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Gabon — 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 Gabon is 190,0001

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Gabon is 14.02 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, Gabon ranked at No. 1181

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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 179 countries, Gabon ranked at No. 462

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Gabon are reported to have 9,0253 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Gabon are reported to have 1,9874 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

Number of Homicides (any method)

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

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

2004: 17.105
2002: 9.30

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Export Control

In Gabon, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law 6

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Small Arms Exports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Gabon is reported to be US$1,032,5047 (2006)

Import Control

In Gabon, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law 8 6

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Small Arms Imports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Gabon is reported to be US$270,7317 (2009)

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Smuggling Guns and Ammunition

Reports suggest that the level of firearm and ammunition smuggling in Gabon is moderate9

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Regulation of Arms Brokers

In Gabon, the activities of arms brokers and transfer intermediaries are not specifically regulated by law6

MeasuresGun Regulation

Firearm Law

Guiding gun control legislation in Gabon is the Law No. 15/82 of 24 January 1983 governing the system for arms and ammunition in the Republic of Gabon6

Firearm Regulation Authority

Guns in Gabon are regulated by the Ministry for Territorial Administration, the Local Authorities, the Head of State and the Government6

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

African Union

In June 2006, as a member of the African Union, Gabon 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 200610

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), Gabon 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 ratified11 12 by Gabon

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Gabon was absent from voting on13 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 been signed and ratified14 by Gabon

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Gabon 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 Aspects15

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Gabon has submitted one or more national reports16 8 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Gabon, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated17 8

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated8 by Gabon to other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Gabon has not declared1 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Gabon has been a Member State of the United Nations since 196018

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list19 Gabon as a Participating State
Last Updated on 29 January 2012

Short References

1.

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

2.

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

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

6.

Moreau, Virginie, Cédric Poitevin and Jihan Seniora.2010.‘Comparison of the Main Regulatory Aspects Examined – Gabon.’ Arms Transfer Controls: The Example of French-Speaking States in Sub-Saharan Africa.Brussels:Groupe de Recherche et d'Information sur la Paix et la Sécurité (GRIP),1 May. (Q4008)Full Citation

7.

Marsh, Nicholas.2011.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,1 June. (Q16)Full Citation

8.

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

9.

Best, Shedrack Gaya and Dimieari Von Kemedi. In: Florquin and Berman, Eds.2005.‘Armed Groups and Conflict in Rivers and Plateau States, Nigeria – Small Arms Availability and Sources.’ Armed and Aimless: Armed Groups, Guns, and Human Security in the ECOWAS Region.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,1 May. (Q5100)Full Citation

10.

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

11.

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

12.

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

13.

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

14.

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

15.

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

16.

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

17.

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

18.

UN.2009.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,11 May. (Q290)Full Citation

19.

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