Organized by the French Ministry of Defense the seminar was aimed at policy makers in Africa and donor countries and focused on international assistance that could be provided to countries in sub-Saharan Africa to tackle illicit trafficking of conventional arms. Representatives of African regional and sub-regional organisations most active in the fight against arms trafficking on the continent were invited to define their priority needs for assistance in the presence of the main international actors (including the UN and EU) capable of providing them with technical and financial support. The seminar was organised in response to the commitments made at the Elysée Summit for Peace and Security in Africa as well as the recent adoption of the ATT.