Zambia joins fight against illicit arms
ILLICIT trade, proliferation, circulation and trafficking in small arms and light weapons (SALW) has been cited as the cause of human conflict resulting in significant loss of lives in Africa.
In a statement made available in Lusaka, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director- Mine Action Eunice Luambia called on the international community to help developing countries implement fully the United Nations Programme of Action to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
Zambia reasserted her commitment to the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action (UNPOA) to prevent and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
Ms Luambia said this when she delivered Zambia’s statement at the Third United Nations conference to review progress made in the implementation of the programme of action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all aspects at the United Nations in New York.
She said the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons had been the cause of serious human rights violations and humanitarian law as well as undermining conflict prevention.
“The review conference is taking place against the backdrop of deep concerns about the devastating impact of the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of conventional weapons particularly small arms and light weapons (SALW) to continental security.
Ms Luambia told the UN member-states that Zambia had ratified the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) as the first step to the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action which has seen the strengthening of the country’s position in fighting the illicit trade in arms.
Ms Luambia explained that inter-state cooperation in the fight against illicit trade in small arms and ammunition would foster the sharing of intelligence information on suspected traffickers, trafficking routes and suspected diversion activities.
She stated that Zambia as a landlocked country had an extensive land border line, which it shared with eight other countries and that this was why land border security measures were important.