Contributing to reduced weapons proliferation and promoting peaceful societies in the Sahel

This project aims to address the proliferation of small arms light weapons and ammunition in the Sahel region that fuels armed violence which in turn creates further demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). This project proposes an innovative two-faceted approach that complements previous and ongoing arms management activities funded by PSOPs and other donors to address this complex problem. Firstly this approach mitigates the risk of diversion of state-held weapons and ammunition in Burkina Faso Mali and Niger. Secondly it addresses the impact of SALW on communities in Burkina Faso Mali and Niger by increasing knowledge of safe behaviour related to the threats of improvised landmines and explosive ordnance and identifying alternative sources of revenue for producers of handmade weapons. Mines Advisory Group works to improve stakeholders' abilities to include gender considerations and gender-sensitive initiatives in ammunition and weapons management activities. It seeks to understand SALW impact on communities through a gendered lens. Project activities include: (1) providing training and technical support for the destruction and disabling of weapons and ammunition; (2) increasing waste management of ammunition remnants; (3) providing technical support for the marking of weapons; (4) conducting a feasibility study on weapons tracing; (5) mitigating threats of explosive ordnance through education; (5) integrating gender considerations in arms management; (6) advocating for a national policy on the management of seized weapons; and (7) identifying alternate sources of income for artisanal weapons producers.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) reduced risks of SALW and munitions diversion from state-held stockpiles in Mali Burkina Faso and Niger; (2) improved ability of sector stakeholders in Mali Burkina Faso and Niger to develop quality gender-sensitive initiatives to reduce SALW proliferation and promote peaceful societies; and (3) reduced risks posed by improvised landmines and explosive ordnance to non governmental organizations workers in Burkina Faso.