In recent years, conflicts in West Africa have intensified, driven by the rise of armed groups, particularly violent extremist groups. The Sahel region has become an epicentre of violent extremism, with groups expanding to the littoral States of the Gulf of Guinea. The spread of violent extremism is compounded by—and exacerbates—the illicit proliferation of conventional weapons and ammunition. Insufficiently considered thus far, violent extremism and the demand for weapons share root causes. Attending to such links offers an effective avenue to address both these common root causes and the supply of weapons, thereby preventing armed violence more sustainably.
Against this background, UNIDIR, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa organized in 2023 a regional seminar on preventing violent extremism (PVE) and weapons and ammunition management (WAM) in West Africa. The seminar called for adopting an integrated approach to both issues and recommended a study to support this paradigm shift.
This empirical study examines an integrated approach to address the illicit supply of weapons and the root causes of violence by analyzing intersections between PVE and WAM across policy frameworks, institutions and operational practices. It identifies existing good examples of integrating PVE and WAM and explores promising, context-specific opportunities in the region. The study derives practical steps to support States, regional and continental organizations, UN entities and other stakeholders in operationalizing such an integrated approach in West Africa and beyond.
Citation: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, and Peace and Human Rights Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, “Integrating the Prevention of Violent Extremism and Illicit Weapons Proliferation in West Africa: A Way Forward”, Geneva, 2026, https://doi.org/10.37559/CAAP/26/PACAV/02