From 9 to 25 November 2022, authorities from Dominica were trained in Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) in a course delivered by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).
Twenty-five (25) officials, including five (5) women, from the following agencies actively participated in the hybrid course: Dominica Air and Seaports Authority, Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force and the Dominica Customs and Excise Division. This was the first national ISAAPC course delivered to officials in Dominica, which seeks to strengthen national capacities to detect trafficked weapons and ammunition.
The ISAAPC course was carried out via virtual theoretical sessions and in-person practical presentations and exercises. The practical sessions included training on an X-ray simulation programme which is an interactive platform that trains users to identify concealment methods employed by traffickers in the region. The platform was developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA).
This training allowed participants to learn about fundamental aspects of X-ray technology to detect and identify small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, and explosives that are placed in or concealed in postal shipments, packages, parcels and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC within the ’‘Combating illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking in the Caribbean’ project, funded by the United States of America. It was developed in line with 2001 UN Programme of Action on small arms, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular target 16.4. It also contributes towards regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition as set out in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
