United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa

{{Short description|United Nations regional office in Togo}} {{Infobox United Nations | name = | image = Emblem of the United Nations.svg | image_size = 120px | map = ODA-Masthead-Transparent-en (1).png | abbreviation = UNREC |established = {{start date and age|1986|1}} | founder = United Nations General Assembly | type = Regional centre of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs | purpose = Disarmament, non-proliferation, peacekeeping | headquarters = New York City | location = Lomé, Togo | coordinates = {{coord|6.1933766|1.2087729|display=inline,title}} | region_served = Africa | methods = Multilateral discussions and educational initiatives | leader_title = Director | leader_name = Anselme Nahmtante Yabouri<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-14 |title=Director of UNREC, Mr. Anselme Nahmtante YABOURI |url=https://www.unrec.org/director-2/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Office for Disarmament Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> | parent_organization = UNODA | website = {{URL|https://www.unrec.org/}} }} {{Non-proliferation, Disarmament, & Arms control}} The '''United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa''' ({{Abbr|UNREC|United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa}}) is a regional office of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs located in Lomé, Togo. It is mandated to support member states in Africa on issues of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. It assists African countries in promoting peace and security in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-14 |title=Who we are |url=https://www.unrec.org/director/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Office for Disarmament Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) |url=https://a-map.gichd.org/stakeholders/united-nations-regional-centre-for-peace-and-disarmament-in-africa-unrec/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=a-map.gichd.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 2021 |title=UNREC Fact Sheet |url=https://iansa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/UNREC-Fact-sheet-english-2019.pdf |website=International Action Network on Small Arms}}</ref>

== History == thumb|Resolution adopted at the 40th session of the UN General Assembly which established the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa UNREC was established through UN General Assembly resolution A/40/151G, dated 16 December 1985.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa |url=https://docs.un.org/en/A/RES/40/151 |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=docs.un.org}}</ref>

== Mandate and functions == UNREC's mandate, as defined in the founding resolution, is to provide, on request, substantive support to African member states for initiatives aimed at achieving peace, arms control and disarmament in the region.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-21 |title=UNREC Togo : première édition africaine du Programme mondial de formation sur le contrôle des armes légères - Le Nouveau Reporter |url=https://lenouveaureporter.com/unrec-togo-premiere-edition-africaine-du-programme-mondial-de-formation-sur-le-controle-des-armes-legeres-et-de-petits-calibres/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |language=fr-FR}}</ref>

Its principal functions include:

* Supporting dialogue and confidence-building among states in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNREC Workshop to Validate the Practical Handbook on Disarmament in Africa {{!}} Sipri |url=https://att-assistance.org/activity/unrec-workshop-validate-practical-handbook-disarmament-africa |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=att-assistance.org}}</ref> * Providing capacity-building, legal and technical assistance to states in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNREC Regional preparatory meetings for African States ahead of Third Review Conference on the United Nations Programme of Action on SALW {{!}} Sipri |url=https://att-assistance.org/activity/unrec-regional-preparatory-meetings-african-states-ahead-third-review-conference-united |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=att-assistance.org}}</ref> * Cooperating with regional and sub-regional organizations (for example the African Union) and coordinating regional activities to promote arms control and disarmament.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UNREC Convenes Webinar on "Rebalancing Security for Sustainable Development" {{!}} United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs |url=https://disarmament.unoda.org/en/updates/unrec-convenes-webinar-rebalancing-security-sustainable-development |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=disarmament.unoda.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Kodjo |first=Tchioffo |title=The AU and UNREC conclude a Training Course on SALW and Ammunition Identification and Tracing for Central African States -African Union - Peace and Security Department |url=https://www.peaceau.org/en/article/the-au-and-unrec-conclude-a-training-course-on-salw-and-ammunition-identification-and-tracing-for-central-african-states |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=African Union,Peace and Security Department |language=en}}</ref>

== Regional coverage == The centre supports 55 member states in the African region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UNREC |date=2024-12-12 |title=Country Profiles |url=https://www.unrec.org/2024/12/12/homecountry-profiles/ |access-date=2025-10-23 |website=Office for Disarmament Affairs |language=en}}</ref>

Member states include: {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *Algeria *Angola *Benin *Botswana *Burkina Faso *Burundi *Cabo Verde *Cameroon *Central African Republic *Chad *Comoros *Democratic Republic of the Congo *Republic of the Congo *Côte d'Ivoire *Djibouti *Egypt *Equatorial Guinea *Eritrea *Ethiopia *Gabon *The Gambia *Ghana *Guinea *Guinea-Bissau *Kenya *Lesotho *Liberia *Libya *Madagascar *Malawi *Mali *Mauritania *Mauritius *Morocco *Mozambique *Namibia *Niger *Nigeria *Rwanda *São Tomé and Príncipe *Senegal *Seychelles *Sierra Leone *Somalia *South Africa *South Sudan *Sudan *Swaziland *Tanzania *Togo *Tunisia *Uganda *Zambia *Zimbabwe {{div col end}}

== References == {{Reflist}} {{United Nations|state=expanded}} {{Authority control}} {{Portal bar|Politics}}

Category:United Nations organs Category:1985 establishments in Africa