Feb 28, 2018 | Uncategorized
On 28 February 2018, UNLIREC representatives returned to Georgetown, Guyana accompanied by a UNSCR 1540 Expert from New York to assist national authorities in the finalisation of Guyana’s National Action Plan (NAP).
The NAP workshop was co-hosted with Guyana’s Ministry of Public Security as part of UNLIREC’s Programme for Strengthening the Capacities of States in Latin America and the Caribbean to Implement UNSCR 1540 (2004). Participating agencies included the Ministries of Public Security; Public Health; Agriculture; Guyana Revenue Authority (Customs); Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force.
The event complemented previous efforts made during the initial NAP workshop held in October 2017 in Georgetown and the result was a significantly more elaborated version of the document with input from a broad range of national authorities, including initiatives to combat proliferation financing as put forward by Guyana’s Ministry of Finance.
Feb 26, 2018 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC representatives travelled to Paramaribo, Suriname to co-host a National Action Plan (NAP) finalisation workshop alongside Suriname’s Ministry of Defence. The workshop also devoted a number of afternoon sessions to select themes that corresponded with UNSCR 1540 implementation topics such as the creation of an inter-institutional mechanism, role and function of a national authority and the development of national control lists.
The workshop provided a forum for select group of representatives from national authorities including the Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Attorney-Generals and Police and Trade. The workshop was also attended by a UNSCR 1540 Expert who was able to provide valuable insights that contributed to the enhanced development of Suriname’s NAP.
UNLIREC’s technical assistance was provided to Suriname as part of UNLIREC’s Programme for Strengthening the Capacities of States in Latin America and the Caribbean to Implement UNSCR 1540 (2004).
Feb 22, 2018 | Uncategorized
On 22 February 2018, a special workshop was held in Trinidad and Tobago to launch a preview of UNLIREC’s latest publication, the UNSCR 1540 Licensing Guide.
The event brought together representatives from a broad range of national authorities including the Ministries of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Customs, Attorney-General and Legal Affairs, Health, Trade and Industry, as well as representatives from the Financial Intelligence Unit and Strategic Services Agency.
The purpose of the UNSCR 1540 Licensing Guide is to provide States in the Latin American and Caribbean region with a practical tool that is complementary to UNLIREC’s signature publication from 2017, the UNLIREC Guide to Control Lists. Both topics were centerstage for the workshop and stimulated interesting dialogue amongst attendees on practical implementation aspects, dual-use goods and technologies, operational practises and regional trends.
The workshop was possible due generous funding provided by the Government of Canada as part of UNLIREC’s Programme for Strengthening the Capacities of States in Latin America and the Caribbean to Implement UNSCR 1540 (2004).
Sep 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
On 25 August, UNLIREC and the Government of Peru held a working meeting on the national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540. This activity brought together 23 representatives from 12 state entities, including Ministries and other institutions, such as: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Health, Agriculture, Justice and Human Rights, Interior, Environment, Production, INDECI, among others.
The objective of the session was to present to the working table the main comments from UNLIREC’s legal team regarding the “Bill on the Prohibition of Biological and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction”. The strengthening of the national regulatory framework in the field of non-proliferation of biological weapons was considered a priority by Peru in its Roadmap on the implementation of Resolution 1540. This activity is part of UNLIREC’s 1540 assistance package currently in execution thanks to the financial support from Canada.
As a result, the representatives from the different sectors began the debate on the basic issues to be considered in the preliminary analysis of the bill and its effective adaptation to the international obligations assumed by Peru in the field of non-proliferation of biological arms. In addition, basis were set for the next working meeting, the second in a series aimed at accompanying the Government of Peru in its national efforts to align and adapt the national legal framework with the mandates of the BWC and Resolution 1540.
Sep 11, 2017 | Uncategorized
On 9 November 2017, UNLIREC representatives travelled to Paramaribo, Suriname as part of UNLIREC’s UNSCR 1540 implementation programme to host a combined workshop focusing on the development of Suriname’s voluntary National Action Plan (NAP) and the creation of an inter-institutional mechanism.
The workshop was a follow-on event from the National Legal Study Roundtable held in April 2017 and it provided a forum for national authority representatives to come together, with UNLIREC’s assistance, to develop a draft NAP document that sets out Suriname’s plan for implementing resolution 1540.
Participating agencies included the Ministries of Defense; Foreign Affairs; Civil Aviation Safety Authority Suriname; National Assembly; Suriname Police Corps; Bureau of National Security; Central Bank of Suriname; National Assembly; and Customs. The event was ultimately very fruitful with a draft NAP produced before the conclusion of the day’s event.
Suriname, through its Ministry of Defense, has sustained strong efforts in relation to the resolution’s implementation throughout the year. UNLIREC welcomes the opportunity to provide Suriname with continued assistance both in the further elaboration of its draft NAP and more broadly, through UNLIREC’s other disarmament programmes.
