The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has offered to provide the Presidential Committee with technical assistance on the drafting, updating and implementation of legislation on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
According to the Head of Delegation and Head Mission, ICRC, Nigeria, Mr. Zoran Jovanovic, they offer such assistance to the ECOWAS member states to help them effectively domesticate Conventions on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and as well as the Arms Trade Treaty.
Jovanovic gave this indication at a meeting between the Red Cross and the Chairman, Presidential Committee on SALW, which took place yesterday at the instance of the Red Cross.
“We are hoping to have a workshop soon, with representatives of the regional governments to see how the treaty and convention could be domesticated”, he said.
Jonanovic made reference to an earlier workshop sponsored by ICRC for Regional governments in West Africa at which the governments reached a consensus that enabled them to adopt a common position during the Arms Trade Treaty negotiations in New York.
He called on Nigeria to lead the process for the domestication of the existing international instruments on Small Arms and Light Weapons control in the ECOWAS states.
