The Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA) has called for transparency in civilian possession of Arms in ECOWAS Member States. FOSDA is advocating for databases and arms registers being developed by Members states to control arms in ECOWAS to be made available to key stakeholders such as Civil Society Organization to enhance accountability and improve advocacy work.
FOSDA made the call at the Independent Experts’ meeting to review and validate a draft study report on civilian possession of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and Operational Guidelines. The validation meeting was convened by the Small Arms Division of the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Nigeria with support from GIZ within the framework of Organized Crime: West Africa Response to Trafficking (OCWAR-T) Project.
The meeting brought together independent experts from member states, partners and CSOs with expertise in civilian possession of arms. The validation meeting was held from 4th-6th April, 2023.
FOSDA’s call was occasioned by gaps identified under Article 2 (Chapter 2) of the Institutional arrangement, transparency and exchange of information of the draft Licensing Guidelines. The article permits the creation and development of National Arms Register and database but is not clear on the level of transparency for demand side accountability.
The draft study report showed an analysis of the existing regulations on civilian possession and use of SALW in the region including their effectiveness and identified challenges and best practices related to the regulation of SALW ownership by civilians.
The Programmes Officer, Mr. Solomon Okai, who represented FOSDA at the meeting shared the Foundation’s experience on factors contributing to the proliferation of SALW in the region including unresolved historical grievances and incomplete national reconciliation processes. He also shared FOSDA’s experiences on Illicit Arms Production in Ghana; survey on Compliance of ECOWAS States to article 14 of the Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons and their Related Materials; and the Violent Incidents monitoring on gun violence which demonstrates the impact of civilian possession of arms to human security.
Additionally, FOSDA called for strengthened partnership and collaboration in deepening surveys on illicit Arms Production in the ECOWAS region, recycling instead of destroying seized weapons and collaboration in monitoring the impact of civilian possession of arms in the region.