On 16 July, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), launched its Central America Assistance Package in El Salvador undertaking three activities in San Salvador: Inter-Institutional Training Course on Combating the Illicit Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives – IITC (17-26 July); Technical Seminar on Stockpile Management International Standards; and Legal Seminar on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control (20 July). This assistance package is funded by the government of Germany and Finland.
UNLIREC’s award-winning IITC course trained 63 security sector personnel from various law enforcement and judicial entities. Participants received focused training from international and regional experts on illicit SALW investigation and tracing techniques, technical aspects of SALW and ammunition identification, international and national legal frameworks, intelligence gathering and SALW and ammunition evidence management. Implementing partners addressed a series of cross–cutting issues related to the use of force, the impact of armed violence on youth and women, and child protection.
In parallel, UNLIREC trained 25 law enforcement personnel – responsible for managing firearms and ammunition depots and storage units – in stockpile management international standards, based on the UN International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs).
Additionally, UNLIREC presented a legal study on El Salvador’s firearms legislation providing a series of recommendations to strengthen legal control over firearms in the country in line with international and regional agreements. Legal experts from Guatemala and Nicaragua shared their national experiences with a view to providing different elements to enhance national firearms control in El Salvador.
UNLIREC’s assistance strengthens State capacities to implement relevant international and regional disarmament instruments, such as the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN 2011 PoA).
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].