Started on Tuesday March 29, 2022 in Cotonou with the support of ECOWAS and UNIDIR, the meeting will discuss burning issues of the day. This is the proliferation of small arms and light weapons with all its consequences on the social and economic life of countries. A phenomenon that fuels, according to some experts, armed conflicts, the resurgence of organized crime, religious extremism and terrorism. By organizing the national baseline assessment of arms and ammunition management in the Republic of Benin, the Beninese government through the leadership of the National Commission for the Fight Against the Proliferation of Light Weapons (CNLCPAL), aims to provide a space for dialogue between national and international actors to examine the main challenges, opportunities and options for strengthening arms and ammunition controls in the country. On the issue, it must be recognized that Benin has made great progress, particularly in the legislative and regulatory fields. Colonel Bertin BADA, President of the CNLCPAL cited as an example, the Penal Code in its articles 382, 383, 384, and 385 which reprimand the illegal manufacture, transfer and possession without authorization of weapons by civilians, and the development of an action plan for arms and ammunition management. Progress hailed by all and sundry, in particular by UNIDIR (the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research), which welcomes the reduction in the accessibility and misuse of small arms and small calibers in the country. Efforts that however require a synergy of actions. "Today's meeting will therefore lead to relevant recommendations on good practices in terms of physical security and management of stocks of control of artisanal production of weapons".According to Mohamed Coulibaly Researcher Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme ( CAAP) UNIDIR, the country still needs to strengthen the capacities of the various agencies and security institutions in the storage, use and transport, as well as the marking and tracing of weapons. It should also increase intelligence gathering, cooperation and information sharing with other states. In launching the work, the Minister delegate to the President of the Republic in charge of national defense urged the participants to direct their thoughts to the development of approaches to further strengthen the institutions, the procedures for the management of arms and ammunition in the national and international level. Alain Fortunet NOUATIN said he was convinced that this work will lead to possible solutions for better management of weapons and ammunition in Benin. The work will last four days.
+ info : https://www.gouv.bj/actualite/1729/