EAC to destroy illicit arms in NW Tanzania to mark African Day

A public destruction of illicit arms and weapons organized by the East African Community ( EAC) is to be held on Tuesday in Kagera region in northwest Tanzania to mark the Africa Day on May 25th and commemorate the African Union's 2010 Year of Peace and Security.

A total of 2,600 weapons will be publicly set on fire at the event, an EAC press release said, adding that the public destruction of small arms and light weapons has been ongoing in all the five EAC Partner States to emphasize the region's commitment to its vision of a peaceful, stable and politically united East Africa.

The illicit weapons to be destroyed in Bukoba have been recovered from or voluntarily surrendered by civilians and refugees living in the area, according to the statement.

The exercise is expected to be attended by Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Chiefs of Police, intelligence, army and local government leaders from the border communities of Tanzania/Uganda, Tanzania/Rwanda and Tanzania/Burundi.

"The destruction of illicit arms in Bukoba on Tuesday bears testimony to Africa's renewed efforts to promote lasting peace, security and stability on the continent," EAC Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation) Beatrice Kiraso was quoted as saying in the press release.

"It is particularly important to EAC as we lay the foundation for a Political Federation," she added.

To date, under the EAC-Small Arms Light Weapon (SALW) programme, the five Partner States of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi have destroyed more than 12,000 small arms and five tons of explosives in an attempt to make EAC secure and peaceful for its people and investments.

On 17 April 2010, EAC carried out a similar destruction of illicit small arms and light weapons in Bujumbura, Burundi.

A stable East African region is crucial in view of the momentum gained by the EAC integration process, which is set to enter its next stage -- the Common Market, as the Common Market Protocol, which comes into force on July 1st this year, has been ratified by all EAC Partner States.

The first pillar of the integration process -- the EAC Customs Union -- has been in place since 2005, while processes towards the establishment of a Monetary Union, which is the third pillar of EAC's integration, have also commenced.

A number of activities to lay the foundation for the EAC Political Federation, the ultimate stage in the integration process, are on course and most are geared towards peaceful co- existence and good neighborliness.

The EAC is now focusing on its fundamental principles through harmonization of policies and practices in areas of good governance, democracy, rule of law, accountability, transparency, social justice, equal opportunities and protection of human rights as well as human security.

The East African bloc has a combined gross domestic product of 73 billion U.S. dollars and a population of about 126.6 million.

Source: Xinhua