L 360/30 Official Journal of the European Union 17.12.2014 COUNCIL DECISION 2014/912/CFSP of 15 December 2014 in support of physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) activities to reduce the risk of illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition in the Sahel region THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Articles 26(2) and 31(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Whereas: (I)  On 15 and 16 December 2005, the European Council adopted the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition. In that Strategy, the European Council acknowledges that the abundance of stocks of SALW and ammunition makes such arms easily obtainable by civilians, criminals, terror- ists and combatants alike and stresses the need to pursue preventive action to tackle the illegal supply of conven- tional weapons and their demand. It also singles out Africa as the continent most affected by the impact of internal conflicts aggravated by the destabilising influx of SALW. (2)  On 21 March 2011, the Council endorsed the European Union Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel, which provides an integrated framework for Union engagement in the Sahel region. One of the four strands of actions of the Strategy aims at strengthening the capacities of the security, law enforcement and the rule of law sectors in this region to fight threats and handle terrorism and organised crime in a more efficient and specialised manner and link them to measures of good governance. (3)  On 14 June 2006 in Abuja, Nigeria, the Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Their Ammunition and Other Related Materials, which entered into force on 29 September 2009. On 30 April 2010 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Member States of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Republic of Rwanda adopted a Central African Convention for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, their Ammunition, Parts and Components that can be used for their Manufacture, Repair or Assembly. In both Conventions, signatory States have undertaken, inter alia, to take the necessary measures to ensure the safe and effective management, storage and security of their national stocks of SALW, in accordance with the appropriate standards and procedures. (4) Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria have ratified the Arms Trade Treaty, as have 23 Member States, while Chad, Maur- itania, and Niger have signed it. Article 16(1) of the Arms Trade Treaty provides that, in implementing the Treaty, each State Party may seek assistance including legal or legislative assistance, institutional capacity-building, and technical, material or financial assistance. Such assistance may include stockpile management, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes, model legislation, and effective practices for implementation. Each State Party in a position to do so shall provide such assistance, upon request. (5)  Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania and Nigeria are States Parties to the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (the ‘Firearms Protocol). (6)  All UN Member States are committed to the effective implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and FEradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN Programme of Action’), as well as of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons. (7) At the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States to Consider the Implementation of the UN Programme of Action (New York, 16-20 June 2014), all UN Member States reiterated that proper management of SALW stockpiles, in par- ticular in conflict and post-conflict situations, is essential to prevent accidents and reduce the risk of diversion to the illicit trade, illegal armed groups, terrorists, and other unauthorised recipients. UN Member States called for