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Angola — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Angola is 2,800,0001

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Angola is 17.31 firearms per 100 people

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Angola ranked at No. 282

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries, Angola ranked at No. 341

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Angola are reported to have 375,0003 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Angola are reported to have 20,6334 firearms

ImpactsDeath and Injury

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Homicides (any method)

In Angola, annual homicides by any means total

2008: 44265

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Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Angola, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2008: 195
2004: 20.606 5
2002: 39.60
1999: 8.73
1997: 9.31

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Regulation of Firearm Exports

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Small Arms Exports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Angola is reported to be US$1,0087 (2008)

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Regulation of Firearm Imports

In Angola, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law 8

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Small Arms Imports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Angola is reported to be US$1,088,1727 (2011)

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Smuggling Guns and Ammunition

Reports suggest that the level of firearm and ammunition smuggling in Angola is high9

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Market Cost of an AK-47 Assault Rifle (US$)

The asking price for an AK-47 pattern assault weapon in Angola is reported to be US$3010

MeasuresGun Regulation

Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

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Surrendered in Gun Amnesty

In Angola, the number of firearms and/or rounds of ammunition voluntarily surrendered for destruction in recent arms amnesty and collection programmes is reported to be 32,731 (1991-92) to 33,00011 (2002)

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

African Union

In June 2006, as a member of the African Union, Angola adopted an African Common Position to take to the Conference to Review the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA), held in June 200612

Southern African Development Community

As a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Angola signed the SADC Declaration Concerning Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials in March 2001. This laid the ground for the August, 2001 adoption of the legally binding SADC Protocol on Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials13

United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa

In November 2010, as a member of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC), Angola adopted the Central Africa Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition, Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly, known as the ‘Kinshasa Convention. A legally binding multilateral treaty for which UNSAC is depository, the Kinshasa Convention has since been signed, but not yet ratified14 15 by Angola

United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

At the resumption of the most recent session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UNCCPCJ), a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council mandated to promote action to prevent national and transnational crime, Angola was listed as an elected member for a three-year term of office16

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Angola voted to begin17 negotiations towards a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty. In this vote, 151 UN Member States supported talks on an ATT, with 1 voting against, 20 abstentions, and 20 non-votes

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United Nations Firearms Protocol

The United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has not been signed18 by Angola

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Angola committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects19

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Angola has submitted one or more national reports20 21 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Angola, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated22 21

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Angola, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated22 21

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UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of Angola submitted to the UN, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities is apparent22 21

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated21 by Angola to other UN Member States

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UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided21 to Angola by other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Angola has not declared23 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Angola has been a Member State of the United Nations since 197624

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list25 Angola as a Participating State

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms - Annexe online.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q4)Full Citation

3.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q6)Full Citation

4.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q7)Full Citation

5.

UNODC.2011.‘Homicide in 207 Countries - Angola.’ Global Study on Homicide 2011: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,6 October. (Q6230)Full Citation

6.

Petrini, Benjamin.2011.‘Sub-Saharan Africa, 1995-2008, Total Recorded Intentional Homicide, Completed, Rate per 100,000 Population.’ World Bank Homicide Rate Dataset 1995-2008.Washington DC:Social Development Department, World Bank,10 February. (Q3812)Full Citation

7.

Marsh, Nicholas.2013.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,14 February. (Q16)Full Citation

8.

IANSA.2006.‘Reviewing Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the UN Programme of Action.’ Biting the Bullet 'Red Book' 2006.New York:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q82)Full Citation

9.

Pézard, Stéphanie and Nicolas Florquin.2007.‘Other Sources of Arms.’ Small Arms in Burundi: Disarming the Civilian Population in Peacetime.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies / Ligue Iteka,1 August. (Q5085)Full Citation

10.

World Bank.2007.‘Available Kalashnikov Prices for Specific Countries and Periods.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q3)Full Citation

11.

Karp, Aaron.2009.‘Summary of Disarmament Outcomes in 45 DDR Programmes.’ Small Arms Survey 2009: Shadows of War.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,9 July. (Q2941)Full Citation

12.

African Union / UNODA.2005.‘Windhoek Common Position.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:African Union / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,14 December. (Q3216)Full Citation

13.

SADC / UNODA.2001.‘Protocol on Control of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Related Materials.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:Southern African Development Community Secretariat / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,1 August. (Q3217)Full Citation

14.

UNODA / UNREC.2010.‘Kinshasa Convention: Central Africa Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition, Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair and Assembly.’ United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC).Kinshasa:United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa (UNSAC),22 November. (Q3320)Full Citation

15.

UNDPI.2010.‘United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa Adopts Convention on Small Arms Control.’ United Nations Press Release AFR/1974 DC/3237.New York:UN Department of Public Information,12 May. (Q1940)Full Citation

16.

UNCCPCJ / UNODC.1991.‘Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.’ United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.Vienna:United Nations Economic and Social Council / United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,1 January. (Q3222)Full Citation

17.

UNGA.2009.‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: Establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.’ UN Resolution A/RES/64/48.New York:United Nations General Assembly,2 June. (Q1886)Full Citation

18.

UNGA.2001.‘United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.’ UN General Assembly Resolution 55/255.New York:UN General Assembly,31 May. (Q17)Full Citation

19.

UNGA.2001.‘Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.’ United Nations General Assembly.New York:UN General Assembly,20 July. (Q18)Full Citation

20.

Cattaneo, Silvia and Sarah Parker.2008.‘Reporting, NPCs and NCAs, 2002 to 2008.’ Implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Analysis of the National Reports submitted by States from 2002 to 2008.Geneva:United Nations Development Programme,1 November. (Q20)Full Citation

21.

UNODA.2009.‘PoA-ISS Country Profiles.’ UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA) – Implementation Support System.New York:United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs,29 October. (Q1309)Full Citation

22.

IANSA.2006.‘Reviewing Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the UN Programme of Action.’ Biting the Bullet 'Red Book' 2006.New York:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q166)Full Citation

23.

UNODA.2011.‘National Reports on Small Arms Exports.’ United Nations Register of Conventional Arms - The Global Reported Arms Trade.New York:United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,21 October. (Q14)Full Citation

24.

UN.2013.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,7 April. (Q290)Full Citation

25.

Wassenaar Arrangement.1996.‘Introduction: Participating States.’ Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.Vienna:Wassenaar Secretariat,12 July. (Q19)Full Citation