Delegation from The Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Represented by Sebastian Nentwig & mithan Yagmur University of Siegen Position Paper for the General Assembly Plenary

The issues for the General Assembly Plenary are: Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in Africa; Measures to Prevent and Deter Cyberwarfare; Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention. It is an honor for Mauritania to work on these topics in the General Assembly Plenary. I. Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in Africa Mauritania supports that every states should respect the decisions of the last resolution 64/48, to curb the trade and the production of small arms and light weapons (SALW). All times production and trade of small arms and light weapons (SALW) have been worthwhile business for producers and dealers. Even in numerous states in Africa they find interested customers, while they do not distinguish between civilian and military requirements. Armed violence has become a significant factor and undermines poverty reduction efforts and economic development. Statistically approx. 100 million out of some 500 million small arms and light weapons worldwide are found in Africa; Major towns and cities like Johannesburg, Lagos or Nairobi are infamous for their criminal world. Mauritania shares more than 5.000 km of land borders with Algeria, Mali, Senegal, and Western Sahara. Mauritania, as part of North Africa, has to deal with the following facts: A big part of the countries are dominated by the Sahara desert and is relatively uncontrolled, which means, that this area is an ideal trade route for many goods, both legal and illicit. Small arms are included among the goods traded illicitly across the Sahel and Mauritania.

Because SALW had been caused lots of human casualties and injuries in conflicts not only in Africa but throughout the world, the UN first introduces the topic of control in 1991. They authorized a commission to determine the types of SALW being used in many states conflicts in order to establish what weapons would fall under the international arms control regime (General Assembly Resolution 46/36). During the ensuing period the General Assembly passed several further resolutions. They all were recalled by the latest revised version 64/48, dated 2 December 2009. Among other things it is emphasized the control for worldwide peace and security, also that all states are allowed to import, export, transfer and retain conventional arms for self-defense and security To reduce or, better, discontinue this problem; Mauritania suggests, that all member states, and especially the states in West-Africa should increase the cooperation to observe the trade and production of SALW. One step in this direction is the West- Sahel project launched by the European Union in January this year that supports the African states saving their borders based on a human approach to immigrants. Mauritania supports the resolution 64/48, that points to a wide possible participation in the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty in 2012 and hopes for participation on these passed decisions. Mauritania is in favor to make use of the Preparatory Committee involving most notably the states of the African Union in this subject with the target of mutual assistance. Furthermore due to the fact that it is a matter of particular interest for all states and their domestic security, the United Nations Conference to come should encourage influence on all states, to implement the peaceful ideas of the UN and especially the resolution on this topic from the GA1st. All countries should be aware, that only a state-controlled limited trading will develop political stability, so that hopefully global efforts in this sense will have priority over commercial interests in the future. II. Measures to Prevent and Deter Cyberwarfare Protecting and keeping the international security and peace in the whole world are the duties and responsibilities of the United Nations. The world is in global change, and all the countries and their technology are intimately connected with each others. So there is the problem that criminals and terrorists could attack national or international IT-systems. As a part of the global world it is Mauritanians request to avoid such criminal attacks. Hackers could also hack government websites containing confidential information related to national security and this could increase the chances of terrorism not only in Mauritania but in the whole world.

Delegation from The Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Represented by Sebastian Nentwig & mithan Yagmur University of Siegen The Mauritanian government will build up a strong IT sector. The option of outsourcing will not be an appropriate for the country in long run, they have to rely on domestic talent and in order to bridge the gap they should start investing in IT sector and train their citizens for this sector: Mauritania is still in a slow development in the IT sector: In 1996 there were no internet users and until 2005 there were 6 per 1000 inhabitants. Mauritania is supported by EU to revamp its IT structure and can achieve considerable milestones in countering Cyber crimes and also boosting the IT sector in the country. Because IT does not only play an important role in economic growth but it also provides jobs. If IT professionals are trained in Mauritania by EU experts and are provided with proper equipment and infrastructure, they can be assisted proactively to prevent and deter Cyber warfare. Mauritania is in favor to increase the cooperation between all member states of the UN to develop the IT infrastructure on a higher level that helps the international community protecting them against cyber war attacks. The government of Mauritania should train its IT professionals and polish their skills to prevent and counter cyber warfare. Mauritania wants to build up its IT-infrastructure based on high security standards to make its contribution in the fight against cyber warfare. III. Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention As a member of the United Nations it is an automatic fact, that Mauretania supports the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is highly interested in peace, security, and stability throughout the world. The Geneva Protocol (1925) prohibits the use of chemical weapons and biological weapons, but has nothing to say about production, storage or transfer. Since 1972 these aspects are also regulated by the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), which adopted the General Assembly of the UN in 1972. Mauritania is aware of its responsibility for the stability in its own country and the neighbor states. Mauritania already have signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (1993), the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (CTBT) (1996) and in 2011 three other important conventions which deals with the security of a peaceful use of nuclear program. As the Mauritanian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hamady Ould Hamady, pointed out last year, that Mauritania provides its contribution to secure the Sahara region. For many years organized crime, such as kidnapping, terrorism and drugs, weapon and human trafficking, has been expanding in this area of the Mauritanian border. That was a threat to peace and stability in the region, and Mauritanias security operations had responded firmly to threats of terrorist groups, succeeding in guaranteeing peace within and along its borders. In cooperation with neighboring countries, it had put a stop to the activities of those terrorist groups and made it impossible for them to move freely. Mauritania passed through a couple of changes in the previous decades. Because of the instable circumstances Mauritania was not able to deal with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Only since 2008 Mauritania has got a stable democratic government that allows setting the focus on this issue. At the meeting about the BWC in Geneva on Tuesday 18 November 2008 the Permanent Representative of Mauritania in the UN pointed out, that Mauritania is seriously considering joining the Convention. But Mauritania, however, linked accession to issues of priority and capacity, and a request for assistance in drafting the instrument of accession was made Mauritania is still working on the membership of the BWC and the Mauritanian plan is to establish a channel of communication to the Chemical Weapons Convention National Authority of Mauritania that was founded in 2011. It would be very helpful if the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) gave Mauritania assistance to fulfill this plan. At the moment there is no office in Mauritania, which deals with the issue of disarmament. Target should be the founding of one super ordinate National Authority to concentrate the different aspects on the above mentioned Conventions (including the in the future singed BWC) to observe and implement the conventions. It would be also helpful for Mauritania to change information between the member states of the BWC, to benefit from the experience of long-time members. Mauritania is in favor of the decision in the resolution A/66/419 from the last meeting in November 2011 to the exchange of information and data []and to provide such information and data in conformity with standardized procedure Mauritania suggests that this information will be extended to states that will join the BWC, like Mauritania itself will do.