, sale and use of Small Arms and Light weapons (SALW) in... (GunPolicy.org)
Ukraine will Destroy Ammunition and Weapons worth EUR 30 Million
25 June 2011
Interfax.com (Ukraine)
State-run companies that are part of the Ukroboronprom Concern will destroy ammunition and weapons worth EUR 30 million under the Partnership for Peace program.
The ammunition will be scrapped in the execution of an agreement between Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA).
The government's resolution No 533-r ordering the signing of this agreement dated May 16 was posted on the Ukrainian parliament's Web site on... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Africa,Pakistan,Americas,Europe,Asia
Need to 'Disarm Society to Make it More Secure and Strengthen Pakistan'
22 June 2011
Observer (Pakistan)
ISLAMABAD — "It is not the weapon but the sophistication of weapon which threatens the human beings and makes the militant stronger" commented Brig (R) Muhammad Saad at a seminar on 'Proliferation of Small Arms and their Impact on Internal Security Dynamics' held in Islamabad on Friday.
The speakers called for strict check on proliferation of small arms and prohibition of gun violence by restricting use of arms. Irfan Mufti of SAP-Pakistan suggested that "we should... (GunPolicy.org)
Philippine Government Supports a Strong Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
19 June 2011
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Opinion
Every day around the world, armed violence kills approximately 2,000 people. In the Philippines, reports estimate the casualties at between 16 and 22 each day.
The Philippine Action Network to Control Arms (PhilANCA) is pleased that the Philippines is supporting an Arms Trade Treaty in the United Nations. The treaty aims to diminish and prevent the obscene human cost of the irresponsible trade in arms.
However, we do not need just any Arms Trade Treaty. We need a... (GunPolicy.org)
Papua New Guinea Gun Culture Threatens Security in Run-up to Elections
6 April 2011
IRIN (UN News)
PORT MORESBY - The proliferation and use of illegal guns in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is threatening security ahead of parliamentary elections slated for June 2012, and causing misery and trauma to gun crime victims, says the government.
The police, the PNG Electoral Commission and the Inter Department Election Committee (IDEC), a government body overseeing election preparations, are aware of the risks in the run-up to and during the elections.
"We are very much aware of... (GunPolicy.org)
5000 Indians Die Each Year Due to Unregulated Global Gun Trade
12 March 2011
Kangla Online / Imphal Free Press (Manipur)
NEW DELHI - Each year worldwide, 500,000 people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence. And 5000 Indians are killed every year due to unregulated arms trade.
The movement of arms across the world is a huge threat to human security. 1,135 companies in 98 countries manufacture arms, ammunitions and components worldwide. Yet the global trade that fuels the epidemic of... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad & Tobago PM Promotes Caribbean Commitment to Eradicate Guns
25 February 2011
Antigua Observer
ST.GEORGE'S, Grenada – Trinidad and Tobago wants the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to adopt a declaration on the eradication of small arms in the region.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar told reporters that the proliferation of small arms throughout the region is a major concern especially in the efforts to dealing with criminal activities.
"I intend to seek approval from the heads for a declaration with respect to the small arms treaty," she said, adding... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Trade Treaty Needed to Mesh with Domestic Caribbean Gun Laws
1 February 2011
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
Despite the regulatory provisions of the Firearms and Customs Acts, there is evidence that domestic legislation has proven insufficient to combat the illegal arms trade. Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan yesterday said while domestic legislation was necessary there was greater need to collaborate with international partners to combat the proliferation of illegal firearms. Rambachan was speaking at the opening ceremony of the second regional workshop on... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Trade Treaty to Control Guns, Rein in Trigger Happy Rogue Regimes
29 January 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
PARIS - A half a century after U.S. president Dwight Eisenhower named and denounced the military-industrial complex's ever-increasing influence on world affairs, the arms trade thrives more than ever, with African states frequently being the destination.
Although figures are hard to come by, the development advocacy group Oxfam estimates that, every year, sub-Saharan African governments spend around 18 billion dollars on weapons and defence, roughly the same amount as... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Treaty Campaigners Seize on 'Merchant of Death' Gun Running Case
28 January 2011
Inter Press Service News Agency
When Andrew Niccol wrote and directed the feature film "Lord of War", the story was partly inspired by the life of Viktor Bout, a Russian businessman suspected of using his air cargo company as a cover for arms dealing.
While he succeeded in trading arms all over the planet – and especially in war-torn nations like Sierra Leone and Liberia - for two decades without technically breaking any international laws, Bout was finally arrested in 2008 in Thailand, as part of... (GunPolicy.org)
Venezuela,United States,Central America,Norway,Colombia,South America,West Asia,Sweden
Support for Arms Trade Treaty Grows as Norway, Sweden Fund SIPRI
26 January 2011
United Press International
WASHINGTON - Support for international efforts to secure an effective arms trade treaty has received boost with new European funds going into the work of leading think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Frenetic arms buying in Latin America in 2009 and last year led to diplomatic initiatives, including several from the Obama administration, to control a trend that critics said could turn into an arms race.
The arms buying was fueled partly by... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,Africa
Globalisation and the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons
15 January 2011
Eurasia Review
In June 2010, the representatives of all United Nations (UN) Member States came together at the Biennial Meeting of States in New York to consider the implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action (POA) on the illicit trade in small arms. The program was initiated in July 2001 to keep a check on the ever-growing illicit trade on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and to help countries, combat this pernicious problem. While the forum has worked continuously for the... (GunPolicy.org)
Catholic Church Firmly, Quietly, Globally Opposes Firearms for Civilians
14 January 2011
Catholic News Service (Washington DC)
VATICAN CITY - The Catholic Church's position on gun control is not easy to find; there are dozens of speeches and talks and a few documents that call for much tighter regulation of the global arms trade, but what about private gun ownership?
