Keep Up With Global Black News

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox.

BY Stephanie Shaw, 12:00am July 16, 2012,

UN Destroys Hundreds of Light Weapons and Small Arms in the Ivory Coast

by Stephanie Shaw, 12:00am July 16, 2012,

UN Destroys Hundreds of Light Weapons and Small Arms in the Ivory CoastThe United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has wiped out over 600 small arms and light weapons in the Ivory Coast over the last two days. It was part of the first weapon destruction exercise in the area since the post-election crisis in 2011.

The weapons were stored at a camp in Abidjan, and UNMAS wasted no time in cutting them up. It was a collaboration effort by UNMAS and the National Commission of Small Arms and Light Weapons of Côte d'Ivoire (COMNAT-CI). It was part of the observance of International Small Arms Destruction Day, which is on July 9.

The weapons were collected during a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants by the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) throughout the country.

Carles Frisby, the UNMAS Programme Manager in Côte d'Ivoire, said, "Having secured the consensus of all stakeholders, including the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons to proceed with destruction, we can now contribute in a concrete manner to the reduction in armed violence.”

COMNAT-CI has performed 36 ad hoc weapon collection operations across the country, recovering 1,811 weapons and 316,600 munitions, according to UNMAS.

 

Photo credit: UNOCI

Last Edited by: Updated: June 19, 2018

Conversations

Must Read

Connect with us

Join our Mailing List to Receive Updates

Face2face Africa | Afrobeatz+ | BlackStars

Keep Up With Global Black News and Events

Sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates and events from the leading Afro-Diaspora publisher straight to your inbox, plus our curated weekly brief with top stories across our platforms.

No, Thank You