From 28 to 30 April 2021, the UNODC Global Firearms Programme gathered a group of national experts from various countries in West and Central Africa to discuss best practices and the proper operationalization of weapons storage sites. During the meeting, experts from seven countries (Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger and Senegal) had the opportunity to discuss software solutions to improve the storage, accounting and recordkeeping of seized firearms and which can greatly contribute to enhancing tracing procedures at the national and international levels. In addition, experts exchanged views on draft standard procedures for the handling of seized firearms as well as the use of UNODC’s Guiding Templates for Firearms-related Investigations.

As part of its work on promoting the proper handling of seized firearms, which includes their registration, temporary storage, access to investigations and to the justice system, and eventually their destruction, inter alia, recently in February of 2021 in Burkina Faso, UNODC handed over a transit storage site for seized firearms and ammunition to be used by the High Court of Ouagadougou 1.