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DE RUEHAR #3005/01 3521735
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181735Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY ACCRA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3230
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0184
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0068
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS ACCRA 003005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PASS ALL AFRICAN DIPLOMATIC POSTS 
 
LONDON FOR FCO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KNNP ETTC PARM PREL PTER AORC XA GH
SUBJECT: GHANA HOSTS REGIONAL SEMINAR ON UNSCR 1540 
IMPLEMENTATION FOR AFRICA 
 
REF: STATE 168327 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  Ghana hosted Africa's first outreach activity on 
United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540, the 
UN Regional Seminar on Implementing UN Security Council 
Resolution 1540 (2004) in Africa, in Accra on November 9-10, 
¶2006.  Representatives from 23 African countries attended the 
event.  The seminar served to increase awareness of 1540 by 
non-reporting countries, including by sharing the experiences 
of reporting African countries, and also focused on 
availability of implementation assistance.  Department 
officers Jane Purcell, ISN/CPI, and Michael Bittrick, AF/RSA, 
participated for the USG.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. The UN Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA), with 
sponsorship by the EU and Norway, organized the first UNSCR 
1540 seminar for Africa in Accra, Ghana November 9-10.  UNSCR 
1540 places binding obligations on all UN Member States to 
adopt and enforce appropriate laws to prevent the 
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their 
means of delivery, and related items.  In April 2006, the UN 
Security Council extended the mandate of its 1540 Committee 
for two years (UNSCR 1673) and decided to intensify outreach 
efforts to promote its full implementation. 
 
¶3. The seminar sessions covered: status of implementation and 
national experience in reporting (presentations by 1540 
Committee Expert, Ghana, and Kazakhstan); implementing 
measures related to accounting, securing, and the physical 
protection of nuclear, chemical and biological items, 
including related materials and means of delivery 
(presentations by South Africa, the UK, the OPCW, and the 
IAEA); reporting and implementation measures related to 
border and export controls (presentations by the World 
Customs Organization (WCO) and Algeria); and, setting 
priorities for cooperation and assistance in implementation 
of resolution 1540 (presentations by the United States, IAEA, 
OPCW, 1540 Committee Expert, and Kenya). 
 
------------------------------ 
Highlights of Seminar Sessions 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4. The first session included a general overview on UNSCR 
1540 by 1540 Committee Expert Monteleone-Neto.  (Note: Many 
of the participants were unfamiliar with UNSCR 1540, and some 
described the seminar as "eye-opening."  End Note.)  1540 
Committee Chairman Ambassador Peter Burian's (Slovakia) 
keynote address also provided an overview of the importance 
and obligations of 1540. 
 
¶5. Ghana reported on its efforts to organize key stakeholder 
institutions for 1540 implementation.  The GOG is drafting a 
Weapons of Mass Destruction Bill, which it hopes will be 
passed in 2007.  Ghana stated it needed help primarily with 
public education and outreach.  It cited the example of 
educating the chemical industry, as well as import-export 
companies, on the importance of CWC implementation.  Ghana 
also is interested in assistance with organizing and training 
its governmental 1540 implementation committees and border 
security agencies. 
 
¶6. Kenya reported a need for assistance in controlling its 
air, sea and land borders, noting the several failed states 
around its northern borders and its experience as a victim of 
terrorism.  Kenya's presentation also highlighted a need for 
emergency response training, but stated that the U.S has 
provided assistance.  Kenya also noted its lack of expertise 
in creating and enforcing the legislative and regulatory 
infrastructure needed for 1540 implementation.  Congo and 
Gabon also said they needed assistance with training. 
 
¶7. South Africa and Algeria reported on their achievements in 
implementing 1540.  Algeria also expressed the view that the 
counter-terrorism aspect of 1540 was being ignored, making 
the point that terrorism is faced by all countries, and 
counter-terrorism frameworks can be built upon to implement 
¶1540. 
 
