DISEC – Illegal Arms Trade
Mattawan High School
The illegal trade of weapons can be attributed to countless deaths and currently plagues Africa. Illegal weapon trade fuels civil wars, crime rates, and terrorist weapon arsenals. East Africa and the Horn of Africa is flooded with guns, particularly small arms and light weapons (Schroeder). These small arms account for sixty to ninety percent of the 100,000+ deaths annually in conflict zones. What makes these weapons particularly difficult to limit, is their legitimate uses in military, law enforcement, and recreational backgrounds. Due to a lack of supporting countries in a 2013 effort of the UN to limit these weapons (Arms Trade Treaty), there has been little to no success in efforts to halt the trafficking of illegal weaponry.
As a country that is largely impacted by supplies of weaponry crossing its borders, Kenya views ending the illegal trade of weapons as favorable and a priority. Countries bordering Kenya to the north (Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda) have experienced large periods of unrest and internal conflict. These conflicts have been fueled by China, Bulgaria, and other eastern and central European countries. As this problem has caused much devastation in Kenya, Kenya would like to find a solution to help end the prolific trafficking of small arms and light weapons.
Kenya views any effort to decrease the amount of illegal arms trading and to increase the monitoring of weapon trade as a priority. Kenya looks to work with other countries in creating a treaty to help stop this problem. As illicit weapons trading is an issue in many countries, Kenya will look to work with these countries in finding a solution.
- Klay Kelley
