1. Bamako Declaration on an African Common Position on the Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (2000)
The Bamako Declaration is the foundational political commitment by African states to collectively address the scourge of illicit SALW. It established the principle of “African solutions to African problems” and directly led to the creation of regional legal instruments. RECSA operationalizes this continental political will in Eastern Africa by translating its broad commitments into targeted technical assistance, harmonizing national action plans, and serving as the regional hub for implementing its successor frameworks, including the AU Strategy and the Nairobi Protocol.
Direct Official Link: https://www.peaceau.org/uploads/bamako-declaration-en.pdf
2. African Union Strategy on the Control of Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (2002, revised 2019)
The AU Strategy provides the overarching continental roadmap for coordinating all SALW control efforts. It emphasizes harmonization of legislation, capacity building, and information exchange. RECSA is formally recognized as a key implementing partner under this Strategy. It directly supports the Strategy’s goals by building the capacity of Eastern African states in weapons and ammunition management, facilitating cross-border law enforcement cooperation, and conducting joint research to inform continental policy development.
Direct Official Link: https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/37340-doc-assembly_au_dec_757_xxix_e.pdf
3. African Union “Silencing the Guns” Initiative (Agenda 2063)
“Silencing the Guns” is the AU’s flagship political initiative to end conflict in Africa by 2030. Controlling the illicit flow of SALW is fundamental to achieving this goal. RECSA’s entire mandate is a direct contribution to “Silencing the Guns.” Its work in securing state stockpiles, preventing diversion, and dismantling trafficking networks directly reduces the weapons available to fuel armed conflict and communal violence, thereby advancing the continental peace and security agenda.
Direct Official Link: https://au.int/en/silencing-guns
(Official AU Silencing the Guns Portal)
Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063: https://au.int/sites/default/files/pages/36136-file-agenda2063_aspirations.pdf (Page 10)
4. ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials (2006)
As the legally binding instrument for West Africa, the ECOWAS Convention sets a high regional standard with its comprehensive provisions and explicit ban on transfers to non-state actors. RECSA facilitates knowledge exchange between Eastern and West African states, encouraging the adoption of similarly robust legal frameworks and operational procedures in its own region.
5. SADC Protocol on the Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (2001)
The SADC Protocol is the legal bedrock for controlling firearms in Southern Africa, focusing on harmonizing national laws and regulating civilian ownership. RECSA, while focused on Eastern Africa, collaborates with SADC and its implementing body, the SADC Secretariat, to share best practices on legislative harmonization and law enforcement cooperation. This cross-regional dialogue, facilitated by RECSA, strengthens the broader African arms control architecture and ensures lessons learned in one region benefit others.
Direct Official Link: https://www.sadc.int/files/8614/3498/5063/Protocol_on_the_Control_of_………_Related_Materials.pdf
6. Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and all Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly (Kinshasa Convention, 2010)
The Kinshasa Convention is the comprehensive, legally binding framework for Central Africa, featuring strong controls on transfers, brokering, and a ban on arms to non-state actors. RECSA plays a critical role in supporting the implementation of the Kinshasa Convention in its overlapping operational areas, particularly in the Great Lakes region. It provides technical expertise on stockpile management and tracing to Central African states, coordinates cross-border initiatives with ECCAS, and ensures that efforts in Eastern and Central Africa are mutually reinforcing, creating a contiguous zone of security cooperation.
Direct Link: https://www.smallarmssurveysudan.org/fileadmin/docs/legal-instruments/Kinshasa-Convention-2010.pdf