The answer is resoundingly clear: Firearms in the hands of civilians should be strictly limited and eventually completely eliminated.
But you won't find that statement in a headline or a document subheading. It's almost hidden in... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Finally Raid Heckler & Koch for Illegal Gun Exports to Mexico
3 January 2011
Deutsche Welle
Police recently searched the offices of German arms company Heckler & Koch in connection with allegedly illegal weapon exports to Mexico used in the drugs war. One manager involved in the deal has already resigned.
The scandal currently embroiling Germany's biggest small arms manufacturer is becoming more and more difficult to contain. Heckler & Koch (H&K) stands accused of illegally exporting handguns and automatic rifles to embargoed regions of Mexico in the grip of... (GunPolicy.org)
German Police Raid Heckler & Koch, Probe Illegal Gun Exports to Mexico
22 December 2010
SIFY News (India)
STUTTGART, Germany - German police searched the offices of Heckler and Koch, a German manufacturer of premium firearms, Tuesday over suspicions that its exports of rifles to Mexico may break German arms-export laws, prosecutors in Stuttgart said.
German law forbids unlicensed exports to zones of conflict.
A spokeswoman said Heckler and Koch, which supplies armies, police forces and hunters worldwide with high-powered rifles and small arms, was suspected of breaching... (GunPolicy.org)
80,000 Illegal Guns Estimated in Ghana, Most of Them Home Made
9 December 2010
Ghana News Agency
ACCRA - Mrs Trudy Kernighan, Canadian High Commissioner, on Thursday said it was important for Ghana to raise public awareness and inform the citizens about the effects of the misuse of small arms to enhance stability and security.
She said the misuse of small arms fuelled conflicts contributed to violent crimes and hampered humanitarian assistance, peace building and sustainable development.
Mrs Kernighan said this at the launch of a five-year strategic plan to... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,Europe,Asia,Americas,United States,Africa
Towards a Bullet-proof Arms Trade Treaty - Amnesty International
19 November 2010
Disarmament Times (USA), Opinion
The poorly regulated global trade in conventional arms and ammunition has an enormous human cost.(1)
One hundred twenty-eight armed conflicts since 1989 have resulted in at least 250,000 deaths each year. Serious injuries are even more numerous. Ratios of reported battlefield injuries to deaths vary from 2 to 28 injuries for every death.
Twenty-six million people worldwide had been displaced as a result of armed conflict at the end of 2008. The top six countries of... (GunPolicy.org)
Wendy Cukier Named 'Transformational Canadian' for Gun Control Work
19 October 2010
Globe & Mail (Toronto)
Wendy Cukier, long-time activist, has been selected as one of 25 Transformational Canadians.
Wendy Cukier teaches at a business school, so she understands economic imperatives – and the importance of innovation and prosperity. But for the associate dean of Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of Management, what matters most is preserving core Canadian values around safety, equity and respect for human rights.
"I firmly believe that one of the things that will... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Gun Trade Treaty Vital, Says Trinidad & Tobago Foreign Minister
10 October 2010
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Surujrattan Rambachan says T&T is being encouraged by the United Nations to conclude a legally binding agreement to regulate the gun trade. Rambachan yesterday spoke about the regulations while addressing the United Nations Association of T&T (UNATT) which held its annual general meeting at The Normandie, St Ann's.
Rambachan said T&T also called for a strong and effective implementation regime to ensure compliance with the provision of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Pledge at UN Shows Nepal's Commitment to Slowing the Illicit Gun Trade
8 October 2010
Himalayan Times (Kathmandu)
KATHMANDU - Nepal has shown its commitment to prevent illicit trade of small arms, light weapons and their use. The commitment was put forth in a session of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday.
"We fully support the effective implementation of the programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade of small arms and light weapons," said Gyan Chandra Acharya, permanent representative to the UN, at the first committee meeting of UNGA in New... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkey Moves to Loosen Gun Laws, Lower Age for Firearm Ownership
8 October 2010
Hürriyet Daily News (Istanbul)
Noting that the 'only purpose of a gun is to kill,' Nazire Dedeman, head of the Umut Foundation, an NGO working for individual disarmament, says she cannot understand how Turkish parliamentarians are planning to liberalize the country's gun laws. Laws allowing people as young as 18 to own up to five guns is entirely irresponsible, Dedeman says.
A prospective Turkish bill that would lower the minimum age for firearms possession to 18 and make owning a gun easier is... (GunPolicy.org)
1,500 Locally Made Guns Destroyed in Latest Ghana Disarmament Push
2 October 2010
Ghana News Agency
The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms on Friday destroyed 1,500 pieces of locally produced fire arms seized from people who possessed them illegally in various parts of the country.
The seizure was as a result of a six-week joint exercise organised by the commission and the security agencies as part of efforts to rid the country of illicit firearms and ammunition.
This brings to 3,387 the number of illicit small arms destroyed by the commission in the country... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Urged to Take Decisive Action, Curb Gun Trafficking in Nigeria, Africa
12 August 2010
Vanguard (Lagos)
OWERRI, Nigeria — The President of Youths Enhancement Organization,(YEO), Ambassador Obinna Egbuka, has appealed to the United Nations to take decisive action to end what he termed "the irresponsible trade in conventional weapons across the globe".
Obinna, who spoke in Owerri, ahead of this year's World Youths Day, said the appeal became expedient now as Nigeria grapples with increasing cases of kidnapping and armed robbery.
He argued "that trade in conventional... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy Another 1500 Confiscated Small Arms in Tanzania
9 August 2010
Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
The Police Force in Mwanza Region has destroyed 1500 illegal small arms confiscated during raids on criminals.
