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Achievements by Member States
to the Nairobi Declaration.
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Despite an arms embargo imposed in 1992, Somalia remains a key market for illegal small arms and light weapons for the Horn of Africa countries. The lack of a central government for the past 15 years has meant no government control over the illegal importation, acquisition and disposal of arms. The porous boarders with neighboring states such as Kenya has meant easy access to new markets hence the high number of illegal small arms and light weapons in the entire region. The common types of arms in Somalia range from ‘side arms through sub-machine guns to “technicals”, modified anti-aircraft artillery or heavy machine guns mounted on the back of pick-up trucks' ( Mogadishu , AFP Aug 30).
Despite the seemingly overwhelming situation, the Transitional Federal Government under President Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf signed the Nairobi Protocol on the control of illegal arms and light weapons after a ministerial meeting of the member states held in Nairobi on 21-22 June 2005. The signing signaled a desire to embrace common regional approaches to combating the problem of illicit arms in the region and within the states. Key challenges for the government remain in disarming the militias and the gangs and offering alternative means of livelihood to this group of people. To be addressed simultaneously with this is the provision and guarantee of public security to the entire population. The Transitional Federal government of Somalia also needs to put in place structures similar to those of neighboring countries in order to begin an elaborate formulation of long-term strategies. Such structures include the establishment of the National Focal Point and the appointment of its coordinator to spearhead the national campaign.
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H.E. Hon. Amb. Abdullahi Sheik Ismail, Minister of Foreign Affairs Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, signing the 3rd Ministerial Declaration.
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At the just concluded 60 th General Assembly of the UN, the President of Somalia petitioned the UN to lift the 1992 arms embargo for Somalia . His argument is that with the embargo in force, it is impossible to deploy peacekeeping forces and set up local security forces. In July 2005, the UN had refused to lift the embargo but said it would reconsider the ban after a report from East Africa countries that want to field peacekeepers. The challenge for the Federal Government is to unite, entrench itself and guarantee public security in order to win public confidence to rule.
The Nairobi Protocol for the prevention, control and reduction of small arms and light weapons in the great lakes
region and horn of Africa .
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