Disarmament in Review
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) took part in the launch of the African Amnesty Month (AAM) in Djibouti from 29th to 31st October, along with the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), which also represented the African Union.
During the three-day mission, several activities were held to raise awareness about the fight against the illicit trade and use of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). These included planting trees at Camp Lemonnier;a march from Camp Lemonnier to the National police shooting range; the destruction of obsolete Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW); and theatrical plays illustrating communal violence fueled by the illicit circulation of SALW. The plays also presented traditional conflict resolution mechanisms in addition to SALW handover processes. On 29th October, approximately 300 representatives of the Defense and Security Forces, fifteen per cent of whom were women, participated in these events and activities. Participants included the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, the General Director of the National Police, Commandant of the Djibouti Coast Guard, Commander of the Republican Guard, among others high ranking Defense and Security Forces officers.
On 30th October, the official ceremony launching the African Amnesty month was celebrated at the Ayla Grand Hotel in Djibouti. The ceremony was chaired by the Minister of Decentralisation (Minister of Interior ad interim) and was attended by the President of the Court of Justice, the Director General of National Police, the National Focal point on SALW, the Executive Secretary of RECSA, high ranking officials from the Armed Forces and a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, along with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
In their opening remarks, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, RECSA, the national focal point on SALW and the Minister of Decentralisation identified the root causes and the challenges in addressing the illicit circulation of SALW, as well as its impact on peace, security and socio-economic development. Importantly, synergies among the AAM program, the ‘Silencing the Guns’ initiative, the AU Agenda 2063, the UN Agenda 2030 and the UN Programme of Action, were also highlighted. Following the opening ceremony, a brief conference covering youth and gender participation in disarmament processes, was organized.
On 31 October, UNREC and RECSA held a meeting with the General Director of the National Police. The prevailing trends in the Horn of Africa pertaining to peace, security and SALW and border control were discussed. With regard to border control, it was noted that Djibouti and Ethiopia had joint border patrols to monitor illicit circulation of SALW and other transnational crimes. The delegation then visited the police forensic laboratory at its criminal section, including the ballistics unit.
Subsequently, an UNREC representative met with the UNDP Representative in Djibouti. They discussed UNREC’s mandate, activities under the UN Program of Action, cooperation with the African Union and the implementation of the African Amnesty Month Project. The UNDP representative said that she looked forward to learning more about SALW initiatives and programs and exploring avenues of cooperation. She also indicated that the African Amnesty Month’s activities will contribute to UN Country Team efforts towards social cohesion and conflict prevention in Djibouti.
