Czech Government Sponsors Capacity-Building Workshop to Help West
African Experts Identify, Trace Illicit Light Weapons
Small arms experts from West African nations gathered in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, from 14 to 18 September to participate in a capacity-building workshop focusing on implementation of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.

United Nations Member States adopted the document, also known as the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), as a tool to facilitate international cooperation in tracking illegal small arms found in conflict or crime situations.  It also contains provisions for marking and record-keeping.

The workshop was organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Czech Proof House of Firearms and Ammunition, in collaboration with INTERPOL and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).  It included discussions on technical aspects of marking and tracing small arms and light weapons, exchanges of national experiences on the implementation of measures to curb illicit weapons flows, and field visits to weapons and ammunition factories in the Czech Republic.

Opening the workshop, Helena Bambasová, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, highlighted that the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons can contribute to terrorism and organized crime and be a major factor in fuelling conflicts.  She reiterated her country’s commitment to supporting regional initiatives to combat trafficking in small arms and light weapons as well as related ammunition.

Participants concluded that international technical and financial assistance is essential for West African States to be able to develop their capacity to trace and detect illicit small arms and light weapons.

Attending the workshop were representatives from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, as well as experts from the Czech Government, ECOWAS Commission, INTERPOL and the United Nation.

Source: http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2009/dc3190.doc.htm

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