Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has become the first country in the world to adopt AmTag™ chemical marking technology — a groundbreaking step aimed at enhancing the traceability of its national ammunition stockpile and addressing longstanding concerns over the diversion of state weapons to militant groups like Al-Shabaab.
Implemented through the Central Monitoring Department (CMD) under the Office of National Security (ONS), the initiative marks a bold shift toward strengthening Somalia’s weapons and ammunition management following the lifting of the decades-long UN arms embargo.
The AmTag™ system, developed in partnership by Conflict Armament Research (CAR), Torchlight Technologies, and DeterTech, uses rare earth elements and fluorescent compounds to create an invisible chemical taggant. When applied to individual bullets and casings, the taggant embeds a unique code that links each round to its legal custodian — from manufacture to end-user deployment.
“The Somalia AmTag Pilot shows that long-held security challenges can be overcome with new technologies. The pioneering use of AmTag allows the Somali Government to take ownership of its security solutions and become a leader in weapon accountability among the international community,” said Jonah Leff, Executive Director of Conflict Armament Research.
By making each round traceable, the technology allows Somali authorities to perform forensic audits of ammunition usage, detect theft or mismanagement, and prevent diversion into the hands of black market actors or extremist groups. Thousands of rounds used by Somali police and military forces have already been marked — a global first for any national security force.
“AmTag will not only strengthen ongoing WAM measures that promote accountability but will foster behavioral change in how government ammunition stockpiles are managed and accounted for. We are pleased to lead the way in implementing the most robust WAM governance infrastructure in the region,” said Musadaq Ahmed, Director of the Central Monitoring Department at the Office of National Security.
The announcement coincides with UN Member States meeting in New York to discuss global frameworks for ammunition governance. Somalia’s leadership in adopting AmTag™ aligns directly with the newly endorsed Global Framework on Ammunition, which urges states to mark and trace state-held munitions to prevent illicit proliferation.
Conflict Armament Research, which has supported Somalia since 2013 in building secure stockpile management and accountability systems, expressed hope that other post-conflict and fragile states will follow Somalia’s example and harness modern technologies to protect national security.
