The United National Development Programme (UNDP), as part of its regional cooperation and support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has embarked on a mapping exercise of all Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) related intervention in West Africa.
An ECOWAS and UNDP Consultant Mr. Abiodun Onadipe who is a visiting guest of LiNCSA told authorities of the Small Arms Commission that the initiate is aimed at identifying stakeholders involved in the myriad interventions on SALW in the region. Part of the process according to Mr. Onadipe, is to highlight peculiar SALW issues on a country by country basic, emphasizing coherent responses on controlling, managing and preventing the proliferation and use of SALW in conflict.
Mr. Abiodun Onadipe, a conflict expert in the area of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, informed the Commission that the mapping exercise will collect data on SALW project intervention, lesson learnt, best practices as well as their impacts on member states. Additionally, Mr. Onadipe noted, that the exercise will provide content for the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons Database with critical information including specific country actors, challenges, arms dynamics, interventions, successes and impacts.
He said, his visit will also entail the revision of project documents with the Commission that have to do with the eradication of SALW in five-year period, before and after. Mr. Onadipe concluded by saying that his mandate will cover five West African Countries, Namely; Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Benin and Liberia.
In response, LiNCSA’s Chairman Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II described the visit of Mr. Abiodun Onadipe as timely and relevant to the Commission current focus. The Chairman emphasized the need for the Commission to decentralize its activities in the fifteen political sub-division of Liberia so as to step up efforts to curtail the proliferation of SALW in Liberia.
Atty. Grigsby also stressed the importance of civilian arms registration in Liberia which according to him is key in the fight against small arms proliferation.
As part of his plan, LiNCSA Boss said, his leadership concentration is to meet with relevant partners to explore the possibilities of seeking support directed to prevent the illicit flows of small arms and its related materials. He told the UNDP and ECOWAS Consultant of also reaching out to the various African Embassies in Liberia for exchange programs for the purpose of capacity building. The Chairman assured the Consultant of providing him key documents of the Commission to facilitate his work in Liberia.
While in Liberia, Mr. Abiodun Onadipe will hold discussion with relevant Government Ministries and Agencies, partners of the Commission as well as Civil Society Organizations in Liberia.
The United National Development Programme (UNDP), as part of its regional cooperation and support to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has embarked on a mapping exercise of all Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) related intervention in West Africa.
An ECOWAS and UNDP Consultant Mr. Abiodun Onadipe who is a visiting guest of LiNCSA told authorities of the Small Arms Commission that the initiate is aimed at identifying stakeholders involved in the myriad interventions on SALW in the region. Part of the process according to Mr. Onadipe, is to highlight peculiar SALW issues on a country by country basic, emphasizing coherent responses on controlling, managing and preventing the proliferation and use of SALW in conflict.
Mr. Abiodun Onadipe, a conflict expert in the area of peacebuilding and conflict resolution, informed the Commission that the mapping exercise will collect data on SALW project intervention, lesson learnt, best practices as well as their impacts on member states. Additionally, Mr. Onadipe noted, that the exercise will provide content for the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons Database with critical information including specific country actors, challenges, arms dynamics, interventions, successes and impacts.
He said, his visit will also entail the revision of project documents with the Commission that have to do with the eradication of SALW in five-year period, before and after. Mr. Onadipe concluded by saying that his mandate will cover five West African Countries, Namely; Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Benin and Liberia.
In response, LiNCSA’s Chairman Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II described the visit of Mr. Abiodun Onadipe as timely and relevant to the Commission current focus. The Chairman emphasized the need for the Commission to decentralize its activities in the fifteen political sub-division of Liberia so as to step up efforts to curtail the proliferation of SALW in Liberia.
Atty. Grigsby also stressed the importance of civilian arms registration in Liberia which according to him is key in the fight against small arms proliferation.
As part of his plan, LiNCSA Boss said, his leadership concentration is to meet with relevant partners to explore the possibilities of seeking support directed to prevent the illicit flows of small arms and its related materials. He told the UNDP and ECOWAS Consultant of also reaching out to the various African Embassies in Liberia for exchange programs for the purpose of capacity building. The Chairman assured the Consultant of providing him key documents of the Commission to facilitate his work in Liberia.
While in Liberia, Mr. Abiodun Onadipe will hold discussion with relevant Government Ministries and Agencies, partners of the Commission as well as Civil Society Organizations in Liberia.
