As part of its “Strengthening Oversight and Building Capacities for Small Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Private Security Sector” project, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in partnership with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), conducted an international seminar on good practices and international experiences in the private security sector on 16 March 2016 in Lima, Peru.
This seminar marks the successful completion of phase one of this joint project which commenced in June 2015 and is being implemented in both El Salvador and Peru in collaboration with the respective national authorities – the national directorate for the control of security services, firearms, ammunition and explosives (SUCAMEC) in Peru and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence in El Salvador.
During this seminar, UNLIREC and DCAF presented the project`s achievements in the two countries, including: small arms and ammunition inventory management training for more than 40 private security companies; assessments of eight private security companies aimed at providing technical recommendations on stockpile management and physical security measures; and secondary marking with laser technology of more than 1000 firearms. All of these activities – in line with the United Nations International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) – have contributed to improvements in the private security companies` arms and ammunition warehouses as well as the adoption of practices and procedures to improve small arms control in this sector.
Likewise, UNLIREC and DCAF described the available international initiatives and standards that are applicable to the private security sector, such as the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC), with the goal of promoting their accession and implementation. This seminar also provided a forum for discussion and experience sharing between government authorities, private security companies, civil society and other actors on mechanisms for good governance in the private security sector.
This project has been made possible due to the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. In the second phase, UNLIREC aims to expand the project to include additional countries in the region.
Through this assistance package, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States strengthen public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on the 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, (cowl@unlirec.org).