Feb 23, 2015 | Uncategorized
As part of UNLIREC’s technical assistance package to strengthen the implementation of resolution 1540 in the Caribbean, the Government of Belize and UNLIREC organized a national roundtable in Belmopan on February 23. This event brought together over 10 high level representatives from various institutions and agencies in Belize to discuss the findings and recommendations of UNLIREC’s study on the existing legal framework on 1540, and served as an opportunity to actively engage with the different stakeholders and explain the nature and scope of the review and of the technical assistance package in general. As well, additional information was gathered on the implementation of the resolution in the country, and a series of priority areas were identified for the delivery of further technical assistance in the coming months.
During the one day discussions, senior officials from a range of relevant institutions and agencies benefited from a series of presentations from the Group of Experts assisting the 1540 Committee on the nature and scope of UNSCR 1540(2004), and from UNLIRE C officials who introduced the content of the assistance package as well as a detailed account of the comprehensive review of the country’s legislation and potential recommendations for addressing challenges. Finally, the CARICOM 1540 Coordinator informed the audience of the work that this regional organization has undertaken in the past years.
In the afternoon panel, moderated by Mr. George Lovell, CEO of the Ministry of National Security, participants presented their comments and observations on potential priority areas for further assistance and training, and agreed to continue discussing these through internal deliberations that will be summoned for the coming weeks. The main issues addressed included the need to adopt a more robust legal framework on WMD matters, the necessity of summoning additional agencies to the table (Ministry of Health, Financial Intelligence Unit, among others), as well as the convenience of attempting to consolidate a coordinated work plan for the implementation of the resolution.
UNLIREC reiterated its willingness to support Belize should ongoing internal deliberations result in a specific request for technical assistance.
For more information on UNLIREC visit [www.unlirec.org]. Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, [cowl@unlirec.org].
Nov 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
The Government of Peru, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through its Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), hosted a regional workshop on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) for South American States.
The workshop takes place on 11-13 November 2014 in Lima and is organized with funds provided by the European Union, the Republic of Korea, Norway and the United States of America.
The Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, unanimously adopted resolution 1540 (2004) on 28 April 2004 obliging all States to enforce effective measures and establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery to non-State actors.
To this end, States are required to develop and maintain appropriate effective measures to account for and secure such items in production, use, storage or transport and to develop and maintain appropriate effective physical protection measures.
The workshop in Lima is the first workshop for South American States on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) focusing on the issue of effective physical protection and accounting of related materials.
Representatives of eleven Member States as well as international and regional organizations will attend the workshop. Participating States will engage in information exchange and experience sharing, and discusse effective national practices for implementing resolution 1540 (2004) as well as cooperation with relevant international and regional partner organizations.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org.) Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
Source: UNLIREC
Nov 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC officially launched its 1540 Programme with its first field activity in Grenada. This forms part of UNLIREC’s new 1540 assistance package for the Caribbean, which benefits from funding from US Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Non-proliferation (ISN), aimed at assisting States in the region in their implementation of the resolution. On 10 June 2014, UNLIREC, together with an expert assisting the 1540 Committee and the CARICOM 1540 Coordinator, met with officials from the Office of the Attorney General of Grenada and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the programme and the main conclusions of its national study on the country’s legislation in non-proliferation matters. During the meeting, UNLIREC expressed its intention to build upon the work that both the 1540 Committee and CARICOM have been undertaking in Grenada, and further assist the country in addressing the main needs and challenges arising in the implementation of the resolution.
During the following two days, UNLIREC chaired a roundtable attended by close to 15 institutions and agencies from Grenada to share the findings and recommendations of its national study on the current legal framework in Grenada vis-à-vis the obligations contained in both UN Security Council resolution 1540(2004) and the main international conventions and instruments on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, their means of delivery and related material.
Commending the progress made by Grenada since the adoption of the resolution in 2004, UNLIREC highlighted the need to enact specific legislation to address issues, such as transportation, transfer and transshipment of nuclear, chemical and biological materials, as well as adopt comprehensive control lists for certain items that are proliferation-sensitive.
