MAG began a new project in Rwanda in November 2008, to provide technical
assistance and training to the Rwandan Army and Police in stockpile
management and the destruction of surplus weapons, unstable ordnance
and small arms ammunition (SAA).
The expertise passed on will
benefit communities living close to stockpiles, reducing the risk of
death or injury resulting from fire or detonation.
Also
benefiting is the wider population, previously at risk from violent
crime resulting from the looting of insecurely-stored weapons.
The project follows an assessment by MAG in August, in cooperation with the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), to review the status of small arms and light weapons activities being conducted in the country.
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SALW stored at proposed weapons destruction workshop in Kigali, Rwanda. [Photo: MAG Rwanda] |
Subsequently, MAG obtained funding from the UK Government Conflict Prevention Pool to undertake an initial four-month Conventional Weapons Management and Disposal project.
MAG will first train a destruction team comprising army personnel in stockpile management, weapons destruction and basic Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) skills.
A
weapons destruction workshop will then be established and equipped. Following the training, the team will start weapons
destruction activities under the supervision and support of a MAG
Technical Field Manager. At a later stage unstable ordnance / SAA
destruction will be initiated at an already identified central
demolition site.
The initial project will continue until the
end of March 2009. During this period MAG will work closely together
with the Rwandan authorities to identify further destruction and
training priorities to be implemented from April 2009 onwards.
November 2008
