This is the text of a message from Secretary-General Kofi Annan at a weapons destruction ceremony today in Monrovia, Liberia. This is a major step forward in the consolidation of peace, as signified by the presence here today of so many African leaders. Together, you are bringing closer the day when all of West Africa will be rid of arms and conflict, and will instead be a zone of peace and stability.
Small arms cause big tragedies.
Readily available and easy to use, they have been the primary or sole tools of violence in almost every recent conflict dealt with by the United Nations. In the hands of irregular troops operating with scant respect for international and humanitarian law, small arms and light weapons have taken a heavy toll of human lives, with women and children accounting for a high proportion of the casualties. They have driven people from their homes, undermined development, led to increases in crime and social violence and thwarted the prospect for investments. They have been a scourge upon the face of Africa. So, the destruction of arms today in Liberia is a welcome step and a confidence-building gesture of great importance.