Regional Centre on Small Arms

Djibouti

9th Anniversary of the Signing of the Nairobi Declaration Marked

The Nairobi Declaration Day is marked every year on or around 15th March in RECSA Member States to commemorate the signing of the Nairobi Declaration on the Problem of the Proliferation of Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons which was signed in 2000.

Events organised to mark the Day are used as forums to raise public awareness on issues of small arms in the RECSA Member States.

This year a number of countries highlighted the Day through the media. Newspaper supplements were published to highlight the significance of the Nairobi Declaration to the war against illicit weapons in the region.

In addition, Kenya destroyed 2,490 weapons as the landmark event to mark the day. In attendance were top police officers, senior Government officials, media, civil society representatives and RECSA.

The climax regional celebrations were held in Djibouti with a street march with posters, banners, t-shirts and caps displaying advocacy messages. In attendance were Djibouti NFP officials, Police, media, civil society, school children, members of the public, academicians, IGAD, representatives from embassies of RECSA Member States, donors, and UN agencies (including UNDP which provided funds for the various activities). A symbolic arms destruction of 100 weapons was undertaken and broadcast by electronic and print media.

Djibouti is taking over Chairmanship of RECSA’s Technical Advisory Committee and the Council of Ministers in April 2009. The outgoing Chair is Burundi which has served its two year term.

Achievements by Member States to the Nairobi Declaration.

The Djibouti National Focal Point was officially launched on 29th January 2004.
Djibouti is geographically located in a area confronted with a situation of instability generated by various conflicts that led to the proliferation of firearms.

Despite the conflict situation that has been prevailing in the sub- region for several years, Djibouti does not experience high level of firearm criminality but numbers of steps have been taken to prevent, fight and eliminate the illicit proliferation of Small Arms. The Djibouti National Focal Point is active under the chairmanship of Djibouti Police Force .

Major achievement include:

Destruction of 1,160 arms recovered from former FRUD combatants following the Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Djibouti and the aforesaid armed group on 12 May,2001.

Arms Destruction in Djibouti, 2001.

Major achievements to date

On 29 th January 2004 , Djibouti National Focal Point on small arms and light weapons was officially launched in Djibouti

From 20 th to 21 st April 2004 , a delegation led by the Minister in charge of International Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Mahamoud Youssouf attended the Second Ministerial Review Conference in Nairobi

Djibouti NFP attended all consultative meetings at regional, continental and international levels

Commemoration of the 5 th Anniversary of the Nairobi Declaration
In the framework of the commemoration of the 5 th Anniversary of the signing of the Nairobi Declaration, a ceremony of symbolic destruction of firearms was presided over by Honorable Abdoulkader Doualeh Waïs, Minister for Interior and Decentralization in the premises of the Police School Idriss Farah Abaneh, in Djibouti City , on 15 th March 2005 . This ceremony was conducted in presence of Senior Government Officials as well as representatives from civil society organizations and the Medias. Prior to these events, television and radios talk shows on the Nairobi Declaration and the Nairobi Protocol were organized through national and private electronic and printing Medias.

H.E. Hon. Madam Hawa Ahmed Youssou, Minister of Foreign affairs, Republic of Djibouti, signing the 3rd Ministerial Declaration.