Small Arms And Light Weapons In Africa: Illicit Proliferation, Circulation And Trafficking

Compiled By Eunice Reyneke, October 2000

This current and concise book presents the proceedings of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Experts Meeting and International Consultations, May to June 2000, in an accessible publication. The book is to be distributed at the Governments Ministerial Meeting in Bamako, Mali 30 November to 1 December 2000, on behalf of the OAU.

"Small arms and light weapons do not in themselves cause conflict and criminality. But their availability, accumulation and proliferation may escalate conflicts, undermine peace agreements, intensity violence, impact on crime, impede development and social stability, democracy and good governance. The proceedings of both the First Continental Meeting of African Experts on Small Arms and Light Weapons are presented in this volume. One of the objectives of this volume is to disseminate both the arguments and sentiments of a range of African and international roleplayers, as well as recommendations for the solutions of the problems surrounding small arms and light weapons to a much wider audience."

One of the most valuable contributions of this volume to the wider small arms debate in Africa is the fact that at these meetings of experts, many African governments declared their position on small arms through the discussions.