Within the framework of PGA’s Campaign to Address the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons and, in collaboration with PGA’s National group in Tanzania, and generously supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, PGA convened a Regional Africa Parliamentary Workshop on Addressing the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from April 2-3, 2016.

The proliferation of illicit trade and trafficking in small arms and light weapons in the African Region has led to a growth in transnational organized crime and exacerbated internal conflicts in the region, prompting countries to target a common approach to curbing it. The illicit transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and, in some cases, their accumulation as well as proliferation pose a threat to national and regional security, and can contribute to the destabilization of states and complicate/compromise post-conflict solutions. No country or region is immune to the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

The purpose of this Workshop was to enable participating Members of Parliament from Botswana, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe to share with their colleagues the current position relating to how their respective countries are addressing the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons,  to identify potential areas for moving forward on a regional basis as well as to outline key national, regional and international instruments and treaties in place to facilitate to this objective.

A Plan of Action, setting out concrete steps to be taken by participants, was adopted following conclusion of the Workshop.

The Keynote presentation was delivered by the a the Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Tanzania, with other prominent Remarks from a Senior Advocate from the Office of the Attorney General  Tanzania, the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania as well as the Representative of UNDP to Tanzania, The Ambassador of Finland to Tanzania,  as well as a Senior Representative from the Regional Center on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA). Local civil society was also strongly represented by Rev. Conan T. Godda, Executive Director of The Inter Religious Council for Peace. . 

Background:

Since the Launch of the PGA Global Parliamentary Campaign for Signature and Ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty in April 2013, PGA Members and other Members of Parliament from 78 countries worldwide are now actively promoting signature and/or ratification of the ATT within their Parliaments and in close contact with their respective Governments.

As of March 1, 2016, PGA Members have made important, measurable contributions to moving the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) signature process forward in 44 of the 130 UN Member States that signed the ATT before it entered into force on 24th December, 2015 and similar important and measurable contributions vis-a-vis 34 of the 81 UN Member States that have ratified the ATT to date. 

For more information on this Workshop in Tanzania, and general inquiries on the Campaign, please contact:

Mr. Peter Barcroft (English/Spanish)
Director of International Peace and Security Program
Email: peter.barcroft@pgaction.org
Phone: + 1 917 414 0254

Mr. Thiago Carvalho (Portuguese/Spanish/English)
Executive Officer and Program Associate, Peace & Democracy Program
Email: thiago@pgaction.org
Phone: +1 646 762-7315