The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) attended the inauguration of the newly renovated arms and ammunition depot of the National Regulatory Entity for Security Service, Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civilian Use (SUCAMEC). The depot was modernized with new furniture and high-security equipment as part of the technical assistance that UNLIREC is providing to SUCAMEC within the framework of its project entitled: Strengthening Oversight and Building Capacities for Small Arms Control and Non-proliferation in the Private Security Sector.
This renovated depot keeps arms and ammunition for civilian use in temporary custody, particularly those belonging to private security companies. A total of 16 clauses of the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and 12 clauses of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs) were incorporated into the redesign and remodelling of the depot, thus allowing for improvements in the physical security, access control, and storage, registration and record-keeping management of the arms and ammunition.
UNLIREC provided expert guidance on the arms depot remodelling process and donated equipment and materials to SUCAMEC, such as steel shelves, metallic doors, high-security padlocks, barcode reader and printer. Furthermore, 28 bullet traps were donated to all SUCAMEC’s offices nationwide, as well as HAZMAT signs that should be placed in the vicinity of ammunition storage as a supplementary security measure. The SUCAMEC’s arms depot is now in compliance with high-security international standards and good practices to ensure proper management of arms depots. The renovated arms depot will serve as a model for other SUCAMEC offices and private security companies nationwide, among other state agencies .
Under the umbrella of UNLIREC’s private security project, the Regional Ceentre promotes international standards on arms and ammunition management by private security companies and SUCAMEC, as a control and regulatory agency responsible for private security services in Peru, in order to prevent diversion, theft, or firearms accidents. This project is implemented by UNLIREC in partnership with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) with the economic support of the Federal Republic of Germany.
UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States in strengthening public security and the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).