By Asha Elmi - Reporter
DJIBOUTI, 6 October 2026 About 30 Djiboutian customs officials are taking part in a three-day training programme aimed at strengthening efforts to combat illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, with technical support from the World Customs Organization, the Djiboutian Information Agency (ADI) reported.
The workshop began on Monday and is scheduled to run through Oct. 8, with two WCO experts providing technical support.
Aboubaker Bourhan Hamadou, interim Director General of Customs, said illicit small arms trafficking posed a serious threat by fuelling crime, destabilising the economy and threatening citizens' lives.
The training is intended to improve customs officers' ability to detect and combat illicit arms trafficking, alongside the use of modern technologies by the customs administration.
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The WCO says customs administrations play a key role in preventing the illicit movement of small arms and light weapons because of their role in controlling cross-border flows of goods, people and transport.
The organisation has operated a dedicated programme on small arms and light weapons since 2015, providing technical assistance and capacity-building support to customs administrations seeking to detect and prevent illicit trafficking.
The WCO also works with INTERPOL to support the identification and tracing of illicit firearms, including through access to INTERPOL's iARMS database, which contains records of illicit firearms recovered around the world.
The workshop is part of Djibouti's efforts to strengthen the capacity of its customs service to protect the country's territory and citizens from illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.