MAG - Mines Advisory Group

Published purpose

This project aims to address the proliferation of small arms, light weapons and ammunition in the Sahel region that fuels armed violence, which in turn creates further demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). This project proposes an innovative two-faceted approach that complements previous and ongoing arms management activities funded by PSOPs and other donors to address this complex problem. Firstly, this approach mitigates the risk of diversion of state-held weapons and ammunition in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Secondly, it addresses the impact of SALW on communities in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger by increasing knowledge of safe behaviour related to the threats of improvised explosive devices and identifying alternative sources of revenue for producers of handmade weapons. Mines Advisory Group works to improve stakeholders' abilities to include gender considerations and gender-sensitive initiatives in ammunition and weapons management activities. It seeks to understand SALW impact on communities through a gendered lens. Project activities include: (1) providing training and technical support for the destruction and disabling of weapons and ammunition; (2) increasing waste management of ammunition remnants; (3) providing technical support for the marking of weapons; (4) conducting a feasibility study on weapons tracing; (5) mitigating threats of explosive ordnance through education; (5) integrating gender considerations in arms management; (6) advocating for a national policy on the management of seized weapons; and (7) identifying alternate sources of income for artisanal weapons producers.