A central location in West Africa and porous borders means that Burkina Faso faces unique challenges with trafficking.
Established in June 2015, MAG’s work in Burkina Faso reduces the impact weapons and ammunition have on communities, improving national and regional stability.
Why we work in Burkina Faso
Improving the management of weapons and ammunition has become a priority for many states in the Sahel and West Africa region - areas which have amassed large stockpiles due to conflict and cross-border insecurity.
The lack of adequate infrastructure or procedures for safe and secure weapons and ammunition storage in Burkina Faso can lead to weapons being diverted from stockpiles to non-state armed groups, fuelling national and regional instability.
Obsolete ammunition can also accidentally detonate when incorrectly stored, an accident that could have a devastating impact on communities.
Use of locally-produced mines has also increased recently, endangering life and limiting humanitarian access in the country.
MAG has helped us understand the importance of secured weapons storage, especially in the current security context.
Inspecteur KaboréBurkina Faso
How we help
Working in close coordination with the country’s National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, MAG improves the physical security of weapons and ammunition in state-held stockpiles through the rehabilitation, construction or provision of ammunition storage facilities. We also train people on how best to manage these facilities.
We support authorities to mark weapons, and destroy obsolete weapons and ammunition. We also provide safety briefings to humanitarian actors on locally-produced landmines.
