Somalilandsun- Security officers who manage weapons and ammunition within member countries that make up the regional Centre for Small Arms -RECSA are set for guidelines.
This Development shall ensue after completion of a three day’s firearms manual validation workshop in Nairobi where representatives from 12 of the 16 member countries are in attendance.
The manual complements a capacity-building course run by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) for armed security officers in the region to train them on international best practices in weapons and ammunition management. The curriculum and manual content is drawn from the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) which were developed by the United Nations. The development of the manual is fully funded by the United States governmen
According to a press statement released by RECSA senior Officials in the interior and defense ministries from the regional body’s member states of Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda are in attendance.
Only three are not in attendance namely Ethiopia, Eritrea, Seychelles.
“ The reviewed manual shall be used by officers who manage armories of the military and police with the aim of encouraging and promoting safety and proper management of weapons and ammunition” read the RECSA statement below verbatim
REGIONAL FIREARMS MANAGEMENT MANUAL VALIDATION BEGINS IN NAIROBI
Representatives from Member States of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) are attending a three-day workshop in Nairobi to review a training manual for security officers who manage weapons and ammunition.
The senior government officials drawn from the Ministries of Interior and Defense as well as experienced armorers will discuss and validate the content of a Practitioners Handbook that contains guidelines on how to assess and improve the management and of arms. The manual shall be used by officers who manage armories of the military and police with the aim of encouraging and promoting safety and proper management of weapons and ammunition.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, RECSA Executive Secretary Lt. Gen. Badreldin Elamin Abdelgadir said that the safe handling of state-held arms reduces their diversion to criminals and terrorists and reduces the risk of unintended explosions. This in turn enhances security and allows regional governments and citizens to focus on socio-economic development as well as good governance.
The Director of the Kenya National Focal Point on Small Arms and Light Weapons (KNFP) Mr. Marcus Ocholla affirmed the need for adapting international standards on arms management to local realities. He cited the example of steel arms boxes that are provided by RECSA to store firearms in remote areas and police bases where there are no permanent armories. This averts previous cases where
police officers would carry their guns home in the evening and rent them out to criminals. Instead, they now have a safe box where the firearms and ammunition are stored at all times, preventing diversion and thus contributing to safety and security in our communities.
The manual complements a capacity-building course run by the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) for armed security officers in the region to train them on international best practices in weapons and ammunition management. The curriculum and manual content is drawn from the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) which were developed by the United Nations. The development of the manual is fully funded by the United States government.-Unquote
The Regional Centre on Small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States (RECSA) is an intergovernmental organization established in June 2005. The Secretariat is mandated to build the capacity of the Member States, coordinate and monitor the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol within the RECSA Region.RECSA therefore remains the only internationally recognized inter-governmental organization within Africa whose sole mandate is to address the proliferation of illicit SALW to provide a conducive environment for sustainable development. Read more about RECSA
