The AU-Germany Project on Enhanced Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control and Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) in the Greater Sahel Region

Implementing agency: African Union Commission (AU)

Project timeframe: 01/01/2017 – 31/12/2017

Target countries: The Greater Sahel region: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia

Goal: Enhance the AU’s capacity to provide expertise and training in PSSM throughout the Greater Sahel region, by developing an AU roster for PSSM experts and working with AU member states, regional organizations, international implementing agencies, and regional training centres.

Activities and Outputs:

• Participating States and regional organizations nominated experts for the AU Roster of PSSM Practitioners. After evaluating their technical knowledge and relevant skills, the Global Explosive Ordnance Disposal Experts (GEODE) accredited eight experts to be included in the roster. Two of these experts were funded to receive further training in collaboration with the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).

• Operational Guidance Notes (OGNs) on PSSM were developed by the Danish Demining Group (DDG) in cooperation with regional and international experts.

• The 2nd meeting of the coordination platform of the AU-Germany project was held on 4 October in Addis Ababa as well as a meeting of donors on 21 October in New York, producing input on the implementation and sustainability of the project.