Disarmament in Review
Officials at the opening ceremony of UEMOA & UNREC Meeting on SALW
From July 23 to 25, a conference was held in Lomé, Togo, to address the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) region, which includes Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The three-day workshop was organized by the UEMOA Commission and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC).
Participants included representatives from all National Commissions of UEMOA member states, experts from the UEMOA Commission, the Togolese branch of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), and experts from UNREC. Each member state was represented by three participants.
The illegal spread and circulation of SALW are a matter of concern for UEMOA countries and are exacerbated by internal conflicts and cross-border insecurity. The presence of terrorist groups and community conflicts have worsened the situation, highlighting the need for effective policies to control these weapons and ensure regional stability. During the conference, participants were able to:
- Assess the current activities of National Commissions.
- Conduct SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analyses of National Commissions.
- Analyze national and international stakeholders.
- Share experiences and develop a collective action plan to combat the proliferation of SALW in the UEMOA zone.
- Draft a regional project to support all National Commissions in their efforts against SALW.
Plenary sessions of the National Commissions’ delegates at UEMOA &UNREC National Commissions’ Meeting on SALW
Participants received comprehensive training in monitoring and evaluation, as well as in presenting projects to potential donors, with a view to enhancing their ability to secure funding and sustain their initiatives. During the workshop, participants worked in breakout sessions to assess challenges, weaknesses, and threats posed for each National Commission, and to identify potential solutions. The outcome was consolidated into an official document which will serve as a basis for a future regional project. The lack of synergy between National Commissions and other agencies in charge of the reduction of violent extremism as well as insufficient staffing and funding, were identified as the main challenges.
This conference marked a step forward in coordinating efforts to combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons, with a focus on fostering regional peace and stability. A follow-up conference will be organized in 2025 to finalize the regional project currently being formulated. The collaboration between UEMOA and UNREC underscored the collective commitment to address these issues and to work towards a safer, more secure West Africa.
Group photo at the end of opening ceremony of UEMOA &UNREC National Commissions Meeting on SALW
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