Initiative:
Program for the prevention of crimes related to irregular migration in Mesoamerica
Brief description of initiative: The OAS Department of Public Security, in coordination with IOM and UNHCR, is implementing this Program to promote and support strategies for the prevention of crimes related to irregular migration, especially in those areas with high propensity for migration; create and strengthen human and institutional capacities to combat the smuggling of migrants; and to promote the formulation and implementation of policies for the protection of the human rights of migrants, particularly groups in vulnerable contexts like women, children and adolescents, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and LGBT persons.
The program is designed with an integral approach focused around 3 strategic lines of action:
1) supporting current efforts in the area of prevention of crimes related to irregular migration and to prevent the migration of children and adolescents by focusing on interventions in schools and local communities;
2) combating the networks of organized crime, seeking their dismantling so that fewer people are victims of these crimes; and
3) articulating national stakeholders to effectively assist migrant populations in need of special attention and specific protection.
Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
¥ Elaborate country specific diagnostic reports of the current legal framework in all eight participating countries, as well as the characteristics and challenges presented by irregular migration in those countries.
¥ Engage government officials, leaders, journalists and other stakeholders in local communities in round table discussions, to identify recurrent local obstacles for the reduction of irregular migration.
¥ Design and implement awareness campaigns in the media, educational campaigns in high schools and incorporate community stakeholders in preventing irregular migration at the local level.
¥ Organize train-the-trainers courses for national authorities in border control, the detection of fraudulent documents, identification of trafficking networks, and special needs of victims of crimes related to migration.
¥ National workshops for migration and customs officers, carried out by trainers taught by the program, on border security, detection of fraudulent documents, and human rights of victims of irregular migration;
¥ Design, validate and implement a system for the exchange information and alerts about evolving sub-regional trends in crimes related to irregular migration;
¥ Promote the application of more effective data collection and data entry techniques, through national capacity building workshops;
¥ Organize national seminars for judges, prosecutors, police officers and other officials involved in the prosecution of crimes related to irregular migration, about the best practices and techniques for the identification and prosecution of human trafficking networks;
¥ Organize and convene meetings of interinstitutional national forums to formulate and execute special programs designed to address the protection needs of irregular migrants, particularly groups in vulnerable scenarios.
Coordinate national and multinational interinstitutional dialogue tables to strengthen synergies and coordination between governments in protecting the rights of victims of irregular migration.
Website: http://community.oas.org/programadeprevencionmigracionirregular
Beneficiaries: Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Panama.
Partnerships and Financing: The program is executed with funds from the European Union (EU). Our main implementing partners are the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Organization of American States
Department of Public Security
Cristian Taboada / [email protected] / 202-370-5076

Initiative:
“A New Path”: Promoting a Healthy Environment and Productive Alternatives for Juvenile Remandees and Offenders in Jamaica
Brief description of initiative: The project is designed to improve the quality of, and access to, reintegration services (educational, vocational, and internship/employment opportunities), technical training (marketable technical skills, life/social skills), as well as individualized psychosocial/emotional services for juvenile detainees of the four juvenile facilities in Jamaica: South Camp, Metcalfe, Rio Cobre and Hill Top.
The project is divided in two pillars:
1) Track 1: is designed to impart capacity building and training workshops and curriculum for local partner NGOs, in order for them to be able to implement vocational, education, and rehabilitation programs in South Camp, Metcalfe, Hill Top and Rio Cobre. In addition, during this phase the GS/OAS and the Trust will provide the technical expertise for the construction, implementation and training of local service providers in a comprehensive new case management system that includes a follow-up post release component for youth South Camp, Metcalfe, Hill Top and Rio Cobre.
Track 2: is a series of activities meant to provide immediate support to prior juvenile remandees and offenders upon their release, focusing on social reintegration and economic inclusion. GS/OAS will thus partner with local organizations, private sector, and government to ensure comprehensive follow-up for all youth released from South Camp, Metcalfe, Hill Top and Rio Cobre for at least six to twelve months. Each releasee will be assigned a case manager who will assist in arranging educational, vocational, or internship/job opportunities, as well as provide key psychosocial support and guidance while the releasee reintegrates into society.
Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
¥ Carry-out a Needs Assessment evaluation to determine the nature and magnitude of existing reintegration and training programs in the juvenile facilities
¥ Design and implement an electronic case management system for the Department of Correctional Services
¥ Train staff from the Department of Correctional Services, NGO representatives, and/or social workers in case management and case follow-up techniques for youth in juvenile detention facilities
¥ Elaborate a comprehensive reintegration curriculum for the reintegration of juveniles placed in the facilities
¥ Carry-out training of trainers for the staff of the Department of Correctional Service to enable the implementation of the reintegration curriculum
¥ Implement Reintegration, Education, and Vocational Training for detainees at the juvenile facilities
¥ Organize "pitch tank" simulation events where releasees can pitch product and service ideas to a panel of external judges and develop their business ideas and plans
¥ Support training, education, and internship opportunities for releasees
¥ Assign a case manager to each releasee in their local community shortly after his/her release
Website: http://www.oas.org/dsp/english/links/Three_pager_A%20New_Path_revised.pdf
Beneficiaries: Country: Jamaica
Specific groups: (i) Juvenile remandees and charged offenders of Jamaica; (ii) staff of the Department of Correctional Services
Partnerships and Financing: The program is executed with funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Our main implementing partner is the Trust for the Americas (TRUST).
Organization of American States
Department of Public Security
Cristian Taboada / [email protected] / 202-370-5076

