ECOWAS-EU Joint Declaration on Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW)

ECOWAS-EU Joint Declaration on Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Ministerial Troika Meeting

ECOWAS and the EU recognise that the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and their ammunition constitute a serious problem and agree to enhance their cooperation in preventing, combating and eradicating their proliferation.

ECOWAS and the EU emphasize the importance of continued and full implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.

The adoption of ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials constitutes an important step in this endeavour. The EU also recalls its Strategy to Combat Illicit Accumulation and Trafficking of SALW and their Ammunition which was endorsed by its Council of Ministers on December 2005.

ECOWAS and the EU will:

- cooperate closely in developing a more comprehensive and coherent approach, based on international law and human rights, equality and mutual accountability, to cover all the dimensions of the problem posed by the proliferation of SALW and their ammunition;

- establish a structured dialogue that allows for the coordination and enhanced coherence of initiatives in the areas of transfer controls, marking and tracing, brokering, stockpile management and the integration of SALW issues into broader development policies and agree to coordinate their respective positions in international fora more closely;

- cooperate more specifically to prevent the transfer of SALW, their ammunition and other related material to non-state actors;

- explore ways, as appropriate, to more effectively address the humanitarian and development impact of the illicit manufacture, transfer and circulation of small arms and light weapons and their excessive accumulation, in particular in conflict or post-conflict situations, including by developing, where appropriate, comprehensive armed violence prevention programmes integrated into national development strategies, including poverty reduction strategies;

- support the implementation and enforcement of policies and legislation against the proliferation of SALW and their ammunition at the national level as well as the harmonisation of legislation to fight against illicit transfers at the sub-regional and regional levels;

- work together in enhancing the management and security of stockpile management for SALW and their ammunition, including the identification of surplus and the destruction of illicit and obsolete weapons and ammunition;

- encourage the development of efficient mechanisms of border management and control to be developed and actively implemented.

- call for early ratification and effective national implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials and agree to cooperate for its effective application and to ensure compliance with the Convention.

- cooperate further at the regional and sub-regional levels, including the implementation of the ECOWAS Small Arms Control Programme (ECOSAP) and cooperate at continental level with subregional organisations and the African Union.

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• EU Court of Justice annuls EU council decision supporting moratorium on small arms and light weapons in West Africa  (20/5/2008)
• EU Presidency Statement - Informal Open-Ended Consultations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects  (31/1/2008)
• 11th ECOWAS-EU Ministerial Troika Meeting: Final Communiqué (24/4/2007)
• The EU: A key player in the fight against illicit SALW  (30/6/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - Review Conference Small Arms and Light Weapons (26/6/2006)
• EU Presidency Statement - PrepCom SALW: Cluster I: Development  (13/1/2006)