Cabo Verde to restart arms control commission
A national commission for light and small arms control will be reactivated to improve coordination and training.
Cabo Verde will restart its national commission for the control of light and small arms and ammunition, a body that had ceased functioning. The recommendation came after a national assessment by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which found the lack of such a structure a gap in national coordination. The commission will ensure articulation between institutions responsible for arms management.
Abayomi Adiomi, head of the ECOWAS assessment team, stated that Cabo Verde needs this national commission to coordinate entities involved in arms control. He also highlighted the need to train customs, police, and other relevant professionals, and to provide them with necessary equipment. Camilo da Graça from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence confirmed the reactivation, adding that the National Police will lead the interministerial and interdisciplinary body.
The commission will monitor arms and ammunition management and produce reports for comparison with other ECOWAS member states. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) representative, Mohamed Coulibaly, stressed the importance of improved information sharing and operational coordination. Measures identified include awareness campaigns, voluntary arms collection, and destruction of obsolete or seized weapons, building on the 2023 law on arms and ammunition.
Why it mattersCabo Verde's national commission for arms control will be reactivated to improve coordination and training for officials.