AHG/Dec.137 (XXXV) Decision on the Illicit Proliferation Circulation and Trafficking
of Small Arms and Light Weapons
The Assembly:
TAKES NOTE of the Report;
ADOPTS the proposals contained therein;
HAILS the Declaration on the moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons adopted in Abuja on 31 October, 1998 by the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS);
WELCOMES the appeal contained in the said Declaration calling on the OAU to support implementation of the moratorium and to encourage similar initiatives in other regions of the continent;
WELCOMES ALSO the initiatives being undertaken by Member States and regional organisations concerning the question of small arms, in particular the ECOWAS moratorium on small arms, the destruction of surplus and obsolete small arms in South Africa and the destruction of illicit weapons in Mozambique;
FURTHER WELCOMES the work of the United Nations, through its Group of Experts on Small Arms and the draft Protocol on the Illicit Manufacturing, circulation and proliferation of as well as illicit trafficking in Firearms, Ammunitions and other related Materials, supplementary to the Convention against Transnational Organised Crime; the European Union, through its Joint Action on Small Arms and the Organisation of American States, through its Convention against the illicit manufacturing, trafficking, circulation and proliferation of firearms, ammunitions, explosives and other related Materials;
APPEALS to the International Community to render to the affected African countries all necessary assistance to enable them implement programmes to effectively deal with the problems associated with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons;
REITERATES the urgency and the need for inter-African co-operation in addressing the
problems associated with the illicit use, transfer and manufacture of small arms and light weapons and EMPHASISES the primary role the OAU can play in co-ordinating actions in those affected areas;