UNREC FOCUS August 2010

UNREC FOCUS August 2010 - N°8

Monday, 30 August 2010 13:59

UNREC FOCUS: August 2010- n° 8

COOPERATION

Regional workshop for the validation of an electronic database for the management of SALW records - 1-2 July 2010 - Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
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UNREC participated in a regional workshop for the validation of the software for managing records of SALW held by RECSA. This activity is part of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between RECSA and UNREC in which the two organizations agreed to cooperate in the field of database management. At the different stages, UNREC provided substantive and technical elements for the development of the software and will continue to support RECSA and east African Member States.

Study mission of RECSA and UNREC on DDR - 19-24 July 2010 - Monrovia, Liberia
alt RECSA and UNREC undertook a study mission to Liberia in order to learn more about the disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR) program implemented in the country after a civil war of over 15 years. One of the objectives of the project led by RECSA is to develop a best practices guide on practical disarmament to contribute to improving human security in East Africa.

Working visit of KAIPTC to UNREC - 22 July 2010 - Lome, Togo
UNREC received a working visit of representatives of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). The two institutions have identified the following areas of cooperation and the types of partnership arrangements: capacity building of civil society organizations, review of legislation on small arms, database management, security sector reform and the training of trainers.

SEMINARS AND PROJECTS

Seminar for parliamentarians on "Parliamentary Oversight of Security Systems" - 16-18 June 2010 - Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
UNREC shared its expertise on parliamentary oversight of the security sector. The objective of the seminar was to discuss and disseminate best practices, identify gaps and needs of parliamentarians for a more effective parliamentary control of the security sector. On this occasion, the book entitled "The Reform of Security and Justice Systems in Francophone Africa" recently published by OIF, UNREC and RASS was launched.

Conference on "Best Practices on Integrating Gender Issues in the Security Sector in West Africa" - 22-24 June 2010 - Dakar, Senegal
alt UNREC shared its experience of gender-related activities at this sub-regional conference. The goal was to share best practices and lessons learned in mainstreaming gender into SSR processes and security sector institutions in West Africa, exchange of information between experts on gender and reflect on creation of a network on this issue.

Workshop on "Towards Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Crisis Prevention and Recovery in West Africa" - 28-29 June 2010 - Accra, Ghana
UNREC participated in this inter-agency workshop organized by UNDP, to discuss strategies for strengthening the role of parliaments in crisis prevention and recovery in West Africa. The approaches discussed include developing sustainable mechanisms to meet the assistance needs of parliaments, knowledge sharing and developing best practices in conflict prevention and recovery. UNREC presented its expertise as part of its ASSEREP project.

Review of the Togo draft law for the control of SALW - 05-07 July 2010 - Lome, Togo
UNREC, which is supporting ECOWAS in the development of the Guide for the harmonization of national legislation on SALW in West Africa, has provided technical and policy expertise to guide the review and updating of the Togolese law on SALW in the light of international and regional instruments. This workshop was organized by the National Commission on SALW in Togo with the financial support of the ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP).

Workshop for the development of a national action plan for the management and control of SALW in Togo - 8-9 July 2010 - Lome, Togo
alt UNREC provided technical assistance and moderated the workshop for developing the national action plan for the control and management of SALW in Togo. This workshop was organized at the initiative of the National Commission on SALW in Togo, with the financial support from the ECOWAS Small Arms Control Program (ECOSAP).

Workshop on capacity building for RASALAC - 28-30 July 2010 - Libreville, Gabon
UNREC took part in the capacity-building workshop for the Central Africa Action Network on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RASALAC). The workshop was organized by ECCAS with the financial support of the European Union through its project on peace and security (PAPS). This contribution is part of the promotional activities of the Kinshasa Convention for the Control of Small Arms in Central Africa, which was drafted by UNREC, and was adopted on 30 April 2010 by eleven States of the sub-region.

EVENTS

UNREC and the year of Peace and Security in Africa. alt
UNREC supports the African Union in achieving its goal of celebrating 2010 as a year of peace and security across the African continent.On 3 August 2009, in Tripoli, Libya, the AU Special Session on the Consideration and Resolution of Conflicts in Africa declared 2010 the "Year of Peace and Security in Africa.” Following this proclamation many activities are being undertaken on the continent to "Make peace happen", UNREC is contributing to these activities.
For more information click here http://unrec.org/

Meeting of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Security Sector Reform – 28 June - 1 July 2010 - New York, USA
UNREC and the Regional Disarmament Branch, to which it belongs, attended the second meeting of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force on Security Sector Reform. During four days, the Task Force discussed the draft UN Guidance Notes on various issues of security sector reform (governance and control of the security sector, peace processes, national ownership, coordination of international assistance, national security plans and gender). UNREC shared it experience of working with military and security forces, parliamentarians, on gender, on security and arms control issues as well as activities during elections.

PUBLICATIONS

The Reform of Security and Justice Systems in Francophone Africa
The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), in collaboration with the African Network for Security Sector (ASSN) and UNREC, published a book entitled "The Reform of Security and Justice Systems in Francophone Africa" on the institutional and legal specificities of security and justice systems in Francophone Africa.
This book is available at the following address http://www.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/reformes_systemes_securite.pdf

New website: International Day Against Nuclear Tests - 29 August 2010
The Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Department for Public Information are pleased to announce the launch of a new website commemorating the International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29 August. The new site is currently being launched in English only, with all language versions to follow shortly.
Website address http://www.un.org/en/events/againstnucleartestsday/

INFORMATION NOTE

Director resumes office
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Since 1 July 2010, Mr. Ivor Richard Fung has resumed his duties as Director of UNREC after serving for two years as Director of post-conflict operations and human security at UNDP in the DRC. Ms. Jacqueline Seck Diouf, who was the Acting Director of UNREC, has resumed her post of Political Affairs Officer at the Regional Disarmament Branch in New York.

Fourth Biennial Meeting of States on the Implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms - 14-18 June 2010 - New York, USA
alt The proceedings of the Fourth Biennial Meeting of States on the review of the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms, held from 14 to 18 June 2010, New York (USA), were completed with the adoption by consensus of a report available at the following address http://www.poa-iss.org/BMS4/

First meeting of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty - 12-23 July 2010 - New York, USA
Member States gathered at UN headquarters for the first of four meetings of the Preparatory Committee which should lead to the negotiation in 2012 of an arms trade treaty at the United Nations Conference for an Arms Trade Treaty.
For more information visit http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ATTPrepCom/index.htm.

Memorial Ceremony of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The Secretary-General of the United Nations attended the memorial ceremonies of the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first time for a UN chief. "We must do everything we can to build on the current global momentum towards a nuclear-weapons-free world", he said.
He gave the following speeches:
Nagasaki (Japan) http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/search_full.asp?statID=907
Hiroshima (Japan) http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocus/sgspeeches/statments_full.asp?statID=904.

Cluster munitions: the Secretary-General welcomes the recent entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions
On 1 August 2010, the Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force. The Convention prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions and entered into force two years after its adoption. The statement of the Secretary-General on the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions is available at the following address: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2010/sgsm13030.doc.htm

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