Kenya has enhanced regional cooperation to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, which are the preferred tools for crimes such as drug and human trafficking and terrorism, as well as inter-communal conflicts.

To prevent such weapons and ammunition from falling into the wrong hands in the region, 500 officers drawn from the military, police, and wildlife services from ten countries have been trained in physical security and stockpile management.

The training, held at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Embakasi, equips the officers with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance the security, accountability, and proper management of weapons and ammunition stockpiles, reducing risks associated with their storage and handling.

The countries also seek to enhance border controls, strengthen their legal frameworks, promote responsible arms transfers, and also to reduce the accessibility and availability of such illicit arms.

The regional Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) training was attended by officers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea, and South Sudan.

Similar trainings were also held in March and October last year in Embakasi.

Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo on Friday warned that Improvised Explosive Devices, explosives fabricated using readily available materials, are a serious security threat facing Kenya, the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa.

PS Omollo, who is also the Chairperson of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), said the training equipped the officers with practical skills to properly manage weapons and ammunition in line with international standards and best practices.

He added that the widespread availability and illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons serve as key drivers and enablers of armed conflicts.

The course was funded by the Austrian Ministry of Defence under the Multinational Small Arms and Ammunition Group (MSAG), and supported by the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies.

RECSA was established in 2005 and member states include Kenya, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.