On the Road with our Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme
Weapons and Ammunition Management Baseline Assessments Update, April 2022Bangui, Central African Republic
From 5 to 8 April 2022, UNIDIR’s Hardy Giezendanner and Anna Mensah, together with three other experts from UNIDIR’s partner organisations, conducted a weapons and ammunition management follow-up baseline assessment (WAM BA) in Bangui, CAR. The BA was run in cooperation with the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR), via its National Commission for the Fight Against the Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (COMNAT-ALPC), and with organizational support from the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Building on the findings of a first national WAM BA conducted in CAR in 2017, this follow-up assessment provided technical expertise to support the Government of CAR to comprehensively and systematically assess its institutions, policies, operational processes and capacities in WAM, in line with international, regional and sub-regional obligations and commitments. The findings from the assessment can support the Government of CAR in reviewing its national policies, strategies and action plans, as well as in updating its national WAM roadmap.
Cotonou, Benín
From 28 March to 1 April 2022, UNIDIR’s Mohamed Coulibaly and Theo Bajon, together with experts from partners organizations, and in cooperation with Government authorities, conducted a national Baseline Assessment on weapons and ammunition management (WAM) in Cotonou, Benin. The national authorities were highly receptive to the process which allowed for very productive discussions on the challenges encountered in the key functional areas, as well as on ways forward. This led to the definition of a roadmap for the improvement of WAM practices and strategies at the national level.
El Salvador
From 28 March to 1 April 2022, UNIDIR’s Manuel Martinez Miralles, in cooperation with the HALO Trust and Government authorities, conducted a WAM Baseline Assessment in El Salvador. The overarching goal of the assessment was to strengthen arms and ammunition management (WAM) and governance in the region. Despite the challenging security conditions encountered during the assessment, the team managed to conduct the exercise and related discussions as planned.
