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Flame of Hope
Chapter 3
Welcoming Remarks
The Humanitarian Consequences of
Small Arms Proliferation
By Judge Abdul G. Koroma
International Court of Justice
President, Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
Your Excellency President Konaré, Mr. Executive Secretary Kouyate, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me pleasure and honour to welcome you to this International Consultation on the implementation of the West African Moratorium on the Import, Export and Manufacture of Small Arms and Light Weapons. I welcome you in the name of the three co-organisers: firstly, the United Nations, here represented by the United Nations Development Programme, the Regional Center for Disarmament in Africa, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and several other UN organisations that have facilitated the creation of the Moratorium; secondly, the Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers, an alliance of the Norwegian Red Cross, the Norwegian Church Aid, the International Peace Research Institute and the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs; and thirdly, the newly established Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, which was set up here in Geneva to promote precisely this kind of international dialogue to identify solutions to humanitarian problems.
Present here today are high-level representatives of West African countries, members of ECOWAS, that adopted the visionary Moratorium on Light Weapons at the summit meeting in Abuja last October. Also present are diplomatic representatives of member countries of the Wassenaar Arrangement of arms exporting nations, donor nations, as well as key representatives of the relevant United Nations organisations, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organisations.
We are particularly honoured to have with us here today as a keynote speaker the ‘father’ and original proponent of this historic Moratorium, the President of Mali, H.E. Alpha Oumar Konaré. Equally, we are pleased to have among our keynote speakers the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS, Ambassador Lansana Kouyate, who was so instrumental in facilitating the adoption of the Moratorium within ECOWAS.
I believe the impressive number of participants present here today is a sign of the growing international recognition that this first regional moratorium on small arms should now be effectively implemented. We can and should help in this regard. Because, if we all succeed in making the Moratorium a reality, it can become an effective contribution:
- to undertake conflict prevention, post conflict consolidation and peace building;
- to contribute to observance of the humanitarian principles and values during conflicts;
- to create a secure socio-economic environment for development;
- to promote and protect human rights, and, last but by no means least;
- to reduce crime and banditry.
At the same time, the pioneering efforts of West African countries today may encourage similar efforts in other sub-regions tomorrow. Other parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe are all subjected to the consequences of the illegitimate and violent use of small arms and light weapons as in West Africa. Not far from peaceful Geneva, the civilian population of the Balkans is experiencing suffering in part caused by the uncontrolled proliferation and use of arms throughout that region.
The ECOWAS countries should now live up to their commitments and start the implementation of the Moratorium. They should harmonise national laws and make all necessary reforms regarding customs, military and police operations, as well as making all public servants and the public at large aware of the agreement’s provisions.
The arms producing countries participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement have an equal obligation to support, respect and adhere to the prohibition to export, import and manufacture small arms and light weapons in West Africa. The Chairman in Office of the Wassenaar Arrangement, Ambassador Staffan Sohlman, will talk about the support of the Arrangement for the Moratorium this afternoon.
To make the noble principles of the Moratorium a reality, and not only words on paper, considerable human and financial resources are also needed. Donor countries, many of which are present here, will play an increasingly important role to help set up the local, national and regional implementation machineries now needed.
In this connection, donor countries and ECOWAS member states alike should provide the financial and technical assistance needed to implement the UN organised Programme of Co-ordination and Assistance on Security and Development (PCASED), which is the supporting mechanism and secretariat for the Moratorium. The director of PCASED, Dr. Ivor Fung, will later present this implementation mechanism.
Beyond governments and inter-governmental organisations, the role of non-governmental organisations is crucial in creating awareness of the importance of controlling and limiting the proliferation of small arms. Constructive interaction between democratic governments and responsible civil society groups and institutions, including Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and religious communities, is crucial in creating an environment conducive to peace, development and human values. Dr. Astrid Nøklebye Heiberg, President of the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Dr. Samuel Kobia, Director of the World Council of Churches, will further elaborate on this.
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends, it is my sincere hope that this international conference, with high-level participation from ECOWAS countries, the Wassenaar Arrangement members, and other interested parties will enhance the substance of the dialogue between suppliers and recipients and provide the financial and substantive tools for the implementation of the Moratorium and its associated measures. The vulnerable civilian populations of war-torn areas will pray for our success.
Thank you for your attention.
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