ECOWAS / UNODA. 2006 ‘Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other Related Materials.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations. New York, NY: Economic Community of West African States Secretariat / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. 14 June

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ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other Related Materials.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo), founded in 1975…

On 31st October 1998, the ECOWAS countries adopted the world's first regional Moratorium on the Importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Light Weapons, to be in effect for three years…

The moratorium was a political, voluntary instrument, and by 2003 the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government had decided to transform it into a legally binding instrument in order to ensure more effective and comprehensive implementation…

The ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition and other Related Materials was adopted on the 14th June 2006. The Convention prohibits all international transfers of small arms within the subregion unless a Member States obtains an exemption from the ECOWAS Secretariat. It stipulates strict controls on the manufacture of SALW and lays down measures to support transparency and exchange of information between Member States. Further provisions deal with civilian possession, stockpile security, marking, tracing and brokering.

The Convention also contains a provision for a register of arms destined for use in peace operations and calls for a dialogue with manufacturers and international suppliers.

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