This policy brief reviews the state of the physical state of security and stockpile management (PSSM) in West Africa and the Sahel as at 2022. Through desk research and policymaker interviews, it explores key policies and practices. It questions whether governments struggle to maintain their arms and ammunition because they bite off too much, encounter unforeseen consequences that lead to the exposure and diversion of weaponry, or are just negligent. Regardless, loss of life and the destruction of property continue unabated as criminals, violent extremists and other non-state actors take advantage of the armouries’ sub-standard security.
About the author
Nelson Alusala is a senior research consultant at the Institute for Security Studies on ENACT, focusing on links between arms control, disarmament and transnational organised crime. He has previously worked with the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the UN Panel of Experts on Liberia. He holds a PhD in political science from the University of Pretoria.
Photo: Adobe Stock
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