AFRICA/GUINEA - The operators of the media involved in a program to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Conakry (Fides Service)-A seminar to involve the media in raising public awareness of the dangers of small arms, was recently held in Conakry, capital of the Republic of Guinea.
The seminar was held from July 26 to 28 and was organized by the National Commission for the fight against the proliferation and illicit circulation of small arms (COMNAT), in collaboration with the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS ).
The 20 Guinean journalists who participated discussed how to publicize the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms ("Convention de la ECOWAS sur les armes légères et de petit calibre, leurs munitions et autres matériels connexes", signed in Abuja, Nigeria June 14 2006), in order to make people aware about the dangers of the proliferation and illicit circulation of small arms and of small caliber.
The seminar was held in the aftermath of the failed assault on the residence of the President of Guinea, Alpha Condé (see Fides 20 and 23 July 2011), carried out by a group of well armed dissident militaries. A fact that was mentioned in his speech at the opening session by the President of COMNAT-Guinée, Brigadier General. Bambo Fofana, who stressed his country's commitment in combating the illicit trade of small arms. The Minister of Defence of Guinea, Abdoul Kabélé Camara, revealed that, according to recent analysis of more than 800 million small arms circulating illegally around the world, some 600 million of these are in sub-Saharan Africa. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 28/07/2011)


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