The workshop is being held at Bakadaji Hotel.
Speaking on behalf of the minister for Interior, Defence Minister Sering Modou Njie said the illicit proliferation and misuse of conventional arms and their ammunition continue to undermine stability, development and human rights around the world.
Each year, he added, poorly managed weapons and ammunition cost over half a million lives and cause hundreds of billions of dollars in socio-economic damage.
“The diversion of conventional arms and ammunition looms large in many of today's conflicts, fuelling armed opposition groups, terrorists, pirates and criminal activities. Such groups multiply their powers through access to illicit weapons and ammunition,” he said.
The Gambian government, he added, attaches highest priority to effectively manage weapons and ammunitions. “In order to take leadership coordinated actions across the government, collaboration with key stakeholders nationwide is of utmost importance,” he emphasised.
Muhamed Coulibaly, researcher, African Region Conventional Arms Programme (UNIDIR), in his statement thanked the government of The Gambia for initiating the weapons and ammunition management, explaining that Weapons and Ammunition Management, and Baseline Assessment (WAM- BA) is a process whereby they determine the level of the capabilities, processes, and procedures in terms of weapons and ammunition management.
According to him, UNIDIR and ECOWAS have done more than 10 WAM-BA in ECOWAS member states, with The Gambia being the 11th to organise week-long evaluation, which aims to bring all national stakeholders in charge of arms, security, prisons, customs and other relevant stakeholders together to discuss the weapons and ammunition management capabilities in the country.
AHOBA JOSEPH, head of Small Arms of ECOWAS Commission, said that the WAM-BA is based on the take of article 24 in their Convention, and the presence of ECOWAS must find technical partners to enhance their capacity, financial and capabilities of member states based on those articles and their regular meetings with Natcom.
He further added that they ensure to visit every member state to set up a weapons and ammunition management (WAM) and Baseline Assessment (BA), and after their meeting with each country. The Gambia will have to implement all the instruments, so that ECOWAS will guide and help the country to manage all their ammunitions.
