Gros Islet, Saint Lucia – UNODC’s Global Firearms Programmes (GFP) in close cooperation with the Government of Saint Lucia, organized a workshop on 19 May 2023 to enhance the national capacities of Saint Lucia in its collection and analysis of firearms-related data to monitor the trafficking of illicit firearms. The workshop included welcoming remarks from CARICOM IMPACS, who thanked UNODC for its “continued partnership in the fight to reduce illicit arms flow in the Caribbean” and highlighted that the region faces a serious dilemma as “proper data analysis is not done and unfortunately, the wrong prescription is given to the problem”.
The workshop was attended by 12 experts (6 women and 6 men) of the relevant national agencies, including Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Central Statistical Office, Forensic Science Services and the Ministry of External Affairs.
It took an interactive format, combining presentations by UNODC GFP and the Research and Analysis Branch (RAB). Participants acquired knowledge on the United Nations’ Illicit Arms Flow Questionnaire (IAFQ), its benefits, structure, methodology and ultimately, the use of the collected data. Three representatives then outlined the current national mechanisms for the collection and analysis of data on of seized firearms and their criminal contexts.
GFP continues to uphold its commitment to Saint Lucia to strengthen its criminal justice response to illicit firearms criminality is aligned with the national efforts to implement the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap. The workshop was possible thanks to the financial support of Germany, the expertise of UNODC Firearms Trafficking Section and Research and Analysis Branch, in the framework of the project “Supporting the implementation of the criminal justice component of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap”.
