The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), conducted a training session in Tegucigalpa through a training workshop on Best International Practices and Standards on Stockpile Management from 27_ 28 April 2015.
Diverse government institutions, such as the National Police, the Armed Forces and the Public Ministry, received this two-day training session aimed at standardizing physical safety measures for small arms stockpiles, ammunition and explosives that each country has in place. As well, the workshop contributed to reducing safety risks at stockpiles and avoiding their diversion to illicit markets and preventing accidents, such as accidental explosions.
The content of this technical workshop follows the UN International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs). It is expected that the 35 trained participants will incorporate these standards and good practices into the management of ammunition and explosives stockpiling under their supervision.
“Following the training workshop, we [policemen and military personnel] will apply the knowledge learned to each of our areas of arms, ammunition and explosive management, considering risk management. We were oblivious to the different aspects involved in this topic and now there will be some changes in our work,” commented participant Virgilio Murillo, member of the Honduran National Police at the end of the workshop.
The training workshop forms part of UNLIREC’s regional project ‘Preventing Armed Violence in Central America and the Dominican Republic through the Combat of Illicit Trafficking in Firearms’ financed by the Federal Government of Germany. By providing assistance to Latin America and Caribbean, UNLIREC contributes to improving public security and supports States implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information about UNLIREC, visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
Source: UNLIREC