Senior national authorities of Mali validate small arms and light weapons physical security and stockpile management standard operating procedures

The United Nations Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) developed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the safe and secure management and stockpiling of small arms, light weapons and ammunition for use by the security sector officers of Mali. The SOPs were developed to help reduce the risk of diversion and illicit trade in small arms, light weapons and their ammunition. The SOPs are based on the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunitions Technical Guidelines (IATG), as well as on the standards adopted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The validation workshop was held on 12-15 September 2017 in Bamako. The workshop was organised under a European Union financed project to improve stockpile management in the Sahel. The workshop was organised in collaboration with the Mali National Commission on Small Arms and brought together forty senior national officials (political and technical experts) to review the SOPs and to reflect the current security situation and concerns of Mali.

The SOPs are expected to be adopted as Mali’s national standard operating procedures on stockpile management. The Regional Centre will continue to support the Mali authorities in rolling out the SOPs throughout the country.