¶8. The U.S. presentation, which was handed out along with 
copies of reftel para 3 text, reiterated U.S. priorities 
regarding UNSCR 1540.  The United States urged all states 
that have not yet done so to submit a report and to adhere to 
the CWC and BWC, described the 1540 Committee's role in 
facilitating implementation efforts, outlined existing U.S. 
 
assistance programs, and recommended that states develop 
action plans.  A number of other presenters also discussed 
action plans as the next step for countries to undertake 
after completing their initial report.  South Africa 
recommended that states form interagency implementation 
committees and seek the services of a specialized consultant, 
such as one of the 1540 Committee Experts or a nationally 
funded consultant. 
 
------------- 
The Way Ahead 
------------- 
 
¶9. On the second day of the seminar, there was considerable 
discussion of the next steps for the African region in 1540 
implementation.  The European Union (EU) representative 
expressed hope that there would be future seminars.  Gabon 
said the next step should be meetings of sub-regional groups. 
 In particular, groups of countries bordering each other 
could work together to develop coordinated border controls. 
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) 
echoed with a request for the UN to organize further seminars 
at the sub-regional level.  The DDA responded that it was 
planning to hold sub-regional seminars and informal 
exchanges, and offered to help states with preparing national 
reports. 
 
¶10. South Africa said that sub-regional organizations were 
the best place to get real work done on 1540 implementation. 
The African Union (AU) was too big, but it would be useful to 
obtain an expression of support for 1540 implementation by 
the AU.  Ghana suggested that future seminars be held 
exclusively for states that have submitted reports and for 
states that have not submitted reports, as well as separate 
seminars on the theme of developing legislation for 
Anglophone and Francophone countries.  One reason was that 
Anglophone countries base their legislation on British law, 
while Francophone countries base their legislation on French 
law.  (Comment:  Separating states that have and have not 
reported would be contrary to the desired regional and 
sub-regional approach and would be difficult to implement. 
Post will work with GOG officials on a more integrated 
approach.  Submission of the first report is a necessary step 
but the long-term focus for all states is on implementation, 
to improve regional security capacities commensurate with 
overall development assistance.  End Comment.) 
 
¶11. Relevance of 1540 to Africa:  Interventions were made by 
Rwanda, Algeria, Tanzania, and ECCAS that small arms and 
light weapons (SA/LW) pose more of a threat to Africa than 
WMD.  The DDA and the UK acknowledged this fact, but 
emphasized that implementing 1540 would bring side benefits 
in controlling SA/LW trafficking through enhanced training 
and border controls.  South Africa was held up as a model for 
controlling both SA/LW and WMD proliferation.  DDA 
Under-Secretary General Tanaka also affirmed that WMD poses a 
risk to Africa, noting that proliferator A.Q. Khan often 
traveled to Africa.  Kenya noted that expertise and 
facilities capable of producing BW and CW exist in Africa. 
Some participants suggested states could develop 
comprehensive legislation to control both WMD and SA/LW 
simultaneously. 
 
¶12. In his closing remarks, Tanaka urged all African states 
to submit a report to the 1540 Committee, encouraged states 
to indicate in their reports what kind of assistance they 
need to implement 1540, encouraged them to utilize the 1540 
Committee as a clearing-house in matching requests for 
assistance with assistance offers by donors, and noted the 
importance of follow-up outreach activities in Africa 
organized as sub-regional seminars or thematic workshops, 
such as on developing national action plans. 
 
¶13. List of participating countries:  Algeria, Botswana, 
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, 
Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liberia, 
Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Russia, Rwanda, Sao 
Tome and Principe, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, United 
Kingdom, United States, Zimbabwe. 
 
¶14. Participating international organizations:  Economic 
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Community 
of Central African States (ECCAS), UN 1540 Committee, UN 
Department for Disarmament Affairs, European Union, 
International Atomic Energy Agency, Organization for the 
 
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, World Customs Organization. 
 
BROWN