The destruction of the arms over the weekend was sponsored by the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) in collaboration with the Japanese government.
Speaking during the destruction, the RECSA executive secretary, Dr Francis Sang, said the destruction demonstrates the seriousness with which Tanzania takes the implementation of the Nairobi... (GunPolicy.org)
Small Arms Trafficking Continues to Decrease Stability in Central Africa
29 July 2010
Voice of America
Trafficking in small arms and light weapons is on the rise in parts of Central Africa, say regional sources from the International Action Network against Light Weapons. Members of the group say this proliferation poses an increased threat to stability in the area.
Regional experts who work to combat arms trafficking recently met in Gabon to discuss the increasing threat posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa.
Based in Central... (GunPolicy.org)
Amnesty International Report Claims Kenya Abets Regional Gun Running
21 July 2010
Standard (Nairobi)
Kenya is one of the countries that have failed to control movement of weapons, which end up being used to commit war crimes.
A new report by Amnesty International shows how countries fail to control trafficking of deadly arms globally, leading to serious human rights violation.
The report exposed how transport companies registered in five countries ship arms by sea and air around the world.
The report, Deadly Movements: Arms Transportation Controls in the Arms Trade... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Groups Disagree, Gun Lobby Fights Tighter German Gun Law
21 July 2010
Deutsche Welle
A school shooting spree last year in Winnenden in which a teenager killed 15 people has prompted a German anti-weapons group to lodge a complaint with the country's constitutional court.
The initiative "No murder weapons as sports weapons" has lodged a constitutional complaint with the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe. Germany's weapons law, the group says, is unconstitutional and does not provide enough protection from killing sprees.
The group argues that... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Five Parmanent Members Accused of Facilitating Illegal Arms Transfer
19 July 2010
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS - The five permanent members of the Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - are accused of facilitating the transport of conventional weapons and cluster munitions to countries where they could be used to commit human rights violations and war crimes.
The pointed accusations come from the London-based Amnesty International (AI) which singles out recent arms shipments by transport companies and airlines registered in the... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Begins Work on Treaty to Regulate the Expanding Global Arms Trade
13 July 2010
Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations began negotiations on a legally binding treaty aimed at regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and injure thousands of people every day.
The General Assembly first voted in December 2006 to work toward a treaty regulating the growing, multibillion dollar arms trade. Last December, the 192-member world body decided to hold a four-week U.N. conference in 2012 to draft an arms trade... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Arms Trade Treaty Targets Guns, Planes, Tanks, Warships, Ammunition
12 July 2010
Voice of America
Formal negotiations began Monday on a new international treaty to control the trade of conventional weapons. More than 190 nations are taking part at U.N. headquarters in New York.
Supporters of the treaty say it would save thousands of lives every year. The Control Arms Campaign, a coalition of civil society groups, says 128 armed conflicts since 1989 have claimed about 250,000 deaths each year.
The campaign says since 2006, the "vast majority of governments in... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Violence Feared Rising in China Despite Strict Gun Control Laws
23 June 2010
Inter Press Service News Agency
BEIJING - China and guns have a long history.
The country invented gun power and developed one of the world's first guns, known as the "fire spear." Rifles played a major role in China's modern history, from the fight against the Japanese army to the Communist's victory over the Nationalists. In 1938, Mao Zedong famously said that "political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."
That comment perhaps foreshadowed the gun control laws later implemented by Mao and the... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Gun Grabber: Global Arms Treaty Threatens US Right to Self Defence
27 May 2010
Washington Times, Editorial
American gun owners might not feel besieged, but they should. This week, the Obama administration announced its support for the United Nations Small Arms Treaty. This international agreement poses real risks for freedom both in the United States and around the world by making it more difficult - if not outright illegal - for law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.
The U.N. claims that guns used in armed conflicts cause 300,000 deaths worldwide every year, an... (GunPolicy.org)
World Pro Footballers Campaign for Permanent Gun Ban In South Africa
23 May 2010
Independent (UK)
Premier League footballers have launched a campaign to banish guns from South Africa during the World Cup – and for the future.
For the first time in the country's history, personal firearms will be banned from stadiums during the tournament. But, when the contest finishes on 11 July, guns will once again be allowed in all public places.
Every year in South Africa, some 10,000 people are killed with guns. Those who have fallen victim to the country's lax gun laws... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Becoming Fertile Grounds For Arms Proliferation
15 May 2010
Daily Mail (Accra) / GNA
TAMALE - The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA-Ghana) has warned that the country was increasingly becoming fertile grounds for the proliferations of small and light weapons, which if not checked, could create insecurity.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, National Treasurer of WAANSA said this was manifest in the several conflicts being experienced in some parts of the country especially the northern parts.
Mr Ameyibor made this known in Tamale on Friday at a press... (GunPolicy.org)
Sierra Leone Civil Society Groups Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
14 May 2010
Awoko (Freetown)
The Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) has urged the government of Sierra Leone to support the UN Firearms Protocol meeting in New York on June 18 this year.
SLANSA Coordinator Florella Hazeley told reporters yesterday that the protocol is the only binding global agreement on firearms which are too easily smuggled across national borders.
She added "we urge the government to review and harmonize laws on firearms and domestic violence and domestic... (GunPolicy.org)
Guinea-Bissau,Guinea,Gambia,West Africa,Senegal
West African NGO Launches Action Against Armed Violence in Senegal
12 May 2010
Afrique en ligne
DAKAR, Senegal - The Movement against Light Weapons in West Africa (MALA0), in partnership with civil society organizations, among them Présence chrétienne and SOS Equilibre, on Monday in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, launched a week-long action against armed violence.
