As a human security issue, the uncontrolled proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons constitutes a real threat to peace consolidation and stability in Mozambique and has the potential to undermine many of the country’s development gains of the last decade.

The overall approach of the UNDP Small Arms and Light Weapons Sstrategy (2007-2009) will be to consolidate achievements done by UNDP previous interventions and emphasize the importance of human security, human development and gender equality towards the Millennium Development Goals.

Baseline studies on small arms and light weapons have become the accepted entry-point for all safe, effective and well-planned control interventions.

As such, a national small arms and light weapons baseline study of Mozambique is a prerequisite for comprehensive security control. On October 16th, UNDP Mozambique has started an exhaustive research of the small arms related problems in Mozambique in collaboration with the Small Arms Survey from Switzerland, Institute for Security Studies from South Africa and Austral Consultores Lda from Mozambique.

The objectives of this four-month exercise are as follows:

a) To appraise international, regional and domestic arms flows, as well as estimate official and unofficial stockpiles of weapons.

b) To appraise the impact of small arms and light weapons proliferation, trafficking and misuse in the country.

c) Third, the assessment will analyse the civilian population’s perception on small arms and light weapons availability, impacts and potential control measures.

d) To provide an analysis of the need and capacity of local institutions and actors to design policies and actions on small arms and light weapons.

The results of the survey will be interpolated with additional information from the state security forces. The information contained in the assessment will form the basis for the development of a national action plan on small arms for Mozambique.

For more information, please contact:

Nelson Xavier, UNDP Public Information Officer.

Mobile phone: + 258 82 3140600

Office + 258 21 481438

E-mail: nelson.xavier@undp.org

UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.