The Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (GNACSA) on Tuesday called for global efforts to combat the manufacturing of cluster bombs, which are deadly and undermine development.

Mr. Jones Applerh, Executive Secretary of the Commission, made the call at the Accra Regional Conference on the Universalisation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

He urged countries that are not signatories to the Convention to ratify it to halt the manufacturing of cluster bombs.

The Conference is being organised by the governments of Ghana, Togo, Zambia, in collaboration with Norwegian government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Mr. Applerh said the objective of the regional conference was to overcome the challenges faced by states considering ratification or accessing of the CCM to further extend the reach of the treaty throughout the sub-Saharan region.

He said it would assist states and parties to fulfill their obligations under the Convention to enable them accelerate its implementation.

“Ghanaians love peace and hate war, therefore would avoid any means possible to inflict pain on humanity,” he said.

Mr. Tom Tyrihjell, Ambassador of Norway in Ghana, said the threat posed to civilian populations by cluster munitions could be eliminated only if the ban on them was truly universal and stockpiled weapons were destroyed.

He congratulated Ghana for hosting such a timely conference adding that Norway was proud to be a partner in the effort to ensure full universalisation and implementation of the convention on CCM.

Mr. Tyrihjell said universalisation was one of the focus areas of the incoming Norwegian Presidency of the Third Meeting of States Party to the CCM.

He expressed the hope that the conference would be helpful in identifying specific obstacles that prevented States from joining the convention.

Mr. Tyrihjell said the biggest challenge being faced was the treatment of victims of CMs both physically and psychologically, adding, it was necessary for countries within Sub-Saharan Africa to join the coalition in fighting against CMs use.

Mr. Ahmad Arafa, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Lebanon to the UN in Geneva, said it was necessary to get more countries on board in criminalising the use, transfer and stockpiling of CMs so that it did not end up in the hands of people.

He said the use of CMs was inhuman hence the need for African states to be vocal on its stigmatisation.

Ms Julie Tenenbaum, Regional Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross, said it was important to achieve and have national prohibitions on the manufacturing and stockpiling of CMs.

She said having witnessed a firsthand effect of CMs, her organisation would do everything possible to see to its prevention.**