English
Kinyarwanda
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Vincent Biruta, has called on member states of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) to strengthen political and financial commitment toward combating the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) across the region.
Dr. Biruta made the remarks on Friday , May 29, while officiating the opening of the 17th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting at the Rwanda National Police (RNP) General Headquarters in Kacyiru.
The high-level meeting brought together Chiefs of Police, Permanent Secretaries, National Focal Point (NFP) Coordinators on SALW, and other police representatives from RECSA member states.
Among the attendees were Rwanda’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) CG Felix Namuhoranye, who chairs the TAC, as well as Chiefs of Police from member states, including Kenya, Seychelles, Burundi, and the Central African Republic.
The meeting followed a prior session involving National Focal Point (NFP) Coordinators on SALW, which commenced on May 25, and focused on technical and policy matters related to arms control in the region.
Minister Biruta said the region continues to face “complex and evolving security dynamics characterized by persistent armed conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism, transnational organized crimes, cybercrimes, and political instability.”
“These situations continue to fuel the illicit proliferation, trafficking, and misuse of small arms and light weapons, in a context of porous borders, weak stockpile management systems, unresolved conflicts, illegal mining activities, among other factors,” he said.
The Minister emphasized that RECSA remains a critical regional mechanism responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration and the Nairobi Protocol among its fifteen member states.
He further urged member states to integrate RECSA contributions into national budgets, stressing that the future of the organ should depend primarily on “the political will, ownership and financial commitment of Member States themselves.”
Inspector General of Police, CG Felix Namuhoranye, echoed the need for stronger regional collaboration to address the growing threat posed by illicit arms trafficking.
“Our gathering today is a reminder to us that we carry an important responsibility, to ensure that RECSA programmes remain responsive, effective, and aligned with the realities we face in our respective countries,” CG Namuhoranye said.
He emphasized the importance of intelligence sharing, harmonization of policies, enhanced stockpile management systems, and investment in modern technology to counter increasingly sophisticated transnational criminal networks.
“This meeting provides us with an important opportunity to move beyond policy discussions and agree on practical, measurable, and intelligence-driven interventions,” he added.
RECSA Executive Secretary, Jean Pierre Betindji also commended member states for progress made since the 16th TAC Meeting held in Nairobi in June 2025.
“Over the past year, RECSA has deepened engagement with Member States, the African Union Commission, the United Nations, and our development partners in support of small arms control initiatives across the region,” Betindji said.
He also urged member states to support the recently adopted Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, describing it as an important international mechanism for improving ammunition security and reducing diversion to illicit markets.
