On 30 September, Saferworld held the third online workshop of the Africa-China-Europe Expert Working Group (ACE EWG) on conventional arms. The meeting focused on finalising the project’s first publication entitled “Tackling the illicit trade and diversion of arms and ammunition in Africa: the role of China-Africa co-operation”.

At the previous online meeting on 16 July, the EWG  agreed to produce a paper with recommendations to the Seventh Ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), currently expected to take place in Senegal in autumn 2021.

The challenges posed by small arms and light weapons (SALW) proliferation and misuse in Africa have featured, but not always consistently, in the discussions, action plans and commitments made within FOCAC, appearing and disappearing from the agenda over the years. Given the peace and security implications of the proliferation and misuse of SALW in Africa, this briefing will make the case for FOCAC once again taking up the SALW issue. It will point to the need for sustained attention and cooperation to tackle the proliferation and misuse of SALW and ammunition into and within Africa in order to make a material impact and enhance prospects for peace, human security and prosperity across the continent and beyond.

The drafting of the briefing is progressing well and the meeting provided an opportunity for all experts to input on the finalisation of the paper. Experts discussed the content as well as the proposed strategy for dissemination. The paper is due for publication in October 2020.

The meeting was also an opportunity to welcome Dr Moncef Kartas as he joins the EWG as one of the three experts for Europe, replacing Mélanie de Groof. Dr Kartas is a non-resident affiliate researcher at the Centre on Conflict, Development, and Peacebuilding who also works as an international consultant specialising in security, peace and development. From 2016 to 2020, he served three mandates on the UN Panel of Experts on Libya. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will prove very valuable as the project continues to make good progress.