Techniques for combating the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Sub-Saharan Africa: legal aspects

The aim of this paper is to analyze the techniques for combating the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Sub – Saharan Africa by looking at the legal aspects. Armed conflicts and the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons are becoming a grave threat to the peace and security of most African countries. These proliferations are too great to be ignored. Conflicts today in Sub-Saharan Africa have become far too easy due to the availability of arms. Trade in arms has become a well-established and prosperous industry. Like other industries, it has become increasingly globalized. Over the last decade, important progress has been made both at the policy and programmatic levels – to strengthen controls over and reduce the availability of SALW. At the policy level, a range of international and regional initiatives and agreements have been concluded that commit member states to a series of regulatory and control measures to tackle the proliferation of SALW. At the programmatic level, dealing with the widespread availability of SALW has become a priority for many states, particularly for those in the developing world which have been most severely affected by SALW. This paper concludes that an increasing number of states have now developed (or are in the process of developing) national strategies and action plans to address the uncontrolled proliferation and illicit trafficking of SALW and the existence and enforcement of comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework are critical for the control of SALW but notes that many states, however, have legislations that are out dated or limited in scope, which reduces the effectiveness of efforts undertaken mankind it imperative for a successful review process and financial resources which are not always available.