The 10-16 May initiative, launched for the first time in 2001, aims at stopping the proliferation and the excessive use of small arms in the world.
The initiative will also sensitize and campaign for... (GunPolicy.org)
Civil Society Groups Urge India to Support Global Gun Trade Treaty
10 May 2010
City News (Pakistan) / NNI
Each year around the world, 500,000 people are killed directly with conventional weapons and many more are injured, abused, forcibly displaced and bereaved as a result of armed violence.
An Indian Civil Society urging for an International Arms Trade Treaty to stop the inflow of illegal small arms and light weapons in India said: "Around 58,000 Indians died due to armed violence in the last 15 years. The highest casualties have been reported from India's Northeast... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Secretary General Exhorts Central Africans to Combat Gun Runners
30 April 2010
UN News Centre (New York)
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today exhorted ministers from Central African nations to work towards adopting a legal instrument to combat illicit arms trafficking, a move that will help reduce violence and bring peace and security to countries in the sub-region.
"The link between arms trafficking and other illicit activities is increasingly undeniable," said Mr. Ban. "Yet Central Africa remains one of the few African sub-regions without a legally binding instrument to... (GunPolicy.org)
Africa,Central Africa,East Africa
Thirteen African States Strengthen Gun Control, Disarmament Guidelines
17 April 2010
Standard (Nairobi)
Proliferation of guns and other light weapons has become a serious security threat.
Efforts by Kenya, Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia to disarm pastoralists have failed to bear fruits and the arms trade and cattle rustling continue to thrive.
However, the Regional Centre On Small Arms (Recsa) plans to develop a common disarmament guideline for its 13 member States, including Kenya.
Recsa Executive Secretary Francis Sang says poor co-ordination and disorganised disarmament... (GunPolicy.org)
Footballers Sport Shirts, Campaign to Keep Guns Out of World Soccer Cup
31 March 2010
Caledonian Mercury (Scotland)
A leading fashion designer has teamed up with football stars in a campaign to keep the World Cup in South Africa gun-free.
The move comes after three people died when Togo's team bus came under machine-gun fire while on its way to the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
Katharine Hamnett has designed a T-shirt with the slogan, Don't Shoot. Among the players to wear it is the Hibernian defender Sol Bamba, who was a member of the Ivory Coast team which also... (GunPolicy.org)
Drive to Seize Another 50,000 Illegal Guns in Kenya Amid Talk of 'Abuse'
24 March 2010
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
NAIROBI — Kenya's pastoralists have spent Sh1.1 billion to arm themselves over the years, it was revealed on Wednesday.
The figure is tallied from the number of firearms confiscated from them during the recent disarmament.
The guns are used for cattle rustling in which many people are killed and livestock stolen.
Internal Security Permanent Secretary Francis Kimemia said this while the minister, Prof George Saitoti, pledged to have a law enacted, with stiffer... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama Could, Should Do More to Curb the Destructive Spread of Guns
10 March 2010
Center for American Progress (USA), Report
The proliferation of small arms and light weapons is an immediate security challenge to individuals, societies, and states around the world and an enormous hurdle to sustainable security and development. Small arms fuel civil wars, organized criminal violence, and terrorist activities. They also undermine multimillion dollar development programs and other assistance to fragile states. Fragile and failing states should be of particular strategic interest to the United... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama, Clinton Join UN Treaty Push to Set Global Gun Trade Controls
18 February 2010
Defense News (USA)
The United States is working with other countries and the United Nations to impose uniform controls on international sales of conventional arms. But the U.S. State Department said it is likely to be years before an Arms Trade Treaty takes effect.
The United States is committed to pursuing a "robust treaty" that sets "the highest possible legally binding standards" for international sales of conventional weapons, U.S. Ambassador Donald Mahley said Feb. 18 in an address... (GunPolicy.org)
Congressman Opposes Flood of US-purchased AK-47s for American Wars
9 February 2010
Star-Gazette (New York)
U.S. Rep. Eric Massa said Tuesday he has additional concerns about the use of taxpayer money to buy foreign-made weapons.
During his weekly teleconference with media from Washington, D.C., Massa, D-Corning, said the United States over the past six years has become the largest purchaser of Russian and Chinese small-arms exports to equip Iraqi and Afghan forces.
"To spend these amounts of monies on Kalashnikov rifles and Chinese small arms, not to mention major... (GunPolicy.org)
Côte d'Ivoire Begins 'Election Without Gun Violence' Campaign [Francais]
15 January 2010
Le Patriote (Abidjan)
[Translated summary: 'Elections without Gun Violence' was launched in Abidjan at the National Commission on small arms, by Michele Pepe, president of the Cote d’Ivoire Action Network on Small Arms (RASALAO), an IANSA affiliate.]
Les élections, on le sait, sont généralement sources de passion et de tension en Afrique. La Côte d’Ivoire, qui se prépare, pour l’élection présidentielle, n’échappe pas à la règle.
C’est donc en connaissance de cause, que... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Destroy Another 80,611 Guns in South African Firearm Amnesty
15 January 2010
South African Press Association
JOHANNESBURG - Gun control campaigners welcomed the destruction of 80 611 guns by the SA Police Service on Friday.
The weapons thrown into the furnace included guns recovered through the ongoing nationwide firearm amnesty, as well as obsolete police weapons and guns previously recovered by police from crime scenes.
IANSA (International Action Network on Small Arms) Africa said the destruction sent a positive signal to South Africans that the firearms amnesty would... (GunPolicy.org)
Oxfam Chief Calls for Global Gun Trade Treaty to Protect Human Rights
10 December 2009
Reuters AlertNet, Opinion
Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland, is Honorary President of Oxfam International and heads the Ethical Globalisation Initiative. On the 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she calls for the creation of a new treaty to control the global trade in small arms.
