Accra — The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (Fosda), is organizing a public awareness campaign on the rising spate of arms-related crimes in Ghana and the sub-region of West Africa.

The campaign which consists of a parade of women, the youth and children bearing placards amidst music in the corridors of the summit, photo exhibition, power point display and video films has been planned to coincide with the meeting of the Ecowas Heads of State and Governments in Accra from 15th to 19th December 2003.

Apart from the messages that banners placards etc, will proclaim, the music and street drama are expected to entertain and sensitise the public and delegates to the summit.

A photo exhibition being put together by Waansa (West Africa Action Network on Small Arms) and Fosda will also be mounted in the corridors of the venue with clear messages on the destructive impact of small arms proliferation in West Africa.

The power point display on a big screen will also capture the impact of small arms and re-emphasise the need to make the moratorium legally binding with a view to stopping the arms flow.

To further drive home the message to the Ecowas leaders, a video film will be on continuous show throughout the summit in foyer of the conference center.

Coupled with all these will be regular press briefings during the summit to ensure that the campaign gets the press, both national and international, on board.

To top it all Waansa and Fosda will seek to address and make presentation to the full session of the summit and urge the Heads of State and Governments to support the transformation of the moratorium into a convention.

Kofi Bruno Ametepey

Communications Officer

Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (Fosda)

Phone: + 233 21 811291

FOSDA is a non-governmental organization founded in 1999 to improve the capacities of African institutions in the field of human security and development. It conducts analytical and policy-focused studies of conflicts and poverty in Africa, and promotes advocacy around those problems at the cross-national level. Working collaboratively with other organizations in the West Africa sub-region, FOSDA initiated efforts that led to the West African Action Network on Small Arms. It has also advocated and monitored compliance with the ECOWAS moratorium on small arms.