The government is rethinking its Programme national de désarmement, démobilisation et réinsertion (PNDDR; National Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme), according to the UN's Integrated Regional Information Networks, because of the failure to account for small arms (ranging from pistols to assault rifles) used in the 2007-08 attempt by the then president of Anjouan, Mohamed Bacar, to retain the island's presidency despite the lack of international or Union recognition of the elections (September 2007, The political scene).

The PNDDR, implemented by the central government with the support of the UN Development Programme and funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, estimates that there are some 400 small arms on the island, some belonging to the state military and others brought in illegally. However, six months after the start-up of the programme in June 2010, just three weapons-an assault rifle, pistol and hand-grenade-had been received.

This is problematic not just because of the implications of having a stock of weapons unaccounted for but also because disarmament has been regarded as a precursor to reintegration. Without the weapons some former combatants have been unable to enter re-skilling programmes (in areas including agriculture, mechanics and computer use). Thus, according to Ahmed Ben Said Jaffar, the director of Mr Sambi's cabinet, the disarmament and demobilisation programme will now be carried out "simultaneously", suggesting that former combatants will not have to cede weapons in order to be accepted onto rehabilitation programmes. Nonetheless, there is continuing suspicion among some former members of the Forces de gendarmerie d'Anjouan (FGA), that the missing weapons are providing a pretext for the Comorian government to withhold outstanding salaries and pensions for ex-FGA members. The risk is that ongoing problems with the rehabilitation process will alienate former soldiers, with potentially negative consequences for political stability on Anjouan.