On this 55th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, threats of new terrorist attacks and the dangers of... (GunPolicy.org)
Rethink India's Decision to Abstain from UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Vote
13 November 2009
Times of India, Editorial
The past few weeks have seen a somewhat contradictory message emerging from New Delhi on the issue of arms trafficking. On the one hand, home secretary G K Pillai has stated Indian concerns about Maoists being supplied arms from China, albeit by private Chinese players rather than by Beijing. On the other, when the UN committee on disarmament and peace voted on a resolution last month calling for talks on a treaty to regulate the global conventional arms trade, India... (GunPolicy.org)
West African Journalists Commend 9 Countries for Tackling Gun Control
12 November 2009
Ghana News Agency
ACCRA — The West Africa Network of Journalists for Security and Development (WANJSD) on Wednesday commended the "Group of Nine ECOWAS Countries," for ratifying the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), their ammunition and other related materials.
Mr Francis Ameyibor, WANJSD Deputy General Secretary, stated in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra that considering the proliferation of SALW constituted a major destabilizing factor in West Africa,... (GunPolicy.org)
Gambia,West Africa,United Nations
West Africa, 153 UN Member States Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
9 November 2009
Daily Observer (Banjul)
Every year, millions around the world suffer as a result of the non-regulation of the global arms trade.
This year, on 30th October, 2009 at the United Nations, after years of discussions and debates, the vast majority of governments — 153 in total — agreed on a timetable to establish a"strong and robust Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with the highest common standards to control international transfers of conventional arms, a press release from WANEP-Gambia stated. There... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Seized in Bangladesh 'Just Come Back' if Not Destroyed: Minister
9 November 2009
New Nation (Dhaka) / BSS
DHAKA — Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday strongly suggested destroying all illegal arms for ensuring security and peace in the country.
The Finance Minister said this while inaugurating a two-day regional seminar on small arms control in the city.
He criticised candidly the practice of keeping all illegal arms and ammunition intact after capturing those from smugglers, illigaly arms traders and miscreants.
"We see illegal arms and ammunition are... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana to Ratify West African Regional Convention on Gun Control
3 November 2009
Ghana News Agency
ACCRA — President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday said government would soon put before Parliament the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms for ratification.
To this end, government has scheduled the Convention as one of the key issues on the agenda for discussion at the next Cabinet meeting.
President Mills gave the assurance in a speech read for him by Mr Cletus Avorka, Minister of the Interior, at the inauguration of the Ghana Chapter of the West Africa Action... (GunPolicy.org)
Central Africa,East Africa,Kenya,Rwanda,Somalia,Sudan,Uganda,Burundi,Congo (DRC)
Small Arms Control Group Decries 'Huge' Proliferation of Guns in Africa
3 November 2009
Xinhua
NAIROBI — The Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA) has decried the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes region, Horn of Africa and bordering states.
RECSA Executive Secretary Francis Sang noted that the center was working in collaboration with the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa to promote disarmament.
To address this problem, he said, the governments should support the national, sub-regional, regional and... (GunPolicy.org)
Praise for US, Jubilation, Caution as UN Agrees Global Gun Trade Treaty
1 November 2009
Asian Tribune / Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations, which is pursuing a proposal for "a world without nuclear weapons", will soon turn its attention to another new goal in the field of disarmament: creating a legally-binding treaty on conventional arms.
The proposed new treaty, which is expected to be ready for a U.N. Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in 2012, will regulate the global trade in conventional arms, including fighter planes, combat helicopters, unmanned aerial... (GunPolicy.org)
Key UN Committee, US Diplomats Back Global Gun Trade Treaty
31 October 2009
Associated Press
A key General Assembly committee voted Friday to allow the U.N. to start negotiations on a new treaty regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and maim thousands every day.
John Duncan, Britain's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament, hailed the 153-1 vote with 19 abstentions in the General Assembly's disarmament committee, saying the international community is now a major step closer to achieving a... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Backs UN Global Gun Trade Treaty, Abandons Bush Opposition
30 October 2009
Bloomberg (USA)
The Obama administration voted today to support United Nations-sponsored talks on a treaty to regulate the $55 billion-a-year trade in conventional weapons, reversing prior U.S. opposition to negotiations begun in 2006.
The General Assembly, consisting of all 192 UN member governments, adopted a resolution setting out a timetable for talks during the next two years on the proposed Arms Trade Treaty, including a UN conference to produce a final accord in 2012. The vote... (GunPolicy.org)
Obama, Clinton Stir 'Perfect Storm' at UN for Anti-US Gun Control Agenda
26 October 2009
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia), Blog
The folks at United Nations headquarters in New York City, and our "allies" at Number 10 Downing Street in London, must be rubbing their hands with glee. Gun control groups here and abroad likewise are at last quietly cheering. Why? After a decade and a half of pushing unsuccessfully to secure America's support for a legally-binding, international instrument to regulate the marketing, transfer and brokering in firearms, they are now on the brink of success. The process... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Gun Trade Treaty Could Be Powerful Tool to Protect Children
25 October 2009
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS — The impact of global weapons trafficking on children and their recruitment as fighters should be on the agenda of talks for an international Arms Trade Treaty, say United Nations experts and non-governmental organisations.
Formal negotiations on the treaty have not gotten off the ground since the vast majority of U.N. member states approved a proposal to target illicit small arms trafficking three years ago. But a group of seven countries, led by... (GunPolicy.org)
Kenya Leads UN Global Gun Trade Treaty Against 'Merchants of Doom'
19 October 2009
East African (Nairobi)
Kenya is pressing within the United Nations for the start of talks on a binding global treaty to restrict the illegal transfer of small arms that take scores of lives in eastern and central Africa every day.
