U.S. Assistance and Programs Supportive of the UN POA
U.S. Global/Regional Activity Supportive of the UN POA
Section II, para 27, 28
Law enforcement cooperation; information sharing and implementing existing laws by region
N/A
Law enforcement and police training programs offered by the United States are extensive. In addition to DOJ, Customs and ATF training, the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) and the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development (OPDAT) provide law enforcement training and technical assistance to countries of Eastern and Central Europe, former Soviet Union, Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Through the EXBS program, the U.S. provides equipment and training to Border Police and Customs organizations to enhance their ability to enforce laws regarding the flow of goods and people across borders and interdict illicit trafficking in items of proliferation concern.
ATF Country Offices in Mexico, Colombia, and Canada facilitate information sharing, technical assistance, and training with host government law enforcement agencies and ATF maintains a representative at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. U.S. federal law enforcement agencies regularly cooperate with foreign law enforcement and judicial authorities on transnational criminal investigations.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) representatives at U.S. embassies overseas play a significant role in customs and border security related law enforcement assistance, training and national assistance. U.S. Regional Legal Advisors (RLAs) work with foreign prosecutors, legislators and judges to improve criminal legislation, codes and regulations.
The United States cooperates extensively with foreign law enforcement agencies as well as with Interpol and the World Customs Organization (WCO). The United States supports OAS in strengthening controls over illicit arms trafficking in the OAS region.
DOS, DOD and ATF provide technical, legal and programmatic advice on currently accepted U.S. best practices and cooperate with multilateral organizations such as the G-8, OSCE,OAS, SICA, and CARICOM.
UN Programme of Action
U.S. Laws and Policies Supportive of the UN POA
U.S. Assistance and Programs Supportive of the UN POA
U.S. Global/Regional Activity Supportive of the UN POA
Section II, para 31
Encourage regional transparency
N/A
N/A
The United States supports transparency instruments such as the UN Register of Conventional Arms, its group of Governmental Experts, OSCE SA/LW information exchange, the Wassenaar Arrangement and efforts undertaken within the OAS.
Section II, para 33
Provide voluntary reports to UN DDA on progress on implementing the POA
The United States provides voluntary reports to UN DDA per UNGA resolution 56/24V.
N/A
N/A
Section II, para 35 Encourage UNSC, where applicable, to include DDR for peace operations
N/A
N/A
The United States supported and joined consensus on Guinea’s March 2003 UNSC Presidential Statement recognizing the importance of DDR activities in post-conflict situations and UNSCR 1576 urging DDR in Haiti. The U.S. also supported the 2007 UNSC Presidential Statement on small arms (S/PRST/2007/24) recognizing that illicit trade of SA/LW poses a grave threat against international security and encouraging further implementation of the POA and continued arms embargoes.
UN Programme of Action
U.S. Laws and Policies Supportive of the UN POA
U.S. Assistance and Programs Supportive of the UN POA
U.S. Global/Regional Activity Supportive of the UN POA
Section II, para 36
Strengthen the ability of states to identify and trace illicit SA/LW
N/A
ATF’s NTC assists law enforcement agencies worldwide to trace U.S.-origin firearms that have been used in crimes.
Through ILEAs and bilateral training courses, assistance is regularly offered on classification, ballistics, and tracing of seized weapons. ILEA Gaborone again presented a one-week Small Arms Trafficking course in August 2007 for Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Seychelles, Uganda and Zambia. ILEA San Salvador also presented the one-week Small Arms Trafficking course in October 2007 for Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and anticipates presenting this course again in FY 2008 at the Regional Training Center in Lima, Peru..
INL implemented a series of courses designed to identify illicit small arms trafficking and strengthen interdiction skills in West Africa.
In 2001 INL funded a joint U.S. Customs and ATF program to assist ECOWAS member states Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone to identify illicit trafficking of SA/LW. In 2003 firearms identification courses were taught in Jamaica and ballistics courses in Mexico.
Since 2006, the U.S. has awarded grants to RECSA to purchase arms marking machines and record keeping computers and to render associated training for each one of the RECSA Member States.
The United States actively participated in the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on marking and tracing illicit SA/LW, and supports the Instrument adopted by consensus in June, 2005.
The USG also sent ATF representatives to the UN Marking and Tracing Implementation workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007. This workshop provided practical methods to mark and trace firearms.
