CPMRD NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Issue 1 January, 2009

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CPMRD NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Issue 1 January, 2009 CPMRD NEWSLETTER Volume 3, Issue 1 January, 2009 Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department [CPMRD] Inside this issue: Japan’s Support for 1 Japan’s Initiative Support for Regional SALW in West Africa Intervention on Small Arms Control in West Africa Organised Crime in the 1 Global Context China’s Africa Security 3 The Government of Japan is collabo- small arms on people. Already, Japan is Policy rating with West African governments supporting five other institutions in Africa New KAIPTC Newsletter 4 and institutions towards a regional including the Africa Union (AU). intervention against the proliferation In West Africa, Japan has extended CPMRD Team-building 4 of small arms and light weapons similar support to the Economic Commu- Workshop (SALW) in Africa. nity of West African States (ECOWAS) Kofi Annan Interna- 4 SALW control comprises of a set of through twin support to the ECOWAS tional Peacekeeping management activities designed to im- Small Arms Programme (ECOSAP) Training Centre, plement a range of policy measures based in Bamako, Mali; and further sup- [KAIPTC] aimed at reducing negative impact of port through the United Nations Develop- Contact Cont. story on page 2 The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, H. E. Keiichi Katakami at the AA section of distinguished delegates at the inauguration of the Small Arms Control Project at KAIPTC. opening ceremony of the SALW training at KAIPTC, Accra. ORGANISED CRIME IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT The Conflict Prevention manage- In his presentation, Prof. James banks and government institutions ment and Resolution Department Walston demonstrated the manner in failed, organised criminals still (CPMRD) of the Kofi Annan Inter- which the liberalisation of the world have the leverage to lend out national Peacekeeping Training financial sector was advantageous money to plan their activities. Centre (KAIPTC) in collaboration for organised criminals to the extent The Italian Ambassador to with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung that even in the current credit melt Ghana, H. E. Fabrizio De Agostini (FES), held a lecture on the topic: down and recession where major who led the discussions on the “Organised Crime in the Global Cont. story on page 3 Context” at the KAIPTC on Friday, 16 January, 2009. The lecture, which was first in the series of the CPMRD’s Reflections in Security Series for the year 2009, was delivered by Prof. James Wal- ston from the American University of Rome, Italy. The lecture was preceded by a CPMRD briefing session which was delivered by Miss Emma Birikorang, A section of the distinguished participants at the CPMRD lecture. Also seated is the Italian Am- a Research Fellow at the KAIPTC. bassador to Ghana, H.E. Fabrizio De Agostini. Volume 3, Issue 1 Page 2 Japan’s Support for Small Arms Control in W/A– Cont. story from page 1 ment Programme (UNDP) to the Kofi Annan Interna- ceremony included General (Rtd) Charles Okae, Director tional Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Ac- of Peace and Security at the ECOWAS Commission, cra. With this support, KAIPTC is leading the design Major General John Attipoe, Commandant of the and delivery of targeted training on SALW control for KAIPTC, Mr. Dauda Toure, UNDP Resident Representa- the various National Commissions for Small Arms tive in Ghana, among other dignitaries. (also referred to as NatComs) in the member-states of In terms of the oversight and management, frame- ECOWAS. Thus the Strategic Partnership against the work of the small arms training at KAIPTC, the pro- Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in gramme has established a Steering Group made up of West Africa involving the Government of Japan, the four participating institutions (Japan, ECOWAS, ECOWAS Commission, UNDP, and KAIPTC seeks to UNDP and KAIPTC) as well as civil society representa- train up to 400 personnel of the NatComs over three tives. The Steering Group provides strategic direction years. and validates activities of the programme. The SALW ECOSAP primarily focuses on building the capacity programme at KAIPTC has engaged a regional Pro- of the NatComs in West Africa and the training at the gramme Coordinator to be assisted by a young Japa- KAIPTC is envisaged to complement the capacity nese national on the United Nations Volunteer Services building work of ECOSAP. In the end, it is anticipated (UNVS) programme (this position should be filled in Feb- that a synergy between human resource capacity ruary 2009 and will be implemented sequentially on a building and other forms of technical and material sup- yearly basis). These officers are located in the Research port by ECOSAP would be realized. Department of the KAIPTC – the only thoroughly civilian The KAIPTC training programme has translated into department at the KAIPTC. A Technical Working Group a three-year capacity building programme focusing on comprising technocrats from the member-institutions and the training needs of the various NatComs in West Af- subject