The UN's disarmament committee will decide this month whether to endorse formal negotiations on such a treaty.
Continuing in the leadership role it has played on this issue for several years, Kenya has joined Britain, Japan and four other nations in sponsoring a... (GunPolicy.org)
Guinea Gun Violence Prompts West Africa to Impose Arms Embargo
17 October 2009
Reuters
ABUJA, Nigeria — West Africa regional bloc ECOWAS on Saturday imposed an arms embargo against Guinea, accusing the ruling military junta for "mass human rights violations" during anti-government protests last month.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also threatened full sanctions on Niger if President Mamadou Tandja does not take immediate steps to resolve the country's political crisis.
International pressure has increased for Guinea's military... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations,Africa,United States
US U-turn on Global Gun Trade Treaty 'Great News for Africa' - IANSA
16 October 2009
Xinhua
Africa campaigners against gun violence hail the U. S. decision to join the negotiations for a comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty.
In a joint statement issued in Nairobi, Kenya, the campaigners also urged governments to control deadly trade in weapons.
"The U. S. decision to support strong global controls on the arms trade is great news for Africa," said Joseph Dube, Africa coordinator for IANSA, the global movement against gun violence.
The campaigners said U. S.... (GunPolicy.org)
West African Groups Meet to Plan Curbs on Gun Running, Armed Violence
15 October 2009
Afrique en ligne / PANA
DAKAR, Senegal — The director of ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP), Mohamed Lamine Coulibaly, has stressed the need to build the capacity of the national commissions in order to enhance the fight against the proliferation of light and small arms in the sub-region.
Speaking here Wednesday at the third annual conference of national commissions on small arms, he said that the ECOSAP had entered a critical stage of growth that would enable it, in its news plan... (GunPolicy.org)
Well-connected Global Gun Banners Blamed for New Philippine Gun Bill
15 October 2009
Business Mirror (Philippines)
Voting 140-3, the House of Representatives, in plenary session, approved on third and final reading on Thursday a bill that imposes stricter gun policies that licensed gun holders and enthusiasts described as the alleged revival of a Marcos-era decree to address the worsening problem on loose firearms.
House Bill 6776, authored by Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, seeks to restore the stiff penalties for the illegal possession, manufacture and sale of... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations Meeting Strengthens Push for Global Gun Trade Treaty
11 October 2009
Associated Press
UNITED NATIONS — Seven countries have launched a campaign for the U.N. to start negotiations on a new treaty regulating the global arms trade to help prevent the illegal transfer of guns that kill and maim thousands every day.
John Duncan, Britain's ambassador for multilateral arms control and disarmament, said the four-week meeting of the General Assembly's disarmament committee, which started Monday, will be "pivotal" in deciding whether to launch formal... (GunPolicy.org)
NGOs Hold Gun Exporters to Account for Abuses, Seek Arms Trade Treaty
8 October 2009
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS — With 2,000 people dying daily in armed violence fuelled by irresponsible arms transfers, talks to create an international treaty regulating these weapons can no longer be delayed, says a coalition of NGOs in a new report "Dying for Action" published Wednesday.
While nuclear disarmament is high on the U.N. agenda these days, 90 percent of casualties in conflict areas are caused by small arms such as submachine guns, mortars and hand grenades,... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Women Face Increasing Risk from Guns and Domestic Violence
8 October 2009
Morung Express (Manipur), Opinion
Gun violence can be part of the cycle of intimidation and aggression that many women experience from an intimate partner. Domestic violence is a feature of every nation, irrespective of social, economic, religious or cultural preferences and settings. At least one in every three women is physically abused at least once, usually by an intimate partner, with most experiencing multiple instances of abuse.
For every woman killed or physically injured by firearms, countless... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Commission Closed, Govt Corruption Alleged in Ghana
6 October 2009
Graphic (Ghana)
A former Technical Advisor and National Co-ordinator of the Small Arms Commission, Nana Frema Busia, has urged the Government to investigate the circumstances under which the commission was closed down and her appointment terminated by the Kufuor administration.
At a press conference in Accra, Nana Frema Busia who is a daughter of former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, said the commission was established to mop up small arms in the country, which according to... (GunPolicy.org)
Nigeria Calls for Reinforced UN Fight Against Illicit Global Gun Trade
28 September 2009
Xinhua
UNITED NATIONS — There is an urgent need for a rejuvenated fight against trafficking in small arms, a top Nigerian diplomat said at the General Assembly here Monday, stressing the ties between that trade and piracy and oil smuggling in the Niger Delta.
"The proliferation of small arms in West Africa is fast turning the region into a major transit point for illicit drugs, thus also facilitating the growth of criminal syndicates, some with enough firepower to... (GunPolicy.org)
Guardian Angel to 'Gun Widows' Counters Weapon Trafficking in Manipur
20 September 2009
Economic Times (India)
Growing up, Binalakshmi Nepram's understanding of 'normal' was different. In Manipur, combing operations by the Army, arrests, detentions, shootouts and drug addicts in the family were considered normal. Her outlook changed only when she moved to Delhi for higher studies.
But the 34-year-old never forgot the world she left behind. She founded the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network (MWGSN) five years ago which offers financial and emotional support to women who've lost... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Government Builds Gun Marking, Tracing Capacity in West Africa
18 September 2009
United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) DC/3190, Media release
NEW YORK — Small arms experts from West African nations gathered in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, from 14 to 18 September to participate in a capacity-building workshop focusing on implementation of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.
