UNLIREC and the Dominican Republic united in the fight against illicit firearms trafficking

Jan 11, 2011 | Uncategorized

(Santo Domingo, November 2011) – The Ministry of State for the Armed Forces was the scene of UNLIREC´s Inter-institutional Training Course on Combating Illicit Firearms Trafficking (IITC), in Santo Domingo, held from 21 November to 2 December in response to requests for assistance from the Dominican authorities. In the same context, the international seminar entitled Combating Illicit Trafficking in Firearms: Control Measures and Regulations was also undertaken in the capital city on 24 November. Both activities were carried out thanks to the support of the Government of Sweden.

During the opening ceremony, UNLIREC’s Director, C. Mélanie Régimbal, indicated that providing security is necessary to “promote investment in and the sustainable development of a State”. In this regard she ensured that the strengthening of national capacities through initiatives like the IITC, which has improved the training of more than 3,000 security sector personnel throughout the region, is an effective and safe way to attain this goal. The Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of the Armed Forces, Luis Ramón Payan Areché, believes that one of the greatest advantages of the course is that officers work together in addressing the problem and prepares them to become training instructors in their own institutions.

The international seminar organized by the Commission of the Interior and Police from the Chamber of Deputies follows the legal assistance provided by UNLIREC in January 2011 when a legal dictum (opinion) was made on the current bill. On this occasion, a delegation of experts from UNLIREC appeared before the House of Representatives to share its knowledge on firearms classification, as well as promote the usefulness of disarmament campaigns and the importance of international firearms instruments.

UNLIREC’s legal expert, Sonia Fernández, delved into the most important aspects of the legal dictum and emphasized that as a party to various international instruments, the Dominican Republic is responsible for undertaking the necessary measures for their effective implementation.

The Coordinator of the United Nations System in the Dominican Republic, Valerie Julliand, encouraged the representatives to approve a legal framework to better control the possession and bearing of weapons with the aim of improving citizen safety. The president of the Commission of the Interior and Police, Elpidio Baez, said in her speech that both the legal dictum prepared by UNLIREC and the report from the international seminar will be taken into account in drafting the law on possession and bearing of firearms that the Commission of the Interior and Police is currently considering.The Coordinator of the United Nations System in the Dominican Republic, Valerie Julliand, encouraged the representatives to approve a legal framework to better control the possession and bearing of weapons with the aim of improving citizen safety. The president of the Commission of the Interior and Police, Elpidio Baez, said in her speech that both the legal dictum prepared by UNLIREC and the report from the international seminar will be taken into account in drafting the law on possession and bearing of firearms that the Commission of the Interior and Police is currently considering.

The States of the region participate in the III Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in The Americas

Jan 11, 2011 | Uncategorized

(Port of Spain, November 2011) – The III Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Public Security in the Americas (MISPA III) was held in Port of Spain under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza. The meeting welcomed delegations from all countries of the region, as well as representatives of sub-regional organizations, such as the CAN, CARICOM and SICA; international organizations; and observers from China, France, Japan, Russia, Spain, and The Netherlands. UNLIREC was invited to participate in its capacity as a regional expert with widespread experience in the field of public security.

Under the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago, the agenda of MISPA III focused on issues such as citizen and community participation in decision-making processes in police management, transparency and accountability, the inclusion of gender perspectives and human rights issues into police activities, mechanisms to support the modernization of police management, and the strengthening of police information systems.

The Secretary-General of the OAS emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between the States in order to better address the issue of criminal organizations that have gained ground in the region. The delegation of El Salvador highlighted its policy change from a “firm hand”, which only showed immediate results without generating greater security, towards a policy aimed at solving the problems in their broadest sense. The representative of Nicaragua emphasized the importance of incorporating a gender perspective into police management, which is essential to ensure the safety of the entire population, while the Delegation of Ecuador underlined the importance of promoting new types of policing, including community policing, which provides more stable relations with the citizens. In a speech on behalf of SICA States, the Secretary-General, Juan Daniel Alemán, presented the joint position achieved by the Central American States in relation to SICA’s Security Strategy, which sets common goals and projects for regional cooperation.

This Meeting of Ministers in the Americas has been held since 2009 with the purpose of strengthening regional dialogue among key stakeholders, promoting effective cooperation and exchanging best practices. As public security is one of the key issues on the agendas of all States in the region, creating opportunities for exchange and coordination is essential to arrive at comprehensive solutions. UNLIREC participates in these forums and contributes their areas of expertise to the consolidation of a community of practice relating to public security.