Reminder: Seminar on THE ARMS TRADE AND AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT

 

Room PHS 7C50

European Parliament, Brussels

 

 

Armed conflict and violent crises not
only cause extreme suffering but the cost to Africa has been put at $18 billion per year, or an average
annual loss of 15% of GDP.

 

As the
EU moves forward with policy
coherence for development, its role as an
important producer of small arms and the largest global provider of development
aid must be evaluated.

 

The European Parliament has been
leading on calls for the Council to make the Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers
legally binding. As
a UN appointed Group of Governmental Experts is to report back in 2008 on a
global Arms Trade Treaty, it is time for the EU to put its own house in order.

 

The seminar will provide a forum for
discussing the effects of small arms on African capabilities as well as ways
forward for the EU to contribute to the global effort on the responsible
transfer of arms.

 

We look forward to
seeing you there

Fiona Hall (UK)
Annemie Neyts (BE) Johan Van Hecke (BE)