Pézard, Stéphanie and Anne-Kathrin Glatz. 2010 ‘Types of Firearm Covered by Decree No. 60.072 of 1960.’ Arms in and Around Mauritania: National and Regional Security Implications; Occasional Paper No. 24 (Box 6), p. 40. Geneva: Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. 1 June

Relevant contents

Types of firearm covered by decree No. 60.072 of 1960¹

Sophisticated weapons (rifled-barrel and smooth-bore)

Mauritanian legislation does not provide any definition of 'sophisticated weapons'. In Niger, for example, all firearms, with the exception of flintlocks and percussion weapons, fall into this category. In general terms, the expression 'sophisticated weapons' refers to industrially produced weapons.

Weapons for exchange (armes de traite)

Historically, 'weapons for exchange' were also known as 'weapons for trading'. These are inferior-quality firearms that the colonial powers used to sell or give to the indigenous populations in exchange for goods, information, or cooperation. These weapons were either surplus to requirements or were specifically made in Belgium or the United Kingdom for this market, often bearing bronze or brass embellishments. Flintlocks and percussion weapons also come into the category of weapons for exchange. This was common practice in the colonies of Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Today the expression sometimes refers to vintage or historical weapons, but it usually relates to any craft weapon, in contrast to industrially manufactured weapons.

Sources cited:

Cisse, Helene N.V., 2005, "Afrique de l'ouest: L'harmonisation des legislations nationales sur les armes legeres: Criteres de convergence appliques au Senegal, au Mali et au Niger (West Africa: The Harmonization of National Legislation on Small Arms Convergence Criteria Applied to Sengal, Mali and Niger)". GRIP report 2005/5. Brussels: Groupe de recherche et d'information sur la paix et la securite.

Republic of Benin, 2003, "National Report on the 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". Cotonou: National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms, Office of the President of the Republic. 13 June. .

Republic of Niger, 1963, "Decree No. 63-074 of 23 April 1963 Regulating the Conditions for the Possession, Introduction, Sale and Trade in Arms" 23 April."

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