Statement at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Silencing the Guns in Africa delivered by H.E. Mr. Richard Arbeiter Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations

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2019-02-27

Mister/Madame President,

I would like to thank Equatorial Guinea for organizing today’s Open Debate on the African Union’s ‘Silencing the Guns’ initiative.

Guns are the weapon of choice in most conflicts around the world. For many communities across Africa, they are the true weapons of mass destruction. While firearms can be found almost everywhere, the specific reasons they pose problems in a given place are often tied to regional or national circumstances. It could be terrorism, organized crime, armed conflict, or a combination of these factors.

In the past, we typically approached the firearms problem the same way we approached other weapons, like nuclear or biological weapons, through broad international agreements. Canada continues to support this multilateral approach, but we also know we need to look at the regional challenges of small arms and light weapons. They need a tailored and context-specific response.

The Silencing the Guns initiative is such a response, offering African solutions to problems faced by African countries. But we know that many of the challenges facing Africa did not start in Africa, and have effects that go well beyond it. We therefore support local ownership of this initiative and recognize that all Member States have a stake in its success.

It is essential that all of us – Member States, the UN as a whole, regional and sub-regional organizations– work together to realize this vision. In practice, this means strengthening our cooperation in conflict prevention, management and resolution, and joining forces to fully implement the UN-AU Framework for Cooperation on Peace and Security. This is an approach that enjoys full consensus.

Moreover, we have seen this kind of approach deliver results. The recent signing of the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic very concretely demonstrated how close collaboration between the UN, AU and sub-regional organizations, working in partnership with local actors, can advance peace.

In seeking to Silence the Guns, we need to understand the disproportionate effect of conflict on women and the important role that women can play in prevention and resolution of conflicts. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the “FemWise-Africa” Network to strengthen the role of women in conflict prevention and mediation.

It is also important to take the steps needed to address the financing issues for African-led peace operations. We should consider the use of UN assessed contributions to address these issues.

Mister/Madame President, 

Canada is actively engaged at the regional and national level in working towards the ultimate goal of silencing the guns in Africa. For example:

• With Sierra Leone, Canada is co-chairing the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and State-building. This is a partnership between the governments of 20 countries affected by conflict and fragility, international development partners, and civil society.
• In Mali, Canada has supported the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue to broker a ceasefire agreement which has helped to facilitate a disarmament process for local militias in coordination with the Government of Mali.
• In South Sudan, Canada is supporting women’s participation in the implementation of the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict.
• With Ethiopia, Canada recently co-hosted a Peacekeeping Ministerial Preparatory Meeting on Women, Peace and Security to increase women’s meaningful participation in peacekeeping operations.

Canada was pleased to co-sponsor the Security Council resolution adopted today and we will remain committed to the long-term success of the Silencing the Guns initiative.

Indeed, we share the principles underpinning the AU’s approach: working together, including with multilateral organizations and regional groups, to sustain peace and protect our rules based international order.

This is an approach we hope to bring to the Security Council if we are elected to a non-permanent seat in 2021-2022. We can, by working together, create a more prosperous, secure and inclusive world. We can silence the guns.

Thank you.