Namibia: Officials Strategise On Arms Control
Security and judicial officials from different offices, ministries and agencies are meeting at Walvis Bay to strategise on arms control and disarmament.
The three-day workshop, which started on Monday, will interrogate how Namibia can effectively prevent, combat and eradicate the dumping of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) and biological and chemical waste.
In a speech read on his behalf, police inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga says the uncontrolled spread of small arms poses a serious threat to peace, stability, public safety and sustainable development.
His message comes soon after the disappearance of about 90 firearms and ammunition from the police depot in Windhoek, while police investigations continue.
Ndeitunga added that Namibia faces the same threats from non-proliferation of biological and chemical waste materials if they fall in the wrong hands.
“Africa and more so countries with coastlines such as Namibia, are increasingly under threat of nuclear, biological and chemical toxic waste dumping. This waste has the potential to cause long-term catastrophic destruction to lives and livelihoods,” said Ndeitunga.
Due to these threats, Ndeitunga calls on different ministries and agencies, as well as the intelligence community to access these materials and prevent the dumping of chemical waste.
Ndeitunga acknowledges that advanced technology has made the prevention and combating of the illicit trafficking of SALW and the proliferation of chemical materials a complex matter.
By Namibian.