Together with representatives of the various institutions present, a tentative work plan was drawn up with specific activities and training sessions, including the proposed visit by a South African delegation in July to address aspects of UNSCR 1540(2004) operative paragraph 3 (c) and (d) to assist Grenada in the elaboration of control lists and legal drafting on export controls, and the possibility of joining forces with the International Maritime Organisation, the US Department of Energy and INTERPOL to provide assistance and training in certain fields of law enforcement, port security and border controls and commodity identification.
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) forms part of the Regional Disarmament Branch (RDB), one of five branches of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). UNLIREC is the only UN regional entity specialized in disarmament and non-proliferation in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Its main function is to translate the decisions, instruments and commitments of Member States in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation into action, at national, sub-regional and regional levels. In short, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States in achieving and maintaining peace and security through disarmament.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org.) Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
Aug 18, 2014 | Uncategorized
In October 2013, UNLIREC received funding from the US Department of State to roll out a technical assistance programme in the Caribbean region to strengthen the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540(2004), which establishes legally binding obligations on all UN Member States to have and enforce appropriate and effective measures against the proliferation of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons (WMD). Following consultations with the donor, the CARICOM Secretariat and other stakeholders, UNLIREC selected five countries for the first phase of the training, including Belize.
During a joint mission with the US Department of State’s Regional Advisor of the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program from 18-21 August 2014, UNLIREC visited Belize to conduct high-level meetings with key stakeholders in the country to present the EXBS Regional Program and UNLIREC’s 1540 Programme as one of its components.
During discussions with the Attorney General Ministry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Security, the Belize National Coast Guard, the Department of Customs and Excise, the Port of Belize and the Belize Defence Force, officials expressed a keen interest in actively engaging in the activities conducted by both EXBS and UNLIREC, and indicated the importance of the objectives of those programmes for Belize.
Both UNLIREC and EXBS look forward to collaborating further with the Government of Belize in efforts to strengthen export control and border security, as well as the country’s implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004).
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org.) Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
Jul 21, 2014 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC accompanied a delegation from the South African Department of Trade and Industry to provide technical assistance to the Government of Grenada on the enactment of comprehensive legislation on non-proliferation, as well as on the drafting and effective implementation of control lists (21-24 July 2014). Stakeholders from several institutions and agencies attended presentations and discussions on the South African model on control lists and their implementation, including the Ministry of Agriculture, St. George’s University, the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority, the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Business, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, the Grenada Ports Authority, the Royal Grenada Police Force – Fire Department / Passport and Immigration Office-, Customs and Excise and the Bureau of Standards.
During focalized discussions with officials from the Ministry of Legal Affairs, issues relating to possible amendments to existing legislation were addressed, along with suggestions for strengthening the current legal framework in the areas of nuclear and biological weapons and materials.
In the margins of the assistance mission, UNLIREC met with the Permanent Secretaries and the Heads of the Non Ministerial Departments during their weekly meetings chaired by the Cabinet Chair, and presented the characteristics of the assistance package that it has been delivering in the country over the past months. Commending the dedication, effort and commitment displayed thus far by all of the officials with which the Centre has been working, UNLIREC exhorted the permanent secretaries and heads of non-ministerial departments to continue supporting their officials in this training and to promote the strengthening of Resolution 1540 (2004) in Grenada.
UNLIREC also conducted meetings with officials from the MFA to discuss the consolidation of an interinstitutional working group, the drafting of a voluntary national action plan and next steps for the upcoming activities in the technical assistance component of the package.
UNLIREC forms part of the Regional Disarmament Branch (RDB), one of five branches of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). UNLIREC is the only UN regional entity specialized in disarmament and non-proliferation in the Latin American and Caribbean region with the task of translating the decisions, instruments and commitments of Member States in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation into action, at national, sub-regional and regional levels.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org.) Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
