Apr 19, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues to assist States in the region in their efforts to effectively implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On 19-20 April, UNLIREC and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala held a Technical Workshop to Analyse Legislative Loopholes in the Implementation of the ATT.
The workshop was second of the project activities funded by the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund, of which Guatemala is a beneficiary state and in which UNLIREC, at the request of the Guatemalan authorities, is an implementing partner.
The workshop was directed to national authorities from sectors involved in controlling conventional arms transfers or from other areas responsible for the implementation of the ATT. As such, the workshop had 23 participants from various state entities, such as Directorate-General for the Control of Arms and Ammunition, National Civil Police, Customs Authorities, INTERPOL, Directorate-General for Private Security Services, as well as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
UNLIREC presented the preliminary conclusions of its analysis of the Guatemala´s national legislation and its compliance with the treaty provisions. This presentation opened the dialogue seeking to identify gaps in the legislation and to propose ways to amend it to advance in the implementation of the legislative ambit of the treaty. The discussions contributed towards an improved final legislative review document as well as towards the establishment of a set of practical recommendations, aiding the national process of effectively complying with the international instrument.
Feb 5, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues to support State efforts to facilitate the effective implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On 5-6 February, UNLIREC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala held a Technical Workshop on the Evaluation of Transfers and Reports of conventional arms.
During the mission, focus was placed on national authorities from sectors in charge of controlling conventional arms transfers or from other areas responsible for ATT implementation. As such, 25 representatives from various state entities participated, including the Directorate-General for the Control of Arms and Ammunition (DIGECAM), National Civil Police, Customs Authorities (SAT), the Ports, Airports and Border Checkpoints Division (DIPAFRONT), the Ministry of National Defence, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The UNLIREC team likewise presented the obligations arising out of the ATT, in particular those concerning export assessment. Guidelines were presented on how to establish an evaluation system aligned with the ATT and with conventional arms importation. Furthermore, the requirements of presenting the initial and annual reports established under the Treaty were addressed, as were the steps to be taken in the upcoming months in order to advance the practical application of the ATT, both at the policy level and in other relevant areas.
This event further served to formally launch the joint ATT project in Guatemala, sponsored by the Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat’s Voluntary Trust Fund, of which Guatemala is a beneficiary and in which UNLIREC, at the request of the Guatemalan authorities, is an implementing partner. Through this project, Guatemala and UNLIREC are building on the activities and efforts to effectively implement the Treaty that were introduced in a previous assistance and cooperation package in 2015.
Jan 23, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) remains committed to supporting State efforts to effectively implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). As such, on 23-24 January, UNLIREC and the Ministry of Defence of El Salvador, held a workshop on the “Identification of Conventional Arms and Ammunition.”
This represents the second of three activities in the country, which form part of the assistance package sponsored by the Arms Trade Treaty Secretariat’s Voluntary Trust Fund. El Salvador called on UNLIREC to serve as its main implementing partner in all project-related activities with a view to strengthening implementation of the Treaty.
The UNLIREC ATT team presented the specific regulations as related to the Treaty, with a particular focus on the technical characteristics of conventional arms, ammunition and their parts and components. The team also led discussions on the principles governing the different categories of conventional arms mentioned in the ATT, given that they will necessarily form part of the respective National Control List of El Salvador and, in turn, could be the subject of international exchange enshrined in the Treaty.
The workshop targeted 23 representatives from various state entities, with mainly technical responsibilities in controlling conventional arms transfers. Entities included the Joint General Staff, Customs Authorities, National Civil Police, INTERPOL, the Policy Directorate and the Logistics Directorate of the Ministry of National Defence, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Nov 20, 2017 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues its commitment to support States from the region in their efforts to effectively implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). In this regard, from 20-21 November, UNLIREC and the Ministry of Defense, along with the Salvadorian Chancellery, organized a workshop entitled “Towards internal regulation for ATT implementation”.
This activity represents the first of three workshops that form part of the assistance package sponsored by the ATT Voluntary Trust Fund through which El Salvador requested support to implement a project to provide continuity to its efforts to effectively execute the Treaty.
The activity – targeting 25 national authorities responsible for conventional arms transfers – provided a platform to present and discuss both the normative requirements that derive from the ATT, as well as the relevant national regulations. The aim was to identify the needs and determine the necessary steps for the preparation of the internal legislation that effectively enforces the ATT, as well as to present the draft decree to create the national authority to implement the aforementioned Treaty.
Jun 7, 2017 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) held a Practical Seminar: Fulfilling Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) reporting obligations in the CARICOM region from 6-7 July in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The purpose of this Seminar was to provide practical insights into the Arms Trade Treaty’s reporting requirements in order to increment the submission rate and quality of ATT and other relevant reports on an annual basis by CARICOM States. Fifteen representatives from ten CARICOM states participated in the activity (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.)
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Attorney General in Barbados, Deborah Payne, participated in the opening ceremony of the Seminar, where she stated: “As representatives from a small island developing state, we can relate to the reporting burden which treaties demand. This concern has been raised by several member states….The adoption of comprehensive reporting templates and the making of public reporting mandatory have been key objectives of some member states. Barbados shares that view, but also asserts that consideration must be given to those states for whom reporting is a challenge”
The seminar was delivered by the UNLIREC Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Programme team and participants benefitted from technical experts from the governments of Sweden and Costa Rica, and the CARICOM Implementing Agency for Crime and Security. Presentations and practical exercises were designed to support them in preparing the initial and annual reports and understanding how to set up an ATT national control system.
This seminar forms part of UNLIREC’s Arms Trade Treaty Assistance Package and was entirely funded by the Government of Sweden. Through its assistance to Latin American and Caribbean States, UNLIREC supports improvements in peace, security, and in implementing the Arms Trade Treaty.
