Delegates from the region discuss SADC protocol on the control of firearms and ammunition |10 May 2023

Delegates in a souvenir photograph

Seychelles recently hosted a meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs).

The three-day meeting, which took place last week at the Savoy Seychelles Resort and Spa, Beau Vallon,

brought together police representatives from Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, the United Republic of Tanzania, Namibia, Mauritius, Malawi, Eswatini, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, including ours and representatives from the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) based in Harare and from the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (SARPCCO).

Its aim was to discuss the challenges faced by member states regarding the implementation of the SADC protocol on the control of firearms, ammunition and other related materials, including other related matters, to map out a way forward for the region.

During the meeting, the participants also shared experience and information with one another in dealing with small arms and light weapons related to crimes among other issues of importance to curb firearms related crimes and spread of firearms.

The proliferation and illicit use of SALWs is seen by member SADC states as a multifaceted and multidimensional problem that affects people and communities in the region in many ways including inter alia the deterioration of physical security, undermining of development prospect, the degradation of access to and availability of social services etc.

It was the deputy police commissioner (DPC), Francis Songoire, who closed the three-day workshop in the presence of Police Commissioner Ted Barbe, the chairman of RCC, deputy police commissioner Moses Shaama and other senior police officers from the member states, SARPCCO and Interpol.

In his closing remarks, DPC Songoire urged member states to have proper control and management of fire arms in their respective countries and to encourage for the return of illegal firearms and ammunition and to destroy them while imposing severe punishment for any firearm crimes and other related materials.

He noted he was happy that the different countries are making great efforts to minimise firearms related crimes or having control over the spread of firearms.

“When I look at some of the countries present for this meeting and those that signed the protocol in 2001, they are not countries that we hear on the news daily for matters related to firearms. Yet, I know that most, if not all, countries, despite their population size and whether they are developed or not, we are all being affected by firearms related crimes,” said DPC Songoire who put the emphasis on the localisation of existing national laws to be in line with the SADC protocol. 

For his part, the chairman of RCC, Mr Shaama, said that the region is cognisant of the fact that uncontrolled spread of SALWs has a wider range of humanitarian and socio-economic consequences and poses serious threat to peace, reconciliation, public safety and security, stability and barrier to sustainable development. 

He added that it has the potential to sustain conflicts, exacerbate violence, contribute to the displacement of civilians, undermine respect for human rights and impede the provision of public goods and services.

He noted that the proliferation and illicit use of SALWs takes place due to loopholes in respective national legislation, imports, export transfer and transit points, ineffective regional law enforcement architecture, lack of comprehensive strategy on simultaneous and joints operations, porous borders that are not easy to police and lack of effective coordination and information sharing between member countries, among others that need to be strengthened.

“As chairman of the August gathering, I am under no shadow of doubt that our three days of deliberations and the subsequent recommendations will assist the chiefs of police in the region to make informed decisions on the effective and sustainable implementation of the SADC Protocol on the control of firearms and ammunitions and other related materials,” said Mr Shaama.

Speaking to the press later, Mr Shaama said that the meeting was very fruitful and that the recommendations will be firstly submitted to the various member states police chiefs for approval before being made public.

He stressed on the importance of harmonising national legislations and the use of tools from the Interpol to address issues of proliferation and illicit use of SALWs. Although some countries are yet to sign the SADC protocol, he said that the organisation has made progress in terms of the implementation of the protocol with the law enforcement in the region doing a wonderful job to manage and control the proliferation and illicit use of SALWs.  

Patrick Joubert