United Nations Member States adopted the document, also known as the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), as a tool to... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) DC/3190
America is Right to Oppose United Nations Global Gun Trade Treaty
15 September 2009
Tribune-Review (Pittsburgh), Editorial
Conventional arms control, United Nations-style, won't stem the proliferation of guns that get into the wrong hands. More likely, it will only make bad situations worse.
The United States was one of only two nations that voted against the U.N. resolution last year. Its support among member states could advance a legally binding U.N. treaty creating "common international standards" for the import and export of small arms and light weapons.
The trouble is, rogue... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Mexico Meeting Tackles Global Gun Trade, Security, Development
11 September 2009
United Nations
MEXICO CITY — Taking weapons out of the hands of those who used them would help save lives everywhere, but that alone would not stop the thriving global arms trade and make the planet safer, Alfredo Ferrariz Lubang, Regional Representative of the Bangkok-based Nonviolence International South East Asia, said as the sixty-second annual DPI/NGO Conference continued in Mexico City this morning.
Speaking during a round-table discussion titled "Removing the Tools of Armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns in Africa Out of Control as Governments Fight to Stem the Flow
10 September 2009
Economist
NAIROBI — The UN reckons there are some 500m small arms in circulation around the world. At least 70m are Kalashnikovs. The Soviet-designed automatic assault rifle, the Avtomat Kalashnikova, was first manufactured in 1947 (hence its commonest version, the AK-47). Its compactness and durability have made it Africa's killing weapon of choice since the 1980s, despite its inaccuracy. These days, the continent has all of the score of Kalashnikov variants, including the... (GunPolicy.org)
East, Central African Countries Harmonise Laws to Curb Gun Trafficking
7 September 2009
East African (Nairobi)
NAIROBI — Countries from the Great Lakes region and Horn of Africa are to harmonise their laws to fight the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
"In order to address the problem effectively, we have resolved to harmonise our laws so that we can rein in the culprits. Our state arms are being marked to help in tracing them if they fall into the wrong hands," Tanzania Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Dominic Hayuma said.
The harmonisation programme... (GunPolicy.org)
Govt, Civil Society Tout Action Plan to Curb Proliferation of Guns in Malawi
27 August 2009
Zimbabwean / Nyasa Times
Malawi is suffering from persistent attacks of gun violence involving small arms from neighbouring countries and within, Minister of Internal Affairs, Aaron Sangala (pictured) says there is need to put in place a National Policy and a National Action Plan to curb the proliferation of firearms.
Sangala said the policy will guide decision making in the way the government would like to tackle issues of small arms and light weapons.
"I am aware that the Drafting of the... (GunPolicy.org)
Harmonisation of Gun Control Law Key to Kenya's War on Small Arms
27 August 2009
Daily Nation (Nairobi)
The Kenya government has started harmonising crime laws to boost the war on small arms.
Solicitor-general Wanjuki Muchemi said the Organised Crime Bill, Terrorism Bill and International Crime Bill are being amended to help combat crime.
The changes include harsher penalties for illegal possession of guns, he said, adding that the amendments also seek to address the misuse of firearms by police officers.
Light weapons
"As a commitment to addressing transnational... (GunPolicy.org)
West Africa Battles Gun Trafficking, Seeks Accurate Tally of Illicit Firearms
26 August 2009
Voice of America
DAKAR — West African countries are working to stem the flow of illegal weapons linked to years of conflict and illegal drug trafficking.
The Economic Community of West African States is working to reduce the number of illegal weapons in the region.
Mohamed Lamine Coulibaly heads the ECOWAS Small Arms Control Program. He says it is a problem linked to both good governance and poverty that is too broad for any individual country to tackle alone.
"We have to take... (GunPolicy.org)
West African Nations Meet Again to Discuss Regional Gun Trafficking
23 August 2009
Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
Ghana will host the sub-regional ECOWAS Small Arms Programme (ECOSAP) in Accra on Monday. The two-day programme will identify armed violence reduction projects in member states.
The Accra meeting will also update, review and plan National Commission (NATCOM) activities in line with benchmarks that have been set in the past.
In a statement, ECOSAP Policy, Advocacy and Communication Officer, Oluwafisan Bankale, said the meeting seeks to build the capacity of civil... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Mexico,Central America,United Nations
Gun Treaty for the Americas Erodes US Sovereignty, Says Lobby Group
22 August 2009
Green Bay Gazette (Wisconsin), Opinion
DALLAS — CIFTA — the 1997 small-arms trafficking treaty drafted with the help of the Clinton administration — is bad as a matter of principle and policy.
When the United Nations tried to get the Bush administration to push the treaty through the Senate, it refused. John Bolton, then undersecretary of state for arms control, said the United States would reject any effort to regulate trade in non-military arms or any treaty that would "abrogate the constitutional... (GunPolicy.org)
Campaign to Protect Women from Gun Violence in Sierra Leone
23 July 2009
Awoko (Freetown)
Members of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Defense and Presidential Affairs on Tuesday ended a day seminar on Disarming Domestic Violence and the Bill on Arms and Ammunition at the Parliament Building in Freetown.
The seminar was organized by the Sierra Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA) in collaboration with Action Aid Sierra Leone (AASL).
Giving an overview of the seminar, SLANSA Coordinator, Florella Hazeley said domestic violence in Sierra Leone... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations Working Group Inches Towards Global Gun Trade Treaty
16 July 2009
Inter Press Service News Agency
UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations concluded an open-ended working group for an international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) Thursday, part of a lengthy and politically contentious process to nail down a basic framework for curbing deadly illegal weapons sales.