Initiative:
Gestión de la Red Interamericana de Prevención de la Violencia y el Delito
Brief description of initiative:
La Red Interamericana de Prevención de la Violencia y el Delito fue establecida a través de la Resolución 2866/2014 junto con un fondo de contribución voluntaria. La Red es un espacio de intercambio de información, articulación intersectorial, apoyo técnico para el diseño e implementación de políticas públicas y de marco para implementación de intervenciones preventivas bajo en Programa Interamericano de Prevención de la Violencia y el Delito.  
La Red cuenta con un Comité de Asesoría Técnica ad hoc, que es conformado en caso de necesidades específicas. Dos Grupos de Trabajo están vinculados actualmente a la Red de Interamericana de Prevención: el (1) Grupo de Trabajo para formular un plan de acción para la prevención y reducción de la violencia letal; y el (2) Grupo de trabajo para articular mecanismos y herramientas de cooperación sobre los servicios de emergencia de la región. El primer Grupo está siendo impulsado por Colombia y el segundo por Ecuador.
El sitio de la Red consiste en una herramienta colaborativa. El sitio cuenta con noticias, biblioteca digital, una galería multimedia con entrevistas y fotos exclusivas, herramientas de encuestas, foro virtual y un blog. Hay también una parte dedicada a la Plataforma para Prevención y Reducción de Homicidios. Una plataforma sobre prevención y enfrentamiento a la trata de personas está prevista para 2018.
Dos universidades ya se aliaron a la Red: la Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina) y la Universidad de George Washington (E.E.U.U). Un foro presencial ya fue realizado y una serie de otros están programados para 2018. Los foros pueden ser asistidos en vivo (directo) desde el sitio de la Red.
Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
1. Lanzamiento del sitio de la Red Interamericana de Prevención de la Violencia y el Delito: http://www.oas.org/ext/es/seguridad/red-prevencion-crimen/;
2. Realización sobre 3 foros presenciales, siendo dos sobre prevención y reducción de homicidios y uno sobre prevención a la trata de personas;
3. Dos Grupos de Trabajo instalados: 1) sobre mecanismos y herramientas de cooperación sobre los servicios de emergencia de la región; 2) para formular un plan de acción en la prevención de la violencia letal;
Consolidación de alianza de colaboración con la Universidad de George Washington.
Website: (if applicable)
http://www.oas.org/ext/es/seguridad/red-prevencion-crimen/
Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
Entidades gubernamentales, no gubernametales,. sociedad civil, sectores académico y privado.
Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Fondo de contribución voluntaria. Aportación voluntaria de USD 50 mil realizada por Guatemala
Organizacion de los Estados Americanos
artmento de Seguridad Pública
Paulina Duarte – [email protected] – 202 370 9691
Anna Uchoa – [email protected] – 202 370 4653

