The Regional Centre on Small Arms and Light Weapons (RECSA) has concluded its week-long 20th anniversary celebration at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, marking two decades of coordinated regional efforts to curb the proliferation of small arms across Africa.
The high-level event, which began on Monday and concluded on Friday, brought together top government officials, security experts, and representatives from member states to reflect on RECSA’s achievements since its inception in 2005 and chart the way forward in strengthening continental peace and security.
In a significant development, Rwanda officially assumed the chairmanship of RECSA. Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, handed over the ceremonial instruments of office and the organization’s flag to the Rwandan delegation.
“Kenya remains committed to the values of RECSA and continues to support its mission of fostering peace through disarmament and regional cooperation,” Murkomen stated during the handover ceremony. He further called on member states to endorse Kenya’s push to amplify Africa’s voice on global platforms, noting the strategic importance of RECSA’s leadership.
Kenya, which hosts the RECSA Secretariat, also used the occasion to present the candidature of Mr. Mohammed Amin, Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), for election to the INTERPOL Executive Committee representing Africa during the upcoming INTERPOL General Assembly.
Principal Secretary for Interior and National Administration Dr. Raymond Omollo reiterated the country’s commitment to regional peace and security, emphasizing the urgent need to strengthen RECSA’s institutional capacity through sustainable financing and adoption of advanced technologies to enhance arms tracking and intelligence sharing.
RECSA was established in 2005 as a specialized institution of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) to coordinate the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol on the prevention, control, and reduction of small arms and light weapons in the region. Over the years, it has played a pivotal role in arms control, policy development, and promoting responsible arms management across Africa.
As RECSA enters its third decade, stakeholders called for deeper cooperation, increased funding, and innovative tools to combat the growing threat of illicit arms in conflict-prone and criminal networks across the continent.