Senegal Hosts ECOWAS, UNIDIR Arms Management Baseline Assessment As Step Towards Peace
In a region often troubled by the illegal flow of small arms, a significant step towards peace and stability took place in Dakar this week.
Senegal played host to a pivotal Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) baseline assessment — a joint initiative between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
The assessment, which gathered key national and international stakeholders, aims to bolster Senegal’s capacity to manage arms and munitions, curb illicit proliferation, and craft a comprehensive national strategy for weapons oversight.
It also supports broader regional efforts to harmonise security strategies and ensure long-term peace.
Speaking at the opening, Colonel Crespin Arsène Sambou of Senegal’s Small Arms Commission encouraged the exchange of best practices.
Mohamed Lamine Coulibaly of UNIDIR emphasised the need for collaboration in tackling arms trafficking, while ECOWAS Representative Mrs. Zelma Fassinou reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to regional security.
Echoing the national interest, the Minister for the Armed Forces, through Director of Cabinet Mrs. Mame Madior Sow, hailed the initiative as critical for both national security and regional stability.
The outcomes of the assessment are expected to guide the development of a new national roadmap and strengthen institutional frameworks—setting the stage for a safer West Africa.
