NAIROBI, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya said on Wednesday the proliferation of small arms and light weapons were the main cause of instability in the region.

    Speaking at a meeting which brought together African ministers, UN disarmament officials and arms control groups in Nairobi, Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula blamed the influx of uncontrolled trade of arms in Africa to European and Asian countries.

    Wetangula said Asian and European nations were taking advantage of the lack of a strong control base for the trade of arms in Africa for their own selfish reasons which include trade to enhance their economies.

    He regretted that the cost of armed conflict and violence as well as concomitant human tragedy in Africa had increased up to about 18 billion U.S.dollars annually.

    "The effects of this tragedy undoubtedly cascade on global security and sustainable development. Both exporting and importing states have to confront the challenges of unregulated arms trade," the minister said.

    The conference attended by representatives from different parts of Africa including UN experts is seeking a united position on a conventional arms trade treaty yet to be brought forward in the UN's meeting scheduled for October this year.

    Arms control groups argue that Africa has lost billions of dollars in conflicts fuelled by unregulated weapons sales. They also say that a proposed treaty could significantly reduce the human and economic cost.

    Wetangula said Kenya has endorsed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) as constituted by the UN and has promised to regulate the trade in conventional arms and uses based on the agreement.

    He said that the ATT Group of Governmental experts appointed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the best way forward towards fighting arms conflict.

    The minister also said it was imperative to address such challenges as limited controls of trade absence of export controls and the failure to enforce existing mechanisms due loopholes in the law.

    He backed the move to prosecute all violators of the UN arms embargoes named in UN sanctions report, saying it will help mitigate the volume of weapons diverted the ever thriving black market trade.

    "According to recent statistics, legal trade in small arms and light weapons is estimated between 7 million to 8 million. This relates only to new guns purchased every year," Wetangula said.

    "Africa is worst hit. It is the destination of choice for transit and sale of illegally acquired weaponry. And this armaments have been used to catalyze conflicts and destabilize governments," he added.