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Mozambique — 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 Mozambique is 1,000,0001

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Mozambique is 5.12 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, Mozambique ranked at No. 461

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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, Mozambique ranked at No. 992

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Number of Licensed Firearm Owners

The number of licensed gun owners in Mozambique is reported to be 4,0003

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Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in Mozambique is reported to be 7,0001

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in Mozambique is 0.034

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Mozambique are reported to have 180,0005 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Mozambique are reported to have 28,0006 firearms

ImpactsGun Death and Injury

Number of Homicides (any method)

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

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

2004: 20.207
2003: 5.10
2002: 8.80

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Export Control

In Mozambique, firearm and ammunition exports are limited by transfer control law 8 9

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Small Arms Exports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Mozambique is reported to be US$1,93510 (2008)

Import Control

In Mozambique, firearm and ammunition imports are limited by transfer control law 8 9

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Small Arms Imports (US$)

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Mozambique is reported to be US$50,84010 (2009)

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

The asking price for an AK-47 pattern assault weapon in Mozambique is reported to be US$3011

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Regulation of Arms Brokers

In Mozambique, the activities of arms brokers and transfer intermediaries are not specifically regulated by law8

MeasuresGun Regulation

Firearm Law

Guiding gun control legislation in Mozambique is the Arms and Ammunition Act (AAA), Decree Nº8/2007 of March 27, 2007 (Regulamento de Armas e Munições)12

Firearm Regulation Authority

Guns in Mozambique are regulated by the Police3

Firearm Registration

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Civilian Gun Registration

In Mozambique, the law requires3 9 that a record of the acquisition, possession and transfer of each privately held firearm be retained in an official register

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State-Owned Firearm Records

In Mozambique, State agencies are required12 3 to maintain records of the storage and movement of all firearms and ammunition under their control

Marking and Tracing Guns and Ammunition

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Firearm Marking

In Mozambique, a unique identifying mark on each firearm is required by law9 12

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Firearm Tracing

In Mozambique, state authorities carry out3 recognised arms tracing and tracking procedures

Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

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Surrendered in Gun Amnesty

In Mozambique, the number of firearms and/or rounds of ammunition voluntarily surrendered for destruction in recent arms amnesty and collection programmes is reported to be 200,00013 (1992-97)

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

African Union

In June 2006, as a member of the African Union, Mozambique 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 200614

Southern African Development Community

As a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Mozambique 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 Materials15

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Mozambique voted to begin16 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 ratified17 by Mozambique

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Mozambique 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 Aspects18

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Mozambique has submitted one or more national reports19 20 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Mozambique, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated21 20

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UNPoA National Coordinating Body

In Mozambique, a National Coordinating Body to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated21 20

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UNPoA Civil Society Involvement and Support

In National Reports of Mozambique submitted to the UN, a history of substantive cooperation with civil society in support of UNPoA activities is apparent21 20

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated20 by Mozambique to other UN Member States

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UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided20 to Mozambique by other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Mozambique 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, Mozambique has been a Member State of the United Nations since 197522

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list23 Mozambique as a Participating State
Last Updated on 30 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.

Mozambique.2010.‘Record Keeping.’ National Report of Mozambique on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Mozambique to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4693)Full Citation

4.

GunPolicy.org.2011.‘Calculated Rates – Mozambique.’ Historical Population Data – USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,17 March. (Q4266)Full Citation

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

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.

Mozambique.2010.‘Marking.’ National Report of Mozambique on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Mozambique to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4691)Full Citation

10.

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

11.

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

12.

Mozambique.2010.‘Stockpile Management and Security.’ National Report of Mozambique on its Implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York:Permanent Mission of Mozambique to the United Nations,1 January. (Q4692)Full Citation

13.

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

14.

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

15.

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

16.

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

17.

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

18.

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

19.

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

20.

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

21.

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

22.

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

23.

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