Maputo, 11 August 2010 -  As part of their remit to serve and protect its citizens, the Government of Mozambique’s Police Force and Customs Authorities have the responsibility to manage upwards of 25,000 state owned firearms and those seized during operations, including arms caches left from the country’s years of conflict. This management can involve physical storage of firearms and ammunition as well as their destruction when they are no longer required by the state and thus considered obsolete. The Government of Mozambique has indicated that ensuring the secure and effective management of its state firearms is a priority.