In a unified effort to combat the illegal movement and trade of small arms and light weapons, Kenya, along with 14 other member states under the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) headquartered in Nairobi, will present a joint position at the Fourth Review Conference (RevCon4) in New York in June 2024.

The conference aims to address the challenges posed by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa region, in line with the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

The Regional Preparatory Meeting on Small Arms & Light Weapons, currently underway in Nairobi, is reviewing efforts such as the destruction of confiscated and obsolete firearm stockpiles and the marking of all state-owned weapons for enhanced traceability.

Dr. Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary for Internal Security and
National Administration, presided over the opening session, highlighting Kenya’s commitment to combating the illegal arms
trade.

By May 2023, the National Police Service (NPS) had marked 98% of its firearms stock, while the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) had
achieved a 70% marking rate.

Kenya has also made significant strides in enhancing physical security in conflict-prone areas, capacity building for law enforcement agencies, and investing in modern technologies for border surveillance to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which contribute to banditry, terrorism, transnational crimes and criminal gangs.

“The illicit trade in small arms knows no borders and respects no
laws, making it imperative for us to strengthen our collaborative
efforts at both regional and international levels,” stated Dr. Omollo.

The Preparatory Meeting, being held from 4th to 5th March 2024 at the Sarova Panafric Hotel, brings together government experts from East and Southern Africa, including Botswana, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The meeting aims to take stock of key achievements in advancing the implementation of Action Programmes and related International Tracing Instruments (ITI) by respective Member States while reflecting on the challenges, emerging risks, and opportunities in respective Countries.

Discussions will also focus on enhancing national and regional cooperation and technical assistance to governments to address the illicit flows of small arms and light weapons.

The outcome of the Regional Preparatory Meeting will inform the
regional position and priorities for the upcoming Fourth Review
Conference on Small Arms and Light Weapons.