African Union: Peace Council meets in Algiers on illicit arms

This initiative is part of the continental policy aimed at reducing the circulation of illegally held weapons and supporting the African Union’s goal of silencing the guns by 2030. The Council, of which Benin is a member, urges states to strengthen their national actions during the month of September.

Encouraged measures include awareness campaigns, voluntary disarmament and collection programs for arms and ammunition, community dialogues, as well as enhancing marking, tracing, stock management, and destruction of collected weapons.

The meeting in Algiers will be centered around the theme of strengthening the Silencing the Guns initiative and sharing experiences in small arms control and mine clearance. It follows the commemoration held in Uganda in 2025, according to the Council’s agenda.

The African Amnesty Month was established by a decision of the African Union Assembly adopted in 2017. A subsequent decision made in December 2020 extended this annual September campaign dedicated to the disarmament and collection of illegally held arms until 2030.