"An open-ended working group in the U.N. is where all states can come to a meeting, it's an open invitation," Amnesty International spokesperson Brian Wood explained to IPS. "They are trying to get a better idea of... (GunPolicy.org)
United States Observes International Small Arms, Gun Destruction Day
9 July 2009
US Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Media release
The United States is pleased to join in observing International Small Arms Destruction Day, initiated by the United Nations in 2001, as part of the United States' ongoing efforts to reduce armed violence and support the rule of law around the world.
Since 2001, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has invested over $110 million dollars to help destroy over 1.3 million small arms and 50,000 tons of ammunition and other conventional weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
Ghana Backs Global Gun Trade Treaty to Curb African Arms Trafficking
7 July 2009
Ghana News Agency
Mr Cletus Avoka, Minister for the Interior, on Tuesday said Ghana had a moral obligation to support other states on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that would ensure responsibility and fairness in the import, export, trans-shipment and transit of conventional weapons.
He said that support would also ensure the guarantee of human rights including the economic, political and social rights of persons around the world.
In a speech read for him at a day's seminar in Accra to... (GunPolicy.org)
United Nations,Rwanda,Central Africa,East Africa,Southern Africa
Rwanda to Host UN Global Gun Control Meeting in Kigali, 8-9 July
3 July 2009
United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs / UNODA (New York), Media release
Rwanda will host a United Nations regional meeting on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons for States of the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes region and Southern Africa, on 8 and 9 July, in Kigali, the capital.
The meeting is organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through its United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) and in collaboration with the Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs / UNODA (New York)
West African Arms Control Groups Promote Global Gun Trade Treaty
29 June 2009
Daily Graphic (Ghana)
The West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) has expressed grave concern over the misuse of arms worldwide.
A statement issued by WAANSA to mark the Global Week of Action which fell from June 15-21, 2009, said armed violence and misuse of illicit small arms and light weapons continued to pose a serious challenge in Ghana.
The week of action is set aside for civil society around the world to undertake activities aimed at calling the attention of governments to... (GunPolicy.org)
Communities in Cameroon Urged to Join Global Gun Control Campaign
29 June 2009
Cameroon Tribune
Granting a press briefing in Yaounde recently on the dangers of the gun in most communities, as part of activities of the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence, the Executive director of the Cameroon Youths for Peace (CAMYOSFOP), Eugine Ngalim Nyuydine recalled the United Nations efforts to stop Small Arms and Light weapons (SALW).
Taking questions from journalists on the week long activities against gun violence, he said they were out "to raise awareness,... (GunPolicy.org)
Tanzania Promises to Tackle Global Gun Trade in East Africa and the UN
27 June 2009
Arusha Times
ARUSHA — The government of Tanzania through Tanzania National Action Network on Small Arms (TANANSA), together with the international community of 80 countries, is taking action against the proliferation of conventional arms in order to make the world a safer place to live in.
The country joined the global week of action against gun violence, organized by the International Action Network on Small Arms on June 15-21.
The campaign was meant to draw government's... (GunPolicy.org)
Most MPs Are Perpetrators in Gun Trafficking, Says PNG Security Minister
26 June 2009
National (Port Moresby)
PORT MORESBY — Internal Security Minister Sani Rambi has called on all parliamentarians, especially MPs from the Highlands, to support him when he presents the gun committee report to Parliament next month.
The report, with 244 recommendations on how to stop the escalation of gun violence, was completed in 2005 — and still remains outside Parliament four years later, according to Mr Rambi.
He claimed said some Members of Parliament would not support him because... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,United Nations,Australia,New Zealand,Fiji,Solomon Islands,Papua New Guinea
United Nations Gun Chief Says Pacific Has Illicit Small Arms Problem
25 June 2009
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave), Audio
The United Nations is working to halt the daily toll of one-thousand people around the world killed by small arms. The job of halting the toll taken by small illegal weapons has now been placed in the hands of United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo. Ambassador Macedo is Chair Designate for next year's United Nations Biennial Meeting of States on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Speaker: United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo
Windows media (audio... (GunPolicy.org)
Gambia,Cape Verde,Guinea,Guinea-Bissau
West African States Plan to Set Up National Gun Control Commissions
25 June 2009
Daily Observer (Banjul)
The Ministry of the Interior in partnership with the ECOWAS Small Arms and Light Weapons Programme (ECOSAP), last Tuesday began a two-day meeting on ECOSAP Cluster "A" review and planning for national commissions on small arms and light weapons, held at the Jerma Beach Hotel in Kololi.
The meeting which comprised of delegates from Cape Verde, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau and The Gambia, is organized within the framework of the sub-regional initiative, spearheaded by... (GunPolicy.org)
UN Meeting Tackles Gun Culture, Crime, Ammunition Curbs in the Pacific
24 June 2009
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave) / Pacific Beat, Audio
Guns have the potential to create chaos, economic damage and social disruption in the Pacific. That is the message heard at a 2-day meeting of Pacific Island officials that has just wound up in Sydney.
The meeting, jointly sponsored by Australia and the United Nations Disarmament Office, looked at the scale of the problem and initiatives to tackle it.
Speakers:
Ambassador Pablo Macedo, Chair-Designate, UN small arms Programme of Action
Associate Professor Philip... (GunPolicy.org)
Global Gun Trade Treaty 'Bedrock' to Curbing Gun Violence in West Africa
22 June 2009
Concord Times (Freetown)
FREETOWN — Policy makers, including members of parliament, representatives from various ministries of government, the military, police and civil society organizations Wednesday discussed the arms trade treaty as bedrock to the maintenance of peace and stability in the country.
The roundtable conference was organized by the Sierra Leone Network on Small Arms, SLANSA as part of this year's global week of action in raising awareness campaign for better gun laws and push... (GunPolicy.org)
