The Organization of American States (OAS) and the government of Haiti signed a Cooperation Agreement for the donation of two firearms marking machines to the Caribbean country, in order to improve their capabilities to combat the illicit trade in weapons. This initiative is part of the efforts outlined by OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza that define the organization as a strategic actor in the fight against crime.

The signing ceremony was held at the Ministry of Justice and Public Safety in Port au Prince, and was attended by portfolio Minister Jean Renel Sanon and the Special Representative of the OAS in Haiti, Frederic Bolduc.

"The agreement demonstrates a strengthening of the ties of friendship and cooperation between the OAS and Haiti. We appreciate this atmosphere of dialogue we’ve always had with the OAS," said Minister Sanon at the signing ceremony. "The project is very welcome, because these machines will allow for the modernization of the Haitian National Police and protect society from crime."

The agreement for the donation—funded by the government of the United States—is part of the program "Promoting Firearms Marking in Latin America and the Caribbean," following the Inter-American Convention against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA).

In this sense, the OAS cooperates with the countries of the region with the objective that, in the shortest time possible, all the Member States will have established policies, as well as relevant legislation, to mark firearms at the time of manufacturing and/or import.

To date, 23 countries in the region have signed a cooperation agreement with the OAS to participate in the program: Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Uruguay, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

HL/ HaitiLibre