PAGE 1 EU-OUTREACH NEWSLETTER 67 OCTOBER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE THE EU ATT OUTREACH PROJECT 1 The EU ATT-OP 5 Activity Calendar 6 Points of Contact African Countries Regional Seminar (Source: Elonka Corporate Gifts For further information or general questions on our projects and activities promoted in this newsletter, please contact Ms Irina Albrecht: Irina.Albrecht@bafa.bund.de. Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), September 2015 BAFA Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged. AFRICAN COUNTRIES REGIONAL SEMINAR On 23-24 September 2015, BAFA organized a Regional Seminar for African countries in Pretoria, South Africa. The two-day seminar was the fourth regional seminar in the framework of the EU ATT-Outreach Project. It was directed to a large number of African countries (with the exception of ECOWAS member states as well as 5 neighbouring countries who attended a previous seminar in Dakar, Senegal), several regional organizations and representatives from civil society. The seminar aimed at broadly sensitizing the participants regarding the international obligations to ratify and implement the ATT. It was attended by approximately 90 participants. The seminar was opened by Mr Dumisani Dladla, Head of the Secretariat of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee, and designated Head of the new ATT Secretariat in Geneva and Ambassador Roeland van de Geer, Head of EU Delegation to South Africa. Both emphasized the importance of the Arms Trade Treaty, particularly for African nations. Further keynote speeches dealt with the development in the first year of the Treaty as well as the outcomes of the 1st Conference of State Parties in Cancún. During a round table session, speakers from several African countries shared their experiences regarding the ATT and gave an insight into the status of the ratification process, the implementation measures and challenges. A newsletter published by the EU-Outreach Programmes on
PAGE 2 This session was of high significance, since many countries were very eager to share their developments at a national level. Even countries that had not yet acceded to the Treaty were willing to share insights on the process of aligning their legislation with ATT obligations. Breakout groups on the legal framework/ general conditions and on transit, diversion and physical security/stockpile management provided participants with the opportunity to further familiarize themselves with ATT provisions and to discuss the addressed topics with the expert teams. Breakout group sessions brought to light the high level of engagement of the delegates. The contributions of the ATT experts were well received and paved the way for frank and lively discussions amongst the participants. The ATT experts where very impressed by the high level of commitment of many delegates who raised various questions and openly spoke about the challenges they are facing in the implementation of the ATT. Further agenda topics included a session on ATT related activities by regional organizations and a session on the civil society s perspective on the ATT in Africa. Throughout the entire seminar, it became obvious that the regional approach is crucial when it comes to the ATT implementation in the continent. Many countries fear that the unstable situation in some countries could undermine their efforts of implementing an effective arms control system. However, a common regional understanding of the ATT provisions while implementing the ATT at a national level would further facilitate the harmonization of the ATT. the outcomes of the seminar. It provided a platform for information exchange and networking while also showing a strong commitment to the aims of the ATT in Africa. GEORGIA INITIAL VISIT In the framework of the EU ATT-Outreach Project, BAFA as the implementer of the project organized the Initial Visit to Georgia in Tbilisi on 9-10 September 2015. The ATT-OP experts team from Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romanian Licensing agency and German Customs Administration came to Georgia in order to become familiar with the current status quo of ATT implementation in the country. Intending to ratify the ATT very soon, Georgian representatives highlighted the need to cooperate in regard to effective implementation of the Treaty. Based on the findings of the meeting, the experts team will develop a roadmap for the further cooperation. COLOMBIA - TRAINING FOR EN- FORCEMENT AGENCIES In the framework of the EU ATT-Outreach Project, BAFA organized a workshop in cooperation with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol of the Colombian National Police. The event took place on 1 and 2 October in Bogotá, Colombia and was supported by five international experts from Germany, Spain and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC). Several Colombian authorities involved in arms transfer control participated in the event, including among others INDUMIL, the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, the National Taxes and Customs Direction (DIAN) and the Department for the Commercial Control of Arms, Munition and Explosives (DCCA). The workshop was the second roadmap activity for Colombia and offered a platform to exchange experiences on several key topics of the Arms Trade Treaty with a particular focus on practical aspects of their implementation. Participants, ATT experts and the organisers from BAFA were likewise satisfied with Colombia - TRAINING FOR ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES (Source: BAFA)
