On 23 May, UNOAU participated in the 4^th remote meeting of AU-Regions standing committee on Small Arms Light Weapons (SALW) and Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR). The meeting was opened by the African Union Commission (AUC) Director of Governance and Conflict Prevention, Patience Chiradza, on behalf of the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS) Bankole Adeoye. The Director highlighted the increasing threats represented by illicit weapons on the continent; the importance of achieving the ‘Silencing the Guns’ Program of Action, the need for participation in initiatives and compliance with international and regional instruments. The Director emphasized the need for controls of weapons and the importance of support from the standing committee.

Invitees included representatives from the Community of Sahel-Saharan  States (CEN-SAD); Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); East African Community (EAC); Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); East African Standby Force (EASF); Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD); Southern African Development Community (SADC); Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR); Regional Center on Small Arms (RECSA); North African Regional Capability (NARC) and Sub-regional small arms control mechanism (SARCOM), with observers from UNOAU; UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS); UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC); UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC). The AU, Member States and UNIDIR reported on their activities. Dr. Nelson Lusaka presented his study on illicit arms flows and terrorism in Africa, which aimed to: map illicit weapons flows; and provide evidence and answers on how terrorists acquire arms. He noted the linkages of porous borders, poor stockpile management, insecurity, displacements, poverty, IDP camps and criminal flows. Overall concerns were raised regarding the increasing links between Improvised Explosive Devices, terrorism and illicit weapons and ammunition, and the greater need for increased cooperation and activities to address these threats.