Angola

After a 27-year civil war, Angola was left with a significant surplus of weapons and ammunition with inadequate and unsafe storage infrastructures, as well as high numbers of minefields across its territory. The country also experiences a significant proliferation of weapons, mostly originating from the civil war period and diversion from national stockpiles, which leads to further insecurity and high rates of weapons trafficking and armed crime.

In terms of weapons and ammunition management, the US Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (WRA), the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) and the HALO Trust notably work with the Angolan government, police and military to enhance the country’s physical security and stockpile management as well as its weapons and ammunition disposal capacities.

Source: Michael Tirre, “Angola’s Path Forward for Security and Economic Development: Weapons Management and Humanitarian Demining,” US Department of State, Dipnote, August 19, 2019, https://2017-2021.state.gov/angolas-path-forward-for-security-and-economic-development-weapons-management-and-humanitarian-demining/index.html; Adesoji Adeniyi, The Human Cost of Uncontrolled Arms in Africa. Cross-national Research on Seven African Countries, OXFAM Research Reports (Cowley: OXFAM, 2017), https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/rr-human-cost-uncontrolled-arms-africa-080317-en.pdf; “Polícia angolana reconhece roubo de armas por membros da corporação,” Voice of America, September 1, 2016, https://www.voaportugues.com/a/policia-angolana-roubo-armas/3489796.html; “Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM) in Africa,” UN Institute for Disarmament Research, Online Update Meeting Summary, 6 May 2020, https://www.unidir.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/Weapons%20and%20Ammunition%20Management%20%28WAM%29%20in%20Africa%20-%20Rapport%20English%20May%202020.pdf.