Regional Dialogue on Weapons & Ammunition Management Opens at KAIPTC: Charting a Course for Sustainable Peace

A pivotal high-level convention, the Regional Dialogue on Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM), convened at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) in Ghana from February 4-5, 2026. Organized in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the government of Japan, this two-day event addressed a critical and escalating challenge: the porous control of small arms, light weapons (SALW), and their ammunition across West and Central Africa. The dialogue, themed “Strengthening Weapons and Ammunition Management as a Preventive Strategy against Violent Conflicts and Extremism in the Gulf of Guinea and beyond,” brought together policymakers, security experts, and international partners to bridge gaps in policy and practice. This article provides a comprehensive, SEO-optimized breakdown of the event’s key outcomes, underlying challenges, and actionable pathways forward for regional security stakeholders.

Introduction: The Unseen Crisis of Unregulated Arms

While Ghana is often cited as a beacon of stability in a turbulent West African sub-region, the dialogue revealed a paradox: a nation grappling with a significant influx of unregistered and untraceable firearms. The opening remarks set a urgent tone. Air Vice Marshal (AVM) David Anetey Akrong, Commandant of KAIPTC, emphasized that the momentum for reforming ammunition stockpile management and illicit arms trafficking control is now critical. He argued that decades of treating small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition as separate regulatory issues have created dangerous oversight gaps, undermining comprehensive disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) efforts and regional peacebuilding initiatives.

The core thesis advanced was clear: an integrated, lifecycle approach to weapons and ammunition management (WAM) is not a bureaucratic preference but a security necessity. Such an approach enhances monitoring, tracing, and secure storage, directly contributing to the reduction of armed violence and the prevention of conflict escalation. This dialogue served as the primary continental forum to translate this theory into a coordinated regional action plan for the Gulf of Guinea and beyond.

Key Points: Alarming Statistics and Strategic Gaps

The presentations were data-driven, painting a stark picture of the SALW proliferation landscape:

• Continental Scale: Africa is estimated to harbor approximately 40 million illicit small arms, a significant portion of which circulate in conflict-prone zones.
• Sub-Regional Burden: The West African sub-region alone accounts for an estimated 11 million of these weapons.
• Ghana’s Specific Challenge: UNDP Resident Representative Niloy Banerjee presented a compelling national case study: Ghana has an estimated 2.3 million firearms in civilian circulation, with a staggering nearly 1.2 million (over 50%) believed to be unregistered and completely untraceable. This volume poses an existential threat to national security, regardless of Ghana’s relative political stability.
• Framework Deficiency: Existing international and regional instruments—including the UN Programme of Action on SALW, the UN Arms Trade Treaty, the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, and the Kinshasa Convention—were acknowledged as foundational but deemed “not fully fit for purpose.” Their primary shortcoming is a lack of enforceable, harmonized standards for ammunition accounting, armory security, and cross-border law enforcement cooperation.

The Central Strategic Deficit: Fragmented Governance

A recurring theme was the policy schizophrenia between arms control and ammunition control. As AVM Akrong noted, this separation results in a failure to address the complete “supply chain of violence.” Ammunition is often easier to illicitly manufacture, traffic, and divert than finished weapons. Effective stockpile management and marking and tracing systems must therefore treat ammunition as an integral component of the weapon system, not a secondary concern.

Background: The Evolving Threat Landscape in the Gulf of Guinea

To understand the urgency, one must contextualize the security dynamics of the Gulf of Guinea. This region has become a nexus for multiple, interlinked threats:

• Piracy and Maritime Crime: Proliferated small arms directly empower pirate groups targeting commercial shipping and offshore oil installations.
• Transnational Organized Crime: Well-armed criminal networks trafficking drugs, humans, and precious minerals rely on easy access to firearms and ammunition.
• Violent Extremism and Insurgency: Groups operating in the Sahelian belt, including the Sahel states, are increasingly active in coastal Gulf nations, fueled by illicit arms.
• Communal and Ethno-Political Violence: Easily accessible weapons transform local disputes into deadly, sustained conflicts.

Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, African Union High Representative on Silencing the Guns, underscored that despite existing frameworks, “lapses in implementation and enforcement” continue to fuel these very threats. The porous nature of regional borders, coupled with weak national capacities for arms inspection and security sector reform, creates a permissive environment for trafficking networks.

Analysis: Diverging Perspectives on a Unified Solution

The dialogue featured three authoritative voices, each highlighting a different, yet complementary, layer of the solution.

KAIPTC: The Operational and Training Vanguard

AVM Akrong positioned KAIPTC not just as a host, but as an active implementer. The Centre is leading Ghana’s efforts to draft its Second National Plan of Action on SALW with UN support. Furthermore, KAIPTC has conducted a national SALW survey (2024) and inspected armory standards across all non-military security agencies in Ghana. This on-ground diagnostic work provides the empirical basis for policy. His announcement of new self-financing short courses on topics like “Church and Mosque Security“—framed as securing mass-gathering venues—reveals a pragmatic shift towards addressing specific, high-risk soft targets vulnerable to armed attack.

UNDP: The Development-Peace Nexus

Niloy Banerjee delivered the most holistic diagnosis. He explicitly linked the proliferation of SALW to root causes of insecurity: “no community that feels secure and is prosperous must resort to harmful measures.” His argument was that arms management cannot be siloed from broader inclusive economic development, job creation, and rights-based governance. The question he posed—”How do we make growth inclusive and shape it so people feel hopeful?”—re-frames WAM from a purely technical security issue to a core component of sustainable development and preventive diplomacy. He advocated for “multilateral interoperability” in recording systems and storage standards, acknowledging that borders are porous and solutions must be regionally synchronized.

