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The Government will take full account of the ECOWAS Moratorium declared on 1 November 1998 on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons when considering relevant licence applications to export small arms and light weapons to ECOWAS Member States. The Moratorium applies to pistols, rifles, shotguns, sub-machine guns, carbines, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, mortars and howitzers up to 85mm and ammunition and spare parts for the above. A Code of Conduct on its implementation was agreed on 24 March 1999.

 

Exceptions to the Moratorium may be granted where the goods are to meet legitimate security needs.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE MORATORIUM

There are three exceptions to the Moratorium as follows:

• for international peace operations;
• for legitimate national security needs;
• for individual ownership of a single weapon in the pistol, shotgun or non-military rifle categories for hunting or sporting purposes.