Microsoft Word - Nairobi Protocol Final .doc

The Nairobi Protocol, signed on April 21, 2004, is a regional agreement among eleven states in the Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa to prevent, control, and reduce the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW). It establishes comprehensive legal, operational, and administrative frameworks to combat illicit manufacturing and trafficking, regulate civilian and state ownership, and enhance sub-regional cooperation through information sharing and mutual legal assistance.

• The Protocol defines 'small arms' as weapons for personal use, including light machine guns, sub-machine guns, fully automatic and semi-automatic rifles, and firearms (excluding antique firearms manufactured before 1899). 'Light weapons' are defined as portable weapons for crew use, such as heavy machine guns, automatic cannons, howitzers, mortars under 100 mm calibre, and anti-aircraft weapons.
• States Parties are required to implement national legislation that criminalizes the illicit trafficking, manufacturing, possession, and misuse of small arms and light weapons, as well as the falsification or removal of weapon markings. They must also sanction violations of arms embargoes mandated by regional organisations or the United Nations Security Council.
• The agreement mandates strict controls on civilian weapon ownership, including a total prohibition on the civilian possession of light weapons, machine guns, and automatic or semi-automatic rifles. It requires the regulation and centralised registration of all other civilian-owned small arms.
• To ensure traceability, the Protocol requires that every small arm or light weapon be marked at the time of manufacture with a unique serial number, the manufacturer's name, and the place of manufacture. Weapons must also be marked upon import to identify the country and year of import. States must maintain this tracing information for at least ten years.
• The Protocol establishes a framework for the control of arms transfers, requiring an effective system of export and import licensing. Exporting states must verify that the importing state has issued a license and that transit states have been notified in writing and have no objection prior to shipment.
• The agreement calls for enhanced sub-regional operational capacity and law enforcement cooperation. This includes creating National Focal Points for rapid information exchange, establishing mutual legal assistance systems for investigations and evidence gathering, and cooperating with international bodies like INTERPOL and the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
• The Nairobi Secretariat is mandated to oversee the implementation of the Protocol, which includes issuing guidelines, monitoring execution, evaluating progress, and assisting states with difficulties in applying the agreement.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Microsoft Word - Nairobi Protocol Final .doc. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAAF12.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Microsoft Word - Nairobi Protocol Final .doc. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAAF12.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Microsoft Word - Nairobi Protocol Final .doc |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAAF12.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforsecuritystudiesndmicrosoft, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - Nairobi Protocol Final .doc}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SAAF12.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }