Disarmament in Review
From 8-10 October 2014, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in San José, Costa Rica, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) piloted a practical training course on implementing the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The course trained national operators dealing with the control of imports and exports of conventional arms, alongside relevant officials from other Central American States who also attended to share their experience.
The training toolkit aims to assist Member States in their efforts to create national control lists and responsibly evaluate the risks involved in conventional arms transfers. Training modules were piloted on various topics, including the technical aspects of conventional arms and their trade, legal requirements of treaty implementation, and arms transfer risk assessments. The course also features a unique practical simulation, where participants play various roles to review transfer ‘cases’, and apply tools introduced in the classroom to determine whether the transfers should be ‘authorized’. In addition, a model end-user certificate drawing on global best practices is provided to Member States as a starting point for strengthening arms transfer controls.
The training course is available in Spanish or English for interested Member States throughout Latin America and the Caribbean which been highly active in supporting the ATT. So far, the following 15 Member States have ratified the Treaty: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay. Having secured the requisite 50 ratifications, the Treaty will enter into force on 24 December 2014. The training course complements a broader package of UNODA tools and resources, which are available to support Member States in their efforts to implement the ATT.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all of your questions or queries to:
Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer ( cowl[at]unlirec.org ).
