Goals
To lessen the demand for small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the countries of the Middle East through effective action by communities, non-governmental organizations and the state, encouraged and supported by the work of civil society organizations.
To contribute to a greater understanding in the Middle East about what drives people to possess and use small arms and to improve knowledge of practical ways to address small arms proliferation at a community level within the region.
To share expertise on finding local solutions to this global crisis by utilizing specific lessons learned at three previous international workshops sponsored, in part, by AFSC.
To enhance the capacity of and further regional cooperation between civil society groups and governmental agencies working on, or interested in small arms demand issues.
Network organizers thank and acknowledge the EED (the Protestant Association for Development Cooperation) and SIDA for their overall support over the course of its establishment and following activities.
Previous Network Meetings and Seminars (2001-4) (full reports available on MENAANSA Resources page)
In 2001, the Regional Human Security Center (RHSC), at the Jordan Institute of Diplomacy, in Amman, organized the first regional conference on the use and control SALW in the region. The event was attended by government and NGO representatives, who identified several factors leading to the proliferation of SALW in the MENA region. Discussion on the issue was so far mostly limited to the supply and transfer aspects but the potential for reducing demand was not explored.
In July 2002 civil society representatives from the region and also from Africa interested in curbing the demand for small arms and light weapons in the MENA region met in Amman, Jordan at a regional seminar organized by the RHSC and the Quaker Service-AFSC, Regional Office- International Affairs Program. Workshop participants outlined a number of recommendations for possible regional cooperation:
1. Identifying national capacities for dealing with the issue and enhance them
2. Networking as a practical first step
3. Conducting national and regional studies
4. Provision of support by international counterparts allowing for sustainability and use of capacity
5. Establishment of a regional Middle East North Africa network initiated by the Regional Human Security Center, Jordan in conjunction with the Quaker Service-AFSC. Its work would include as a primary step to build a cohesive databank of partner information, collection of research, and the development of a shared regional agenda.
The meeting was also attended by representatives from Small Arms Survey- Geneva.
A second meeting was held in November 2002, drawing from the reccomendations of the July 2002 meeting. It was mostly focussed on:
1. Drawing together a larger and more widely representative group of NGOs to participate in a regional Middle East network on small arms
2. Sharing information on national and community experiences with traditional practices regarding small arms and conflict resolution
3. Establishing a regional network on small arms on a firmer basis
4. Offering regional and wider international support and encouragement to national and community programs on small arms issues.
Participants shared information on successful programs, and established an informal network that would work with governments to tackle small arms issues. Members would work towards organizing national programs and coalitions. Additional members were present at the meetingshowing a wider recognition of the problem in the ME. They also selected the Director of the Human Rights and Information Training Insitute, based in Taiz, Yemen, as the network's first Regional Coordinator.
February 2003 saw the bringing together of selected members of the MENA Small Arms Network by the Biling the Bullet Consortium. Organized by the Biting the Bullet Partners (International Alert, Saferworld and the University of Bradford), this was the third of a four-part series (Latin America, Africa, Middle East, Asia) of seminars. Representatives of International Alert disseminated knowledge on key issues relating to the implementation and development of the United Nations Program of Action (UNPoA). Participants assessed what progress regional states have made in implementing the PoA, in preparation for the UN Biennial Meeting of States in New York, July 2003 and Regional Small Arms Conference, Amman. Participants also provided regional analyses towards the 2003 publication: Implementing the Programme of Action 2003, Action by States and Civil Society.
In anticipation of the July 2003 Biennial Meeting of States, the RHSC organized a regional follow-up conference on the UN PoA, held on held on June 23-24, 2003 in Amman, Jordan. At the invitation of the RHSC, governmental and non-governmental officials, international and regional experts on SALW, along with representatives from the Arab League, the Arab Council for Ministers of Interior and members of the MENA Small Arms network, were invited to explore the progress achieved in implementing the UN PoA in the MENA region and the challenges facing its implementation. The aim of the conference was to share experiences with regards to the illicit trade in SALW in the Arab region and discuss the adoption of effective national and regional measures by all states where such measures are not already in place.
During the course of the conference, participants proposed and discussed practical measures at the national, regional, and international levels to activate the implementation the UN PoA. Several key issues were raised by participants: better regional coordination in dealing with the illicit trade in SALW; stronger partnerships between governments and NGOs; the advantages to adopting a human security approach to the issue, and the need to focus equally on the “demand” and the “supply” slide.
In December 2003, members and interested parties, met at a 2 day seminar in San'aa, Yemen, to strengthen the administrative foundation of the network and begin developing better regional and international coordination especially in light of developments in Iraq and elsewhere and their impact on small arms availability and misuse in the region. Participants at the conference selected the Director of a human rights training center, based in Taiz, San'aa to lead the network for 2004. Please use the contact us page for further contact information.
In September 2004, active network members met in Amman, Jordan. The purpose of the meeting was to review founding documents for the network, discuss next steps, and funding needs for the next regional small arms conference and ongoing work. An annual strategy was also discussed.