PAGE 3 The first day of the meeting explored the scope of the Treaty in the area of risk assessment for customs and police officers. Practitioners from Germany and Spain shared their experience and national practices with the participants. An overview of risk assessment provisions in the Treaty as well as a practical exercise on the topic by UNLIREC representatives added to the active participation and discussions over the course of the day. For all involved, the ensuing debates and questions raised were both enlightening and provided excellent opportunities to go into great detail. The second day was even more hands-on and featured in-depth presentations on the scope of the ATT with regards to the items covered. In addition to useful exercises on UNROCA definitions, their benefits and potential gaps and the identification and classification of ammunition, experts summarised a variety of tools to support Colombian officials in their daily work concerning these fields. The event was designed to allow for extensive debates and ensured a good exchange between Colombian and international practitioners. It also allowed for time to discuss the way ahead and adapt the roadmap to priorities highlighted by Colombia. We would like to thank our Colombian colleagues for the warm welcome, the interesting discussions and in general the fantastic support in the organisation of the event. TOGO - AD HOC SEMINAR In the framework of the EU ATT-OP, an awareness raising seminar for parliamentarians in Lomé, Togo took place on 15 16 October 2015. In cooperation with the the National Commission against the Proliferation and Illicit Traffic of Small Arms and Light Weapons (CNLPAL) BAFA organized this event to inform parliamentarians of their role in an effective implementation of the ATT. Experts from Burkina Faso, Germany, Senegal as well as international organization such as ECOWAS, UNREC and the Civil Society participated in this event. JAMAICA - PRACTICAL IN- TER-AGENCY AND LICENSING WORKSHOP / TRAINING FOR EN- FORCEMENT AGENCIES (ROAD- MAP ACTIVITY II) Following the first Roadmap Activity in Kingston, Jamaica, which took place in June 2015, this event organized by BAFA again was divided into two working meetings, one dedicated to licensing officers with a main focus on interagency cooperation, and one serving as training for enforcement agencies in the field of risk assessment. Both seminars started from an abstract angle, in which the ATT requirements were discussed in broad detail, and lead throughout the meetings to the drafting process of a User s Guide on both licensing and enforcement procedures, which can then be used by Jamaican authorities as a reference in their everyday work. The finalized User s Guide will eventually serve as the basis for the third road- map activity. The working meetings took place on 28-29 October 2015 and were supported by experts from Albania, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and the UK. UPCOMING ACTIVITIES EU-ATT PROJECT SENEGAL ROADMAP ACTIVITY I The first roadmap activity in Dakar, Senegal will take place on 4-5 November 2015. The main subject will be interagency cooperation and the reporting obligation which comes with the ratification of the ATT. Experts from Burkina Faso, France, Germany, ECOWAS and United Kingdom will support the event organised EU-OUTREACH ON EX- PORT CONTROL OF DU- AL-USE ITEMS FOR JOR- DAN AND KAZAKHSTAN KAZKAHSTAN - KICK-OFF MEE- TING In the framework of EU Outreach in Export Control of Dual Use Items for Kazakhstan the implementation has started in August 2015 with the posting of a Slovenian Long Term Expert in Astana, Kazakhstan for the next 24 months (duration of the Implementation Phase of the project). The first activity of the Implementation Phase of this CoE project will take place
PAGE 4 from 11-12 November 2015 in Astana, Kazakhstan and focus mainly on the Kazakh concept of establishing an Identification Centre for nuclear and radioactive materials. Experts from Austria, Germany, Hungary and Netherlands will support this event and provide their expertise on national licensing processes, technical rating and risk management. This seminar is intended for public officials and stakeholders dealing with export control on a daily basis (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministy of Investment and Development, Customs Administration, etc.) The involvement of a Long Term Expert for the total duration of the Implementation Phase is a novelty in the Outreach Programme in Export Controls implemented by BAFA and a significant advantage for the partner country.
PAGE 5 EU-OUTREACH NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2015 ACTIVITY CALENDAR CONTRACT DATE COUNTRY / REGION ACTIVITY SEPTEMBER ATT-OP 08-10 Georgia Initial Visit ATT-OP 23-24 African States (without ECOWAS Members) Regional Seminar OCTOBER ATT-OP 01-02 Colombia Training for Enforcement Agencies (Roadmap Activity II) ATT-OP 14-15 Togo Ad Hoc Seminar ATT-OP 28-29 Jamaica Practical Inter-Agency and Licensing Workshop / Training for Enforcement Agencies (Roadmap Activity II) NOVEMBER ATT-OP 04-05 Senegal Roadmap Activity 1 CoE 38 11-12 Kazakhstan Kick-Off Meeting ATT-OP 24-25 Costa Rica Inital Visit
PAGE 6 PAGE 6 POINTS OF CONTACT EU-OUTREACH IN EXPORT CONTROL OF DUAL-USE ITEMS FOR JORDAN AND KAZAKHSTAN Points of Contact: European Commission EuropeAid Development and Co-operation Office Mr Wolfgang Lehofer Wolfgang.LEHOFER@ec.europa.eu Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control Ms Irina Albrecht Irina.Albrecht@bafa.bund.de EU ARMS TRADE TREATY OUTREACH PROJECT Points of Contact: European External Action Service Directorate for Security Policy and Conflicts Prevention NonProliferation-Disarm@eeas.europa.eu Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control Ms Irina Albrecht Irina.Albrecht@bafa.bund.de