The announcement was made by the executive director of the movement, Georges Ndiaye, at a workshop on the June2007/June 2008 review programme of its organisation, held on Wednesday in Dakar, Senegal.

Representatives of the Parliamentarians' Network against Landmines and SALWS, the National Commission against SALWs and the Senegalese ministry of Justice attended the workshop.

After a year-long collaboration with the movement in the suppression of small arms and light weapons, advocacy for the drafting of an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and ratification of the ECOWAS Convention, Oxfam is puling out for extractive industry financing, movement's deputy Executive Director, Khoudia Diop, said.

The programme review was aimed at making a critical assessment of the ATT advocay, weighing the strength and weaknesses and devising ways of setting up a new programme for a more efficient fight against SALWs in Senegal, the sub-region and the world.

Ndiaye described the outcome of the workshop as satisfactory.

The aim of the 2008 Biennial, to be attended by Senegal, is to examine the implementation of the action programme in order to prevent, combat and eliminate the illicit trade of small arms in all aspects at the national, regional and global levels.

It will be an opportunity to set up a coordination organ in the UN's 192 member states as well as an information sharing network, in addition to promoting cooperation between the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and Interpol.

The National Commission against SALWs will meet on the latest preparations for the Biennial 10-11 July in Dakar to adopt a joint report for Senegal due to be submitted to the meeting.


From .afriquenligne.f