By World BEYOND War, June 4, 2024
Since 2003, each year, the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), a global coalition of civil society organizations working on the fight against Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) organizes a Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence. The 2024 Week of Action has been scheduled for 3 – 9 June 2024 with the theme of: “A World without Gun Violence: Turning Words into Actions.” This year’s Week of Action is organized prior to the Fourth UN Review Conference on the UN Program of Action (UNPoA) to hold in New York from 18 – 28 June 2024.
The Global Week of Action on SALW is piloted in Cameroon by the Cameroon Action Network on Small Arms (CANSA), a civil society coalition on the fight against SALW created since 2004. The Cameroon chapter of World BEYOND War is part of this network, with the call for a world without guns. During this week, a number of activities will be organized to raise awareness on the consequences of the illicit proliferation and misuse of SALW in Cameroon starting with a launching Press Conference.
On the above, the following press release was sent out to media:
GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, 03 – 09 JUNE 2024
On the occasion of the Global Week of Action against Gun Violence (WoA) holding from 3 – 9 June, 2024, the Cameroon Action Network on Small Arms (CANSA) in solidarity with the entire Cameroonian public is pleased to join the global civil society coalition in holding governments responsible for some of the commitments they have taken in the fight against the illicit proliferation and misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). The theme for this year’s Week of Action is “A World without Gun Violence: Turning Words into Actions.”
Considering the current security situation in Cameroon, CANSA denounce the prevailing gun violence in the North West, South West, Far North Regions and in some of the major cities of Cameroon and calls on the government to accelerate the process of the elaboration and adoption of the text of implementation of the 2016 law on arms and ammunitions in Cameroon and also the creation of a National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, as recommended by 2016 National Law on Arms and Ammunitions and other instruments on SALW such as the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA), and the Kinshasa Convention.
In a bit to curb the illicit proliferation of SALW in 2001 member states of the United Nations agreed to an important framework for cooperation on small arms called the PoA, which governments agreed to improve national small arms laws, import/export controls, and stockpile management, and to engage in cooperation and assistance.
In 2005, members adopted the International Tracing Instrument (ITI), which requires States to mark weapons properly and to keep records. Improving weapons tracing is now part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDG target 16.4 as well as the UNSG Agenda for Disarmament and the New Agenda for Peace are key for achieving the PoA.
In order to evaluate this programme, every six years a Review Conference is held at the UN Headquarters to review progress made in the implementation of the PoA and the ITI. The Fourth Review Conference has therefore been planned for 18 – 28 June 2024 in New York. The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) a global civil society coalition on the fight against SALW is therefore advocating for the following:
- Strengthening transfer controls
- Controlling SALW ammunition
- Collecting, destroying, and safely disposing of surplus SALW and ammunition
- Mainstreaming gender
- Engaging with youth
- Setting national and regional targets
- Controlling the civilian possession of SALW
In spite of the efforts being made by the UN and its member countries to eradicate the proliferation of SALW, the phenomenon remains and threatens world peace. Today, approximately 1 billion of such arms are in circulation and approximately 8 million more are produced annually by thousands of manufacturers around the world. In Central Africa, about 10,000 of these weapons are in circulation. In Cameroon, the proliferation of these weapons is on the rise as a result of the armed conflicts in the North and South West of Cameroon, the Boko Haram incursions in the Far North and increased armed violence in our major cities and highways.
Considering that Cameroon has ratified some of the international instruments regulating these weapons, CANSA is pleased to share its convictions on progress made so far by the government of Cameroon in the universalization and implementation of these instruments especially the PoA, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the Central Africa Convention for the control of small arms and light weapons, their ammunition and all parts and components that can be used for their manufacture, repair and assembly dubbed the Kinshasa Convention.
Concerning the ATT, the bill on the ATT was adopted by Parliament in November 2017, later endorsed by the President of the Republic and ratified in June 2018.
Concerning the Kinshasa Convention, Cameroon ratified in 2016 and in June 11 – 13, 2018 hosted the first Conference of State Parties (CSP) to the convention. The outcome of this conference included the call to accelerate the implementation of the Convention through the establishment of a permanent Secretariat for the Convention and the setting up of a Trust Fund to fund the activities of the Convention.
CANSA wish to commend government efforts on the implementation of the Kinshasa Convention, the ATT and other relevant instruments ratified by Cameroon.
The Global Week of Action against Gun Violence is a campaign launched by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) in 2003 and piloted in Cameroon by CANSA.
Synopsis of CANSA’s activities for the Global Week of Action include:
1 June 2024: Peace walk on Mt Febe in Yaounde piloted by Women in Alternative Action (WAA)
3 June 2024: Press Conference to launch the Global week of Action against Arms Violence at the auditorium of the Muna Foundation.
8 June 2024: Ceremony to hand over livelihood and sanitary kits to Women and Girls IDPs and Survivors of GBV in Bafia and Ombessa by CAMYOSFOP in partnership with UN Women and MINPROFF under the auspices of the UN Women Regional Director for East, Central and West Africa.
14 June 2024: Webinar by the World BEYOND War.
3 – 9 June 2024: Participation in TV/Radio talk shows by members of CANSA.
Signed:
NGALIM Eugine Nyuydine
Executive Director – Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP)
President, CANSA
Tel: +237 677329361. Email: ngalimeug@yahoo.com
Solomon FOMEKUNG
Director, Ecumenical Service for Peace (SeP)
Vice President, CANSA
Tel: +237 675563636 Email: kennesolomon@yahoo.fr
Jean Claude Edjo’o
Administrative Coordinator, Fondation Paul Ango Ella (FPAE)
Coordinator, CANSA
Tel: +237 699648516 / 651436948 Email : Coordo.fpae@yahoo.fr
Peter KUM CHE
Director, Trauma Centre, Cameroon
Member, CANSA
Tel: +237675518161 Email: pita_trauma@yahoo.com
Ferdinand BENGYELLA
M&E, Women in Alternative Action (WAA)
Member, CANSA
Tel: +237 675081129
Armelle TSAFACK
Disarmament Coordinator, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) Cameroon
Member, CANSA
Tel: +237 674162369 Email: armelletsafack@yahoo.fr
Guy FEUGAP
Africa Organizer, World BEYOND War
Member, CANSA
Tel: +237 674162369 Email: guy@worldbeyondwar.org
Dupleix Kuenzob
Executive Director, World Dynamics for Young People (WDYP)
Member, CANSA
Tel: +237 677685512 Email: kdupleix6@yahoo.fr
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