Somalia endorses roadmap to deny terrorists access to arms
Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) -The Federal Government of Somalia has endorsed a six-month roadmap towards strengthening control of the movement and ownership of weapons and ammunition within its borders, the Inter-governmental Authority for Development (IGAD) said in a press statement received by PANA on Friday.
The Action Plan is the culmination of four days of high-level political and technical consultations, between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA).
The statement said the six-month plan will see the establishment of a National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons that shall lead the implementation of the FGS priorities related to weapons and ammunition management and control.
According to the statement these priorities are clearly defined in the FGS Transition Plan to security ownership, and the National Security Architecture. They are also aligned with the international obligations of the FGS relating to instruments on arms control by the United Nations, African Union and the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), based on the Nairobi Protocol on the Prevention, Control and Reduction of Small Arms and Light Weapons which Somalia signed in 2005 alongside 14 other regional governments.
“This initiative will strengthen measures to counter the proliferation of weapons in Somalia and prevent access to weapons by terrorists. It will further strengthen Somalia’s compliance with the UN Arms Embargo on Somalia, leading to its future lifting to enable Somalia to effectively counter the subversive activities of militias and terrorists,“ the release underlined.
It said the Federal Government of Somalia has said it would remain committed to taking concrete action towards the security and development of its people.
-0- PANA MO/VAO 5July2019
