International Development Grant
Tracking weapon supplies to terrorist groups in Niger and Burkina Faso- phase II
Project Number: CA-3-P009536001
Status: Terminating
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $1,413,646.00
Start Date: December 02, 2020
End Date: May 31, 2023
Duration: 2.5 years
Project Description
This project aims to reduce the illicit cross-border supply of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs) to armed and terrorist groups in the Sahel region. Conflict Armament Research assists Burkina Faso and Niger’s security institutions to identify analyze and document cross-border SALWs and other ammunition flows through those 2 countries. The project aims to improve the capacity of security institutions in Burkina Faso and Niger to collect and share data on illicit trafficking of SALWs. It also seeks to increase awareness of illicit trafficking trends in the Sahel region. Project activities include: (1) training security personnel in Burkina Faso and Niger on documenting identifying analyzing and tracing illicit SALW; and (2) providing SAWLs documentation equipment to security institutions including evidence tags hard drives and cameras.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced monitoring and tracing of illicit SALWs recovered following attacks and seized by security institutions in Burkina Faso and Niger; and (2) increased use of data on newly emerging cross-border trafficking tendencies by security institutions in Burkina Faso and Niger. This includes strengthened evidence-based advocacy for better management of national stocks.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved at the end of project (May 2023) include: (1) made significant progress towards reaching this outcome. This includes 38 individuals trained (35 men and 3 women) who gained an average of 2.1 out of 5 on the ability to analyze sources of illicit trafficking of weapons and ammunition was measured; Conflict Armament Research’ (CAR) Technical Support Unit developed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the ‘Safe handling and storage of explosives’ formally adopted by Burkina Faso’s Customs in 2022; in Mali as a result of training provided under the project the CNLPAL now conducts its own in-house training to new personnel based on CAR’s modules; and in Burkina Faso the Chef d’État Major of the Gendarmerie inserted a module on weapon tracing in the curriculum of the Academie des sous-officers; and (2) supported CAR to provide analysis of seized weapons ammunition and various components. This helped shed light on the overall life cycle and where possible chain of custody of seized materiel and even going further as to provide technical analysis of IED incidents at the request of the Service Central de Lutte Contre le Terrorisme et la Criminalité Transfrontalière Organisée (SCLCT-CTO) in Niger and the Commission Nationale de Contrôle des Armes (CNCA) in Burkina Faso; the CAR also produced 5 technical notes for authorities in Burkina Faso and 2 for partners in Niger on tactics used and mitigation methods for those types of attacks.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Conflict Armament Research Limited
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
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Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Contributions to specific-purpose programmes and funds managed by implementing partners
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Foreign Affairs and Trade Gs&Cs