KIGALI, Rwanda, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- The European Union is providing a $695,000 grant to assist Africa stem its illicit small arms and light weapons traffic.
The grant to the Regional Center on Small Arms is in addition to an earlier $4.6 million disbursement for the first Pan-African Project SALW, The New Times reported Friday.
At a ceremony in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, marking an agreement between the EU and RECSA, the EU delegation head, Ambassador Tim Clarke said: "I am particularly pleased that the key focus of this program is the civil society as they play a key, and often unrecognized, role. By empowering the civil society within the region, we can tackle the problem at its roots."
RECSA Executive Secretary Francis Sang added, "The funding will also strengthen the institutional development of RECSA and National Focal Points as well as promote public awareness programs on small arms and light weapons."
