AU council seeks effective DDR programmes in conflict emerging countries

The Africa Union, Economic, Social and Cultural Council (AU-ECOSOCC), Nigeria has called for an effective security sector reform and Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) programme in countries emerging from conflict.

Nigeria Representative in the 3rd general Assembly of the Council, Mr Oba Olasunkanmi, made the call at a press briefing to mark the African Union’s(AU) day in Abuja.

He also called on member states of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) to ratify the protocol and expand the mandate of (RECSA) to deal on the issue of small arms and light weapons proliferation in Africa.

Olasunkanmi said the call became imperative to address the increasing cases of insecurity.

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Also, he said addressing the root causes of conflicts, as well as undertaking effective security sector reform and DDR will prevent relapse and fresh exposure to inflow of illegal weapons and violence, as well as to trafficking of other illicit goods.

To this end, he urged the AU Member States to speed up signing and ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April 2013, which has the potential to play an important role in silencing guns in Africa.

“It could be recalled that the Africa Union within the context of its master roadmap practical steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020, the 29th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held on 3-4 July 2017 in Addis Ababa, adopted decision Assembly/AU/Dec.645(XXXiX) to declare the month of September of reach year, till 2020, as Africa Amnesty Month for the surrender a collection of illicit small arms and light weapons.

“And since May 25 is the Africa Day, it is pertinent to ensure that all lay down their arms and weapons so that the Africa Union Agenda 2063 is feasible,” he said.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE