Improving Security in the DRC Through Weapons and Ammunition Management
CISR Journal
SUMMARY: UNMAS is providing support the DRC to prevent proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons by providing weapons storage facilities and WAM training.
By Beamie-Moses Seiwoh, Aurelie Fabry, Edison Pineda, and Grégoire de Nantes [ UNMAS DRC ]
The resurgence of armed conflict since 1996 has displaced thousands across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and resulted in proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SA/LW), which remains a serious concern. The diversion of SA/LW and ammunition from state-owned stockpiles is linked to poor or insufficient weapons and ammunition management (WAM) capacity, practices, and procedures, and has been identified as a major cause of illicit arms and ammunition proliferation in the DRC. The trafficking, accumulation, and misuse of SA/LW and related ammunition pose a systemic and pervasive threat to peacebuilding and hampers long-term socioeconomic development. Installation of weapon storage solutions as well as the provision of WAM training, as implemented by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), is helping to improve the security situation in the DRC.