United Nations Security Council Resolution 1209
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1209, adopted unanimously on November 19, 1998, after recalling resolutions 1170
(1998) and 1196
(1998) on Africa
, the Council addressed illicit arms flows on the continent.
on the situation in Africa concerning the importance of stemming illegal arms flows. It recognised that illegal arms traffic was closely connected to the role of commercial and political interests. African countries did had the right to obtain weapons for reasons of national security
and policing. Switzerland
had offered to hold a conference in Geneva
on illegal arms traffic and there were negotiations in Vienna
on the elaboration of an international convention against transnational organised crime, including a protocol to combat illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearm
s. The Council commended African initiatives to address the problem of arms flows, uch as in Mali
and Mozambique
, the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community
(SADC).
and the threat it posed to security, development and humanitarian situation on the continent. In this regard, African countries were urged to introduce legislation on the use of arms. Member States, particularly those that manufactured weapon
s, were reminded of the importance of restricting arms transfers which could provoke or prolong armed conflicts. The resolution encouraged African states to participate in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and to establish regional and subregional registers to enhance the transparency of arms transfers. They were also instructed to look to the European Union
and Organization of American States
for their efforts in tackling the arms trade and to adopt similar measures.
In addition, the Secretary-General was encouraged to find ways to identify international arms dealers acting in contravention of national legislation or arms embargo
es imposed by the United Nations. He was also urged to promote co-operation among Member States, to explore ways of disseminating information on arms flows and their destabilising effects and to implement voluntary weapons collection programmes.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1209, adopted unanimously on November 19, 1998, after recalling resolutions 1170
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1170
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1170, adopted unanimously on May 27, 1998, after considering the situation across the African continent, the Council decided to establish an ad hoc Working Group to review the Secretary-General Kofi Annan's recommendations concerning the maintenance of...
(1998) and 1196
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1196
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1196, adopted unanimously on September 16, 1998, after recalling Resolution 1170 on Africa, the Council discussed the importance of strengthening the effectiveness of arms embargoes in place in several countries across the continent.The Security Council...
(1998) on Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the Council addressed illicit arms flows on the continent.
Observations
The Security Council considered further a report by the Secretary-General Kofi AnnanKofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
on the situation in Africa concerning the importance of stemming illegal arms flows. It recognised that illegal arms traffic was closely connected to the role of commercial and political interests. African countries did had the right to obtain weapons for reasons of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
and policing. Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
had offered to hold a conference in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
on illegal arms traffic and there were negotiations in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on the elaboration of an international convention against transnational organised crime, including a protocol to combat illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s. The Council commended African initiatives to address the problem of arms flows, uch as in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
and Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, the Economic Community of West African States
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States is a regional group of fifteen West African countries. Founded on 28 May 1975, with the signing of the Treaty of Lagos, its mission is to promote economic integration across the region....
(ECOWAS) and the Southern African Development Community
Southern African Development Community
The Southern African Development Community is an inter-governmental organization headquartered in Gaborone, Botswana. Its goal is to further socio-economic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states...
(SADC).
Acts
The Security Council was concerned about large-scale illegal arms trafficking in Africa, particularly of small armsSmall arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
and the threat it posed to security, development and humanitarian situation on the continent. In this regard, African countries were urged to introduce legislation on the use of arms. Member States, particularly those that manufactured weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s, were reminded of the importance of restricting arms transfers which could provoke or prolong armed conflicts. The resolution encouraged African states to participate in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and to establish regional and subregional registers to enhance the transparency of arms transfers. They were also instructed to look to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
for their efforts in tackling the arms trade and to adopt similar measures.
In addition, the Secretary-General was encouraged to find ways to identify international arms dealers acting in contravention of national legislation or arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
es imposed by the United Nations. He was also urged to promote co-operation among Member States, to explore ways of disseminating information on arms flows and their destabilising effects and to implement voluntary weapons collection programmes.
See also
- Great Lakes refugee crisisGreat Lakes refugee crisisThe Great Lakes refugee crisis is the common name for the situation beginning with the exodus in April 1994 of over two million Rwandans to neighboring countries of the Great Lakes region of Africa in the aftermath of the Rwandan Genocide...
- Gun politicsGun politicsGun politics addresses safety issues and ideologies related to firearms through criminal and noncriminal use. Gun politics deals with rules, regulations, and restrictions on the use, ownership, and distribution of firearms.-National sovereignty:...
- History of AfricaHistory of AfricaThe history of Africa begins with the prehistory of Africa and the emergence of Homo sapiens in East Africa, continuing into the present as a patchwork of diverse and politically developing nation states. Agriculture began about 10,000 BCE and metallurgy in about 4000 BCE. The history of early...
- List of conflicts in Africa
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1201 to 1300 (1998 – 2000)