MAG has been working in the Democratic Republic of Congo since July 2004, and now has bases in Lubumbashi and Pweto in Katanga; Mbuji Mayi in Kasai Orientale; and Mbandaka and Gemena in Equateur; supported by the head office in Kinshasa. Despite the presence of a UN peacekeeping mission the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) remains high and constitutes an ongoing threat to the stability and development of the country.
The Congolese Civil War, which left an estimated four million dead, officially ended in 2003 with the signing of the Sun City Agreement. Yet pockets of conflict continued after the accord was signed and vast amounts of illicit weapons acquired by the various militias remain in circulation. Small arms such as pistols, AK-47’s and rocket propelled grenades are widely available.
Since September 2006, MAG mobile teams have been working hard to destroy stockpiles of weapons and ammunition at various locations across the country. In May 2007, MAG received written authorisation from the Ministry of Defence to destroy surplus military stocks in all Military regions.
Also in May 2007, a destruction centre was established by MAG at the Central Logistics Base in Kinshasa. The programme recently deployed one SALW team to Goma for an emergency operation, undertaking the destruction of 20 tons of ammunition (over 18,000 kilogrammes) which were badly stored and presented a serious risk of explosion.
MAG’s SALW programme in DRC is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State, Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.
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5 June 08
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