GHANA HOSTS REGIONAL SEMINAR ON UNSCR 1540

UNCLAS ACCRA 003005 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT PASS ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS LONDON FOR FCO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KNNP ETTC PARM PREL PTER AORC XA GH SUBJECT: GHANA HOSTS REGIONAL SEMINAR ON UNSCR 1540 IMPLEMENTATION FOR AFRICA REF: STATE 168327 ¶1. SUMMARY: Ghana hosted Africa's first outreach activity on United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540, the UN Regional Seminar on Implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) in Africa, in Accra on November 9-10, ¶2006. Representatives from 23 African countries attended the event. The seminar served to increase awareness of 1540 by non-reporting countries, including by sharing the experiences of reporting African countries, and also focused on availability of implementation assistance. Department officers Jane Purcell, ISN/CPI, and Michael Bittrick, AF/RSA, participated for the USG. END SUMMARY. ¶2. The UN Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA),with sponsorship by the EU and Norway, organized the first UNSCR 1540 seminar for Africa in Accra, Ghana November 9-10. UNSCR 1540 places binding obligations on all UN Member States to adopt and enforce appropriate laws to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD),their means of delivery, and related items. In April 2006, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of its 1540 Committee for two years (UNSCR 1673) and decided to intensify outreach efforts to promote its full implementation. ¶3. The seminar sessions covered: status of implementation and national experience in reporting (presentations by 1540 Committee Expert, Ghana, and Kazakhstan); implementing measures related to accounting, securing, and the physical protection of nuclear, chemical and biological items, including related materials and means of delivery (presentations by South Africa, the UK, the OPCW, and the IAEA); reporting and implementation measures related to border and export controls (presentations by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Algeria); and, setting priorities for cooperation and assistance in implementation of resolution 1540 (presentations by the United States, IAEA, OPCW, 1540 Committee Expert, and Kenya). -------------- Highlights of Seminar Sessions -------------- ¶4. The first session included a general overview on UNSCR 1540 by 1540 Committee Expert Monteleone-Neto. (Note: Many of the participants were unfamiliar with UNSCR 1540, and some described the seminar as "eye-opening." End Note.) 1540 Committee Chairman Ambassador Peter Burian's (Slovakia) keynote address also provided an overview of the importance and obligations of 1540. ¶5. Ghana reported on its efforts to organize key stakeholder institutions for 1540 implementation. The GOG is drafting a Weapons of Mass Destruction Bill, which it hopes will be passed in 2007. Ghana stated it needed help primarily with public education and outreach. It cited the example of educating the chemical industry, as well as import-export companies, on the importance of CWC implementation. Ghana also is interested in assistance with organizing and training its governmental 1540 implementation committees and border security agencies. ¶6. Kenya reported a need for assistance in controlling its air, sea and land borders, noting the several failed states around its northern borders and its experience as a victim of terrorism. Kenya's presentation also highlighted a need for emergency response training, but stated that the U.S has provided assistance. Kenya also noted its lack of expertise in creating and enforcing the legislative and regulatory infrastructure needed for 1540 implementation. Congo and Gabon also said they needed assistance with training. ¶7. South Africa and Algeria reported on their achievements in implementing 1540. Algeria also expressed the view that the counter-terrorism aspect of 1540 was being ignored, making the point that terrorism is faced by all countries, and counter-terrorism frameworks can be built upon to implement ¶1540. ¶8. The U.S. presentation, which was handed out along with copies of reftel para 3 text, reiterated U.S. priorities regarding UNSCR 1540. The United States urged all states that have not yet done so to submit a report and to adhere to the CWC and BWC, described the 1540 Committee's role in facilitating implementation efforts, outlined existing U.S. assistance programs, and recommended that states develop action plans. A number of other presenters also discussed action plans as the next step for countries to undertake after completing their initial report. South Africa recommended that states form interagency implementation committees and seek the services of a specialized consultant, such as one of the 1540 Committee Experts or a nationally funded consultant. -------------- The Way Ahead -------------- ¶9. On the second day of the seminar, there was considerable discussion of the next steps for the African region in 1540 implementation. The European Union (EU) representative expressed hope that there would be future seminars. Gabon said the next step should be meetings of sub-regional groups. In particular, groups of countries bordering each other could work together to develop coordinated border controls. The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) echoed with a request for the UN to organize further seminars at the sub-regional level. The DDA responded that it was planning to hold sub-regional seminars and informal exchanges, and offered to help states with preparing national reports. ¶10. South Africa said that sub-regional organizations were the best place to get real work done on 1540 implementation. The African Union (AU) was too big, but it would be useful to obtain an expression of support for 1540 implementation by the AU. Ghana suggested that future seminars be held exclusively for states that have submitted reports and for states that have not submitted reports, as well as separate seminars on the theme of developing legislation for Anglophone and Francophone countries. One reason was that Anglophone countries base their legislation on British law, while Francophone countries base their legislation on French law. (Comment: Separating states that have and have not reported would be contrary to the desired regional and sub-regional approach and would be difficult to implement. Post will work with GOG officials on a more integrated approach. Submission of the first report is a necessary step but the long-term focus for all states is on implementation, to improve regional security capacities commensurate with overall development assistance. End Comment.) ¶11. Relevance of 1540 to Africa: Interventions were made by Rwanda, Algeria, Tanzania, and ECCAS that small arms and light weapons (SA/LW) pose more of a threat to Africa than WMD. The DDA and the UK acknowledged this fact, but emphasized that implementing 1540 would bring side benefits in controlling SA/LW trafficking through enhanced training and border controls. South Africa was held up as a model for controlling both SA/LW and WMD proliferation. DDA Under-Secretary General Tanaka also affirmed that WMD poses a risk to Africa, noting that proliferator A.Q. Khan often traveled to Africa. Kenya noted that expertise and facilities capable of producing BW and CW exist in Africa. Some participants suggested states could develop comprehensive legislation to control both WMD and SA/LW simultaneously. ¶12. In his closing remarks, Tanaka urged all African states to submit a report to the 1540 Committee, encouraged states to indicate in their reports what kind of assistance they need to implement 1540, encouraged them to utilize the 1540 Committee as a clearing-house in matching requests for assistance with assistance offers by donors, and noted the importance of follow-up outreach activities in Africa organized as sub-regional seminars or thematic workshops, such as on developing national action plans. ¶13. List of participating countries: Algeria, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Russia, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, United Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe. ¶14. Participating international organizations: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS),UN 1540 Committee, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs, European Union, International Atomic Energy Agency, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, World Customs Organization. BROWN