On 18 May 2017, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), together with the Government of the Republic of Togo, launched a project to support the Government’s efforts in marking, rehabilitation of stores and destruction of obsolete weapons and ammunition.

Chaired by the Togolese Minister of Security and Civil Protection and in the presence of the Permanent Secretary to the National Commission to Fight Against the Proliferation and Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (CNLPAL), this one day workshop in Lomé brought together over 200 participants, including 12 Ministers of the Government, Members of Parliament, the Diplomatic Corps, Civil Society Organizations and Representatives of International Organizations.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, the Minister of Security stressed the importance of this project in helping Togo improve the fight against proliferation and illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in the Country. The Minister expressed the appreciation of the Government to UNREC throughout this process.

The project will not only help promote the achievement of Objective 16.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which calls for the reduction of illicit arms flow and strengthening of relevant national institutions. It also contributes to the aspiration of the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns by 2020” on the continent, as foreseen in Agenda 2063.

Photos from the Event