Training on “Illicit Transfer of Small Arms & Light Weapons (SALW) In the North Africa and Sahel Region” Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution & Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA) Ambassador Dr. Sameh Aboul-Enein Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Disarmament and Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (Egypt) 1

WHAT Are SMALL ARMS, LIGHT WEAPONS, and AMMUNITION and EXPLOSIVES? A- Small arms:  Handguns, revolvers, self-loading pistols and rifles.  Sub-machine guns.  Assault rifles.  Light machine guns. B- Light weapons:  Heavy machine guns.  Handheld, under barrel and mounted grenade launchers.  Portable anti-aircraft guns, anti-tank guns and recoilless rifles, launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, and launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems.  Mortars of calibers less than 100 mm. C-Ammunition and explosives:  Cartridges (rounds) for small arms.  Shells and missiles for light weapons.  Anti-personal and anti-tank grenades.  Landmines.  Mobile containers with missiles and shells for single action.  Anti-craft and tank systems.  Explosives. 2

1-The worldwide proliferation of SALW has exacerbated many civil conflicts in recent years, prolonging such conflicts and thus contributing to more human insecurity and suffering on a vast scale. 2- Peace versus Security: an important aspect to keep in mind in this workshop. 3- Being a country that has long suffered and been subject to terrorist acts, Egypt was, and remains to be, amongst the leading countries to call for combating terrorism in its all forms. 4-Drawing necessary awareness to the importance of ensuring that those floating arms do not end up in the hands of potentially dangerous non-state actors. 3

1. Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in SALW in all its Aspects- SALW PoA (2001).  UN politically-binding instrument.  Measures: the national regional and global levels.  International cooperation and assistance (Capacity Building). 2. The International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit SALW- ITO ( 2005).  UN politically-binding instrument.  Reporting is voluntary.  Based on 3 actions: Marking. Record keeping. Tracing. 4

3. The report of GGE to Combat Illicit brokering SALW (2007).  “A BROKER” in SALW can be entity acting as an intermediary that brings together relevant parties and arranges or facilitates a potential transaction of SALW in return for some form of benefits whether financial or otherwise. 4. Protocol against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, supplementing the UN convention against transnational organized crime.  UN firearms protocol (2001).  UN legally binding instrument ( A/RES/ 55/ 255).  Entered into force in July 3 rd,  9 Arab States. 5

1-National Small Arms Commissions have proven to be quite useful for countries emerging out of crisis. 2- Ad-hoc weapons collection centers could be also instituted by the commission to gather the weapons across the countries of the region. 3- Capacity building and technical assistance on weapons collection must not be overlooked. 4- Implementation of a robust Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Reinsertion programme (DDRR) is also essential. UNSMIL in Libya. 5- The Arab League, must also co-ordinate policies and security programs. 6- Stepping up SALW’s advocacy and public awareness. 7- Intelligence and information exchanges represent an asset that should be utilized to control borders, especially in the case of extended borders like the Egyptian ones. 8- Developing capabilities in marking techniques (Laser-barcodes), Book-keeping and verification of final user certificates. 6 III. Policy Options for the Arab World and The Middle East

1-Despite some reported slowdowns in the implementation of some aspects of regional co-operation in this field due to the difficult internal political, socio-economic and security situation since early 2011and the dire need to re-organize the house from inside, yet Egypt, whether out of conviction or commitment, has never- and will never - back out on any of its regional or international obligations in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and combating terrorism. 2-The North of Africa and the Middle East will never be the same again, especially after the “Arab Spring” which has clearly shown that a lot of weapons were employed, but more by incumbents in the uprisings. Consequently, a lot of arms will continue to float around the Arab World long after the so called “Arab Spring” fades out. The challenge then will be how to control these weapons so they don’t end up in the hands of non-state actors such as arms smugglers, drug traffickers, pirates and terrorists who could gain more ammunition AND continue to destabilize the fragile peace in some parts of the Arab World, West Africa and Sahel regions. 3- Although International organizations and civil society have key roles to play-in partnership with governments- in the fight against illicit trade in SALW in all it’s aspects, The primary responsibility for addressing this problem lies in the hands of the states themselves. In this regard, the Arab States have to work diligently within the framework of the UNPOA to prevent, eradicate, combat this major threat to international and regional peace, stability and security. 7

Thank You 8