Firearms marking and SALW Trafficking: The Experience Of The RECSA Region

1. Firearms marking and SALW Trafficking: The Experience Of The RECSA Region Cooperating to Disarm Presented ByGodfrey BAGONZAHead Planning and AdministrationRECSA Secretariat, NairobiOAS Regional Seminar on Promoting Firearms MarkingSan Jose, Costa RicaDecember 2, 2010

2. introduction • Africa is a transit route as well as a final destination for illicit SALW • The Great Lakes Region and Horn of Africa share the biggest burden of the effects of illicit SALW • Illicit SALW impacts negatively on social, economic and political spheres • Conflicts in Africa are sustained by illicit SALW • Illicit SALW undermine the achievements of the MDGs Cooperating to Disarm

3. introduction • Illicit SALW supports organized crime • There is a relationship between trafficking of SALW and – • Terrorism • Human and drug trafficking • Piracy • Money laundering Cooperating to Disarm

4. Who is RECSA ? • Inter-governmental organization of 13 MS • Established June 2005 • Mandated to implement the Nairobi Protocol • Three Organs • Council of Ministers • Technical Advisory Committee • Secretariat • Headquarters- Nairobi, Kenya Cooperating to Disarm

5. The Legal Framework for Marking of SALW in the RECSA Region • Nairobi Protocol – A legally binding instrument for the prevention, control and reduction of SALW in GLR, HoA and Bordering States • Signed April 2004 by 11 Member States • Entered into force in May 2006 • Currently 13 Member States Cooperating to Disarm

6. The Legal Framework for Marking of SALW in the RECSA Region • Member States are required to amend legislation to reflect the provisions of the Nairobi Protocol • Article 7 Nairobi Protocol • States Parties undertake to mark each small arm and light weapon with a unique mark • ISO country code serial number • Chapter 1 Best Practice Guidelines • Stocks in state possession as at 2005 were to be marked by December 2008 Cooperating to Disarm

7. Marking IS… • Putting a form of traceability on an item • Ink – pens to ink jet • Branding- soldering iron to heated elements • Etching- paper stencils to silk stencils • Stamping – hard punches to dot pin • Laser Cooperating to Disarm

8. Marking is NOT… • Stickers • Labels • Tags • Grouping – identifying bundles • Pallet tracking The above are forms of identification and not item specific marking Cooperating to Disarm

9. ISO country codes for RECSA member states Cooperating to Disarm

10. manual vs. electronic marking machines • March/April 2008 regional training workshop on marking • Practical demonstration on use of MB 32 • July 2008 regional training workshop on marking • Practical demonstration on use of Couth MC 2000 Marking Machine Cooperating to Disarm

11. MB 32 Manual Marking Machine 11 Manual Marking machine Easy to maintain Durable Unable to mark the inside parts of a firearm Not computer friendly Cooperating to Disarm

12. Couth MC 2000 Marking machine 12 Portable and very handy Does not interfere with the normal functioning of the firearm- dot peen marking Compatible with computer hardware and software Marks numerically and bar code consecutively High speed of marking (12 characters per sec.) Cooperating to Disarm

13. Sample marking Cooperating to Disarm

14. Supporting the process of marking salw in recsa region • Procured and distributed 31 of marking machines ( 26 -WRA & 5 EAC) • Training selected officers from LEAS & Military in 10 MS • Marking ongoing in 8 MS out of 13 MS • Continued Technical Support and Monitoring • Details contained in the 10 year status report on the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol- visit www.recsasec.org for full report Cooperating to Disarm

15. Record keeping • Article 7 Nairobi Protocol • SALW information to be kept for not less than 10 years • Chapter 1 BPG • SALW records to be kept for at least 25 years to facilitate traceability Cooperating to Disarm

16. Electronic SALW Databases • Marking of SALW is not an end in itself • Currently most SALW information is kept in manual records • RECSA Secretariat spearheaded the development of customized software for managing SALW records in its Member States • Customized software was released in August 2010 for testing Cooperating to Disarm

17. Marked Component Tracking System • Brief overview of the customized software • Comprises of 4 Modules • Marking Module • Assign to Institution • Assign to Individual • Destruction • Reporting • Practical demonstration of the marking module Cooperating to Disarm

18. Next Steps • Build database from lower levels to the higher levels • Building trust among players to facilitate information sharing • Focussed monitoring and provision of technical support to marking and database creation and maintenance • Continue inter-regional co-operation for best practice sharing on marking and records management Cooperating to Disarm

19. Conclusion • Marking thus facilitates • Proper identification, • Easy traceability, • Individual and Institutional accountability • Marking enables SALW monitoring from “cradle to grave” • Marking contributes to reduced SALW trafficking Cooperating to Disarm

20. RECSA Online WEBSITE: WWW.RECSASEC.ORG EMAIL: INFO@RECSASEC.ORG Cooperating to Disarm