African Union: The Continental Policy Coordinator

Dr. Chambas represented the continental policy architecture. While acknowledging the AU’s “Silencing the Guns” flagship initiative, he pointed to the persistent implementation gap. His prescription was people-centric: focus on community leaders, women, and youth as “agents of change.” This bottom-up approach complements top-down regulatory frameworks. He stressed the need for “harmonized regional approaches,” calling for consistent legal standards and operational protocols across all African nations, particularly in the volatile Gulf of Guinea.

Practical Advice: Pathways to Integrated Weapons & Ammunition Management

Synthesizing the dialogue’s insights, here is a actionable roadmap for policymakers, security sector institutions, and international partners:

1. Legal and Regulatory Harmonization

National laws must be reviewed and aligned with the strictest provisions of the ECOWAS and Kinshasa Conventions. Crucially, legislation must explicitly link arms and ammunition controls, mandating identical licensing, storage, and tracing requirements for both. This closes the loophole where ammunition can be legally purchased by an unlicensed person.

2. Technical Capacity Building for Stockpile Management

Invest in upgrading physical security for armories and ammunition depots (e.g., reinforced structures, access controls, surveillance). Implement digital stockpile management systems that enable real-time inventory tracking for both weapons and ammunition, with unique identifiers. KAIPTC’s training programs are a key vehicle for this.

3. Community-Based Violence Prevention (CBVP)

As advocated by Dr. Chambas, fund and empower local peace committees, religious leaders, and women’s groups to mediate conflicts before they escalate. These actors are best placed to identify early warning signs of violence and promote alternative dispute resolution, reducing the perceived “need” for self-defense with firearms.

4. Strengthened Border and Law Enforcement Cooperation

Establish joint cross-border patrols and intelligence-sharing desks specifically for arms trafficking. Standardize training for customs, police, and gendarmerie on detecting concealed ammunition and using tracing databases (e.g., INTERPOL’s I-ARMS).

5. Public Awareness and Amnesty Programs

Launch targeted campaigns explaining the legal requirements for gun registration and the dangers of unlicensed firearms. Consider time-bound arms amnesty programs coupled with public awareness, to voluntarily reduce the number of unregistered weapons like the 1.2 million estimated in Ghana.

FAQ: Addressing Common Queries on WAM

What is the difference between SALW control and Weapons & Ammunition Management (WAM)?

SALW control traditionally focuses on the firearm itself. WAM is a more comprehensive, lifecycle approach that manages the weapon and its ammunition from point of import/manufacture, through legal civilian/military possession, to final disposal or destruction. It treats ammunition as a critical, volatile component, not an accessory.

Why is integrating ammunition control so important?

Ammunition is often more numerous, easier to divert, and has a shorter shelf-life, leading to more frequent trafficking cycles. A weapon without ammunition is inert. Controlling ammunition supply chains is therefore a force multiplier for reducing the actual use of illicit firearms in violence.

What are the main international frameworks governing this issue?

Key instruments include: the UN Programme of Action on SALW (2001), the UN Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) (2013), the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons (2006), and the Kinshasa Convention on the control of SALW in Central Africa (2010). The dialogue concluded these need stronger implementation mechanisms and must be complemented by national laws.

How can ordinary citizens contribute to better weapons management?

Citizens can ensure they comply with national licensing and registration laws, report lost or stolen firearms immediately, and participate in community peace initiatives. Supporting credible NGOs working on conflict prevention and advocacy for stronger gun laws is also impactful.

What are the legal risks of poor WAM for a nation?

States failing to exercise due diligence in controlling arms and ammunition within their jurisdiction can be held liable under international law for violations committed with those weapons, especially if they fall into the hands of non-state armed groups. It also risks sanctions under the UN Arms Embargo regime for specific countries or entities.

Conclusion: From Dialogue to Determinative Action

The KAIPTC Regional Dialogue successfully crystallized a consensus: integrated Weapons and Ammunition Management is the indispensable foundation for lasting peace in the Gulf of Guinea. The statistics are unequivocal—millions of unregistered guns in nations like Ghana constitute a tinderbox. The solution, as articulated by KAIPTC, UNDP, and the AU, is multifaceted. It requires hardening technical stockpile management, synchronizing national laws with regional conventions, and, most critically, addressing the underlying “drivers of insecurity“—lack of opportunity, exclusion, and despair—that make communities turn to arms.

The onus now lies with national governments, particularly in West and Central Africa, to translate the dialogue’s recommendations into funded National Action Plans. It lies with regional bodies like ECOWAS and the AU to enforce compliance and fund cross-border cooperation. And it lies with international partners like the UNDP and Japan to sustain technical and financial support. The goal must be a region where illicit arms trafficking is disrupted at every link, where armory security is impregnable, and where communities feel so secure and hopeful that the very demand for illegal weapons evaporates. The dialogue has opened the process; the world must now ensure it does not close without concrete, measurable action.

Sources

This analysis is based on the official proceedings and statements from the “Regional Dialogue on Weapons and Ammunition Management” held at KAIPTC, Accra, Ghana, on February 4-5, 2026. Primary sources include the opening addresses by:

• Air Vice Marshal (AVM) David Anetey Akrong, Commandant, KAIPTC.
• Mr. Niloy Banerjee, UNDP Resident Representative in Ghana.
• Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, African Union High Representative on Silencing the Guns.
• Mr. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, Deputy Minister of Interior, Ghana.</li