Presentation by the Organization of American States



PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE OEA/Ser.G

ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES CP/CSH/INF. 47/06 corr. 1

3 October 2006

COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC SECURITY Original: English

PRESENTATION BY THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM OF ACTION ON THE ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS

June 29, 2006

PRESENTATION BY THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES AT THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM OF ACTION ON THE ILLICIT TRADE IN SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS

(Presentation delivered by Alison August Treppel, Senior Specialist, Department of Public Security)

June 29, 2006

On behalf of José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, I am pleased and honored to be speaking with you today at the 2006 Small Arms Review Conference. I would like to thank the UN Department for Disarmament Affairs for inviting the OAS to participate in this important dialogue on the contributions of international organizations in implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its aspects.

It has been well established that the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms jeopardizes the well-being and security of states and their peoples, their social and economic development and their right to live in peace. Moreover, when used by terrorists and criminals, these unlawful actions undermine the rule of law, breed violence, exacerbate conflicts, and represent a serious threat to human security.

The OAS has been actively involved in this issue since the early 1990s, when its Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) was mandated by the OAS General Assembly with establishing an Expert Group to address the subject of the illicit transnational movement of firearms and explosives. In response, CICAD crafted the first model regulations aimed at creating harmonized measures and procedures for monitoring and controlling international movements of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. These model regulations, which have been recognized as significant mechanisms to control the movement of firearms throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, have been partially or fully adopted in the legislation of a number of the OAS member States. CICAD later went on to draft other model regulations, including those intended to promote harmonized broker controls in order to prevent the diversion of firearms to unlawful ends. The OAS is encouraging member States to adopt these model regulations as well.

In 1997, as concern increased over the illicit production of and trafficking in firearms, the OAS member States adopted the “Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Production of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials” (“CIFTA”). CIFTA is the first and --to date-- only regional agreement in existence to address this subject. It emphasizes the need to strengthen measures in the marking of firearms; the confiscation or forfeiture of firearms; export, import and international transit licenses; the strengthening of controls at export points; and other security measures. CIFTA officially entered into force on July 1, 1998 and has been ratified by 26 of the 34 OAS member countries.

To ensure implementation of the Convention, as well as to promote cooperation and training activities among the States Parties, CIFTA called for the establishment of a Consultative Committee. This Committee consists of one representative of each State Party to the Convention and holds one regular meeting each year, which is presided over by a Secretariat pro tempore. At the 7th regular session of the Committee held this past April, Costa Rica was elected to this position. Between sessions, the Consultative Committee actively participates in and contributes to regional and international workshops and meetings, and reports regularly on its activities to the OAS Committee on Hemispheric Security. It is also responsible for compiling the results of the official CIFTA Questionnaire, which tracks implementation of the Convention and other firearms mechanisms by the States Parties.

CIFTA also called for a meeting of States Parties to be held five years after the Convention’s entry into force. As a result, the First Conference of the States Parties took place in Bogotá, Colombia in March 2004. The primary result of this Conference was the Bogotá Declaration, which essentially guides CIFTA’s functioning and application. Salient among the Declaration’s recommendations was creation of a CICAD-CIFTA Group of Experts to draft model legislation in such areas as: marking of firearms; confiscation or forfeiture; security measures; strengthening of controls at export points; maintenance, confidentiality and exchange of information; techniques of controlled delivery; and other legislative measures needed to ensure compliance with the purpose and effective application of CIFTA.

The Group of Experts, which is now responsible for drafting the legislation formerly undertaken by CICAD, will meet in October of this year to finalize draft model legislation on the marking and tracing of firearms and also to begin review of draft model legislation on strengthening controls at export points. It is worth mentioning here that this model legislation has been enriched through observations made by the international community. The OAS is grateful, in particular, for the valuable interventions made by GRIP (Groupe de Recherche et d'information sur la Paix et la Sécurité) and other NGOs during the Group of Expert meetings earlier this year.

Also in response to the Bogotá Declaration, a meeting of National Authorities directly responsible for granting the authorization of licenses was held in October 2005. This meeting resulted in recommendations to promote and facilitate information exchange regarding authorizations or licenses for the export, import and international transit of firearms, ammunition and explosives; development of common or harmonized elements in certificates and documents; and mechanisms to reduce possibilities of forgery or fraud in import and export licenses and permits.

Additionally, the Declaration emphasized the need to destroy excess stocks, provide training and continuing education for public officials responsible for the fight against the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, and provide mutual legal assistance – specifically through the creation of a directory of central authorities. In order to meet these challenges, the OAS has developed an active collaboration with other international and regional organizations. In particular, through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the OAS and UN-LiREC, the two organizations have worked closely to maintain a review of all the firearms laws in the Americas (the SALSA database), coordinate firearms, munitions and explosives destruction events, and sponsor seminars and training throughout the region. The OAS looks forward to continuing this rich collaboration with UN-LiREC, as well as with other UN entities, as it continues to develop and support efforts to fight the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms.

In fact, in December 2005 Secretary General Insulza strengthened the OAS commitment to the fight against all threats to national security in the region by creating the Secretariat of Multidimensional Security. This new Secretariat is composed of three dependencies: the Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD); the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee on Terrorism (CICTE); and the Department of Public Security. The latter includes creation of the Section on Firearms, which, in addition to serving as Technical Secretariat of CIFTA’s Consultative Committee, will coordinate with other OAS organizations and entities to provide technical and mutual legal assistance in all matters relating to the proliferation, traffic and destruction of firearms, ammunition and explosives throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

The OAS shares the concerns set forth in the UN Programme of Action regarding the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms, and concurs with the Guatemala Declaration adopted in May 2006 by representatives of the Latin American and Caribbean States on the importance of, among other things, cooperation and international assistance in this process. Through the newly created Department of Public Security, as well as through the continued work of the Consultative Committee of CIFTA, the OAS reaffirms its commitment to this fight to ensure the safety and well-being of all people and their right to live in peace.

Thank you very much.

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CP16898T01

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