matter experts is also in place to provide techni- rica. cal level guidance to the Programme Coordinator to- NatComs are national level inter-agency institutions wards the implementation of the programme. These prescribed by the ECOWAS Convention on Small structures have been put in place to ensure collective Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Re- ownership of the programme. lated Material (ECOWAS Convention) to coordinate A foundational training course on SALW control has the control of SALW proliferation in the ECOWAS been designed and is being implemented at the KAIPTC. member-countries. It has representations from relevant The design processes began with a meeting of the Tech- civil society organizations, the military, police and other nical Working Group in July 2008 where a broad outline security agencies of state. By targeting such an um- of the course was determined. A group of subject matter brella state agency (NatComs), the KAIPTC seeks to experts were assembled in October 2008 to translate the enhance technical human resource capacities towards course outline into training modules which was pilot- the promotion of a coordinated approach to SALW tested in November 2008. The outcome of the pilot has control. informed a review of the course after a second Technical The KAIPTC SALW training programme was Working Group meeting in January 2009. The proposals launched in March 2008 at a ceremony attended by of the second Technical Working Group meeting were the Deputy Head of Mission at the Japan Embassy in largely endorsed by the Steering Group in the same Accra, Mr. Yutaka Nakamura who re-affirmed the com- month, paving the way for the first substantive course mitment of Japan in helping to control the proliferation from 16-27 February 2009. of SALW in Africa. Thus from 16 - 27 February 2009, KAIPTC will seek Other dignitaries who participated in the opening to introduce course participants made up of people from Cont. story on page 3 Distinguished guests at the opening ceremony of the SALW training at KAIPTC. From left: Mr Daniel Andoh, UNDP Programme Manager, Govern- ance; H.E Kaiichi Katakami, Japanese Ambassador to Ghana; Col. Joseph Klobodu, Head of Field Training Department and Col. Werner Rauber, Head of Peacekeeping Studies, KAIPTC. Volume 3, Issue 1 Page 3 Japan Support for Small Arms Control in W/A– Cont. story from page 2 West Africa to some of the foundational issues pertain- therefore the need for tailor-made in-country trainings ing to SALW and prepare participants to confront con- in future. text specific challenges. The course will also seek to In spite of the above, it is important that in the improve participants’ awareness of the fundamental meantime, the KAIPTC and the implementing partners managerial and advocacy skills necessary for the es- focus attention on consolidating the gains already tablishment of National Commissions for Small Arms made with the foundation course. This is because, and the promotion of SALW issues in the respective even at this initial stage, some of the countries have countries. started sending us positive feedback. For example, a During the pilot course in November 2008, 24 per- representative from Guinea Bissau has written to in- sonnel from NatComs in 14 out of the 15 countries in form that the ideas they picked from the course has West Africa participated. It emerged that while some been used to secure US$100,000.00 funding for a countries are ahead in terms of the development of related project in the country. their NatComs, a number of them are at the rudimen- The KAIPTC will continue to monitor such impacts tary stages. To reconciled these challenges, there is and report to our valued stakeholders. Mr John Pokoo, Coordinator of the SALW Project at KAIPTC in an interview with the press. Looking on is Commander Derek Deighton, A section of participants at the SALW training at KAIPTC. Staff Officer Training Development, KAIPTC. ORGANISED CRIME IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT– cont. story from page-1 lecture, outlined a number of sub-regional policy initia- tives that are being undertaken by ECOWAS and the development partners to combat organised crime in West Africa. It was noted that the most challenging aspect of or- ganised crime in Africa is its devastating impact on political stability of weak states. The lecture was chaired by Dr Thomas Jaye, Senior Prof. James Walston delivering his presentation at the CPMRD Research Fellow at KAIPTC. lecture. CHINA’S AFRICA SECURITY POLICY The Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution sador to Ghana, His Excellency Mr. Yu Wenzhe a Department of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeep- graduate from Beijing Foreign Studies University. ing Training Centre, (KAIPTC) in collaboration with the The lecture, which is part of the CPMRD’s Reflections Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), will hold a lecture on: on Security Series for the year, 2009 will bring together “China’s Africa Security Policy” scheduled to take place opinion leaders drawn from the public, members of the at the KAIPTC on Thursday, 26 February, 2009, at diplomatic corps, private sector, the security agencies 10:30 hours.
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