29 November 2022 – For the second consecutive year, representatives from the Caribbean met to discuss progress in the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap. This meeting was organized by the United Nations Regional Center for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) to discuss progress in its implementation during this year.. Over 50 representatives from beneficiary Caribbean States, partners and the donor community participated in this online event to take stock of the progress made to date.
The Roadmap aims to accelerate and bolster States’ efforts to prevent and combat the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons among the 15 CARICOM States and the Dominican Republic. The Roadmap serves as a guiding document for commonly agreed levels of performance at the strategic, policy and operational levels. It was developed in 2019 under the auspices of the Federal Republic of Germany and the United States of America and formally adopted in October 2020.
It is worth noting that during 2022 the 16 States participating in the Roadmap made significant efforts; seven of them: Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and Haiti, completed and formally approved their National Action Plans on firearms; and are now beginning its implementation. In addition, five States – Barbados, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago-, completed the drafting process.
These Plans outline States priorities in combating the illicit trafficking in firearms and ammunition and help to track progress by serving as a monitoring and tracking tool. Remaining States are also well on their way to progressing towards formal adoption of these Action Plans and thus contributing to enhanced firearms control in the region. Close to USD5 million has been invested in the region over the past three years allowing the delivery of over 200 activities designed to support the four Goals of the Roadmap.
The annual meeting was preceded by preparatory exchanges, organized by UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS – as the co-custodians and main implementing partners of the Caribbean Roadmap. The first included the different key implementing partners on the Roadmap, namely the UN Development Programme, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Customs Organization, the Organization of American States, INTERPOL, and Small Arms Survey, to inform and collaborate on upcoming partner activities in support of the Roadmap. While the second was aimed at the donor community, including Germany, Canada, the United States , the European Union, and the United Kingdom that provides essential financial support to partners and beneficiary States.
The Roadmap takes into consideration the provisions included in the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects. Its implementation also contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Goal 16 and target 16.4 which seeks to significantly reduce illicit arms flows.