Afrique en ligne

Actualités africaines: Economie Politique Finances Sports

Friday
Jul 30th
Home News Africa News NGO calls for ratification of small arms convention

NGO calls for ratification of small arms convention

Banjul, Gambia – The West Africa Network for Peace Building (WANEP), alarmed at the high number of small arms and light weapons in the sub-region, on Friday called on civil society organizations to engage policy makers to ratify the relevant convention.

Ms. Pamela Cole, National Coordinator of WANEP, made the call at the end of a civil society organization training on how to build network and ensure that decisi on-makers are influenced towards policy change.

She said with the presence of eight million small arms in West Africa, as indicated by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) report on small arms and light weapons, WANEP had found it necessary to urge CSOs to engage policy markers for ratification.

Ms Cole added that the aim of the course was to raise awareness on relevant international instruments with particular focus on ECOWAS Convention on Cluster Munitions, which was recently negotiated and adopted in Dublin, Ireland.

She also said participants were trained to lobby and acquire advocacy skills for the ultimate ratification of both conventions.

Banjul - 14/11/2008

Pana