The Hemispheric Plan of Action on Drugs 2016-2020, approved at the sixtieth CICAD regular session in Nassau, November 2016, is a guide for continuing the implementation of the Hemispheric Drug Strategy (2010) and the commitments undertaken by member states in the Declaration of Antigua, Guatemala, “For a Comprehensive Policy against the World Drug Problem in the Americas” (2013); in the Resolution of Guatemala, “Reflections and Guidelines to Formulate and Follow up on Comprehensive Policies to Address the World Drug Problem in the Americas” (2014); and in the outcome document of the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the world drug problem (UNGASS), entitled, “Our Joint Commitment to Effectively Addressing and Countering the World Drug Problem” (2016), in addition to relevant OAS resolutions. Additionally, the Plan of Action acknowledges the UN’s 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and notes that efforts to achieving its Sustainable Development Goals and to effectively address the world drug problem are complementary and mutually reinforcing. The current Plan of Action replaced the first Plan of Action, which covered 2010-1015.
Through the Plan of Action, member states reiterate their commitment to continue furthering progress in the Hemisphere; addressing the world drug problem; placing individuals at the core of drug policies; taking into account gender, age and cultural issues; as well as, when appropriate, taking into account inputs from civil society. Furthermore, the Plan of Action addresses new challenges faced by countries, within the framework of the three United Nations international drug control conventions and other relevant international instruments, in full respect of the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Plan sets five strategic areas and identifies objectives and priority actions to be developed by 2020 in each of the OAS member states. The Plan of Action also includes a cross-cutting perspective on human rights, gender, development, and social inclusion, taking into account relevant criteria of culture and age group. The Plan requires close and horizontal coordination between the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the various relevant bodies within the OAS with expertise in related issues, particularly in the areas of corruption, money laundering, transnational organized crime, and public security, with a view to building a coordinated and consultative framework in areas of common interest, seeking to contribute positively to the efforts of member states to address the challenges and complexities of the world drug problem in our hemisphere.
The Plan of Action is a reference guide for designing national drug policies, programs and projects, making it possible to align and generate synergies between the national agendas and the hemispheric agenda being developed through CICAD. The CICAD Executive Secretariat is now composed of two sections: the Drug Control Capacity Building and Technical Assistance Section, and the Evidence-Based Drug Policy Section: Information, Design, Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis. The former includes the Institutional Strengthening (IS), Supply Reduction (SR), and Demand Reduction (DR) units, through which the CICAD Executive Secretariat assists member states in strengthening their institutional, technical and human capabilities for the implementation of comprehensive drug control programs. The IS Unit’s programming includes assisting member states in formulating and bolstering their national drug policies and strategies; monitoring, tracking and assessing legislative and regulatory changes; and drug–related judicial sector reforms, including alternatives to incarceration, diversion programs, judicially supervised drug treatment programs, sentencing reform, and problem solving courts. The activities managed by the SR Unit include training counterdrug law enforcement; fostering improved customs and border control of drugs and other contraband; fostering improved control of chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs and synthetic drugs (including new psychoactive drugs, or NPS); controlling maritime narcotrafficking; and developing and analyzing counterdrug intelligence. The DR unit supports countries in strengthening human and institutional capacity in drug prevention, treatment and rehabilitation by taking a public health approach to these interventions. DR programming includes the development of hemispheric standards for drug abuse prevention and treatment, and providing training and member state-en¬dorsed certification to frontline health care workers, prevention profes¬sionals, and treatment service providers.
The Evidence-Based Drug Policy Section: Information, Design, Implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Collection and Analysis includes the Inter-American Observatory on Drugs (OID) and the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) units. The OID gathers, analyzes, disseminates and promotes scientific research on drugs so as to provide evidence for the design and introduction of public policies. Additionally, the OID provides assistance to member states in establishing, developing and strengthening national drug observatories and information systems, and promotes technical training for professionals that work with data and statistics. The MEM’s seventh round instruments (including the questionnaire of indicators, manual for evaluators, and procedural manual), were approved at the sixty-second regular session of CICAD in December 2017, paving the way for the new round to commence in 2018. The MEM’s seventh round entails a more robust and comprehensive assessment of member states’ drug efforts, detailing key evolving progress and challenges faced throughout the past six rounds, and where those actions currently stand. The evaluation will cover the cross-cutting issues of human rights, gender, age, culture and social inclusion in accordance with the operational recommendations contained in the UNGASS 2016 Outcome Document and the objectives of the United Nations 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. The MEM, which was mandated by the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Santiago, Chile, will publish national evaluation reports in 2019, together with a hemispheric evaluation report which will provide a broader analysis of trends in the region in 2020.
CICAD continues to promote dialogue among member states, and provide the forum at its biannual regular sessions for an open discussion of drug-related issues and targeted improvement of the hemispheric capacity to address the drug problem. Since UNGASS 2016, member states have debated and assessed the achievements and shortcomings of the UNGASS process at the CICAD regular sessions. This has set the basis for an interactive discussion on the implementation of the UNGASS 2016 Outcome Document and in the run-up to the 2019 revision of the 2009 UN Political Declaration and Plan of Action on International Cooperation towards an Integrated and Balanced Strategy to Counter the World Drug Problem. OAS member states have been called upon to promote the regional implementation of the UNGASS recommendations through national events. In this regard, CICAD has been collaborating with countries in national dialogues, for example Mexico’s series of national dialogues, and Trinidad and Tobago’s UNGASS 2016 workshop for national level consideration of the UNGASS operational recommendations.
Additionally, CICAD continues to identify areas for future continuation of the debate and dialogue established at UNGASS. In this regard, CICAD’s expert advisory groups provide the Commission with continued reporting and analysis on the following specific issues: demand reduction, maritime narcotrafficking, pharmaceutical products and chemical substances, comprehensive and sustainable alternative development, and money laundering control.

Initiative: Creating a Career Path in Digital Security

Brief description of initiative:
The overarching goal of the Project is to target economically disadvantaged youths and young adults (ages 18-25) and provide them technical training in information / digital security and job readiness. Youth at risk often find it challenging to complete traditional schooling. However, the advent of the Internet has opened up doors and opportunities for trained and talented individuals to have a fulfilling career in digital security.

In the medium-term, it is expected that the Project will prepare youth from low-income families to pursue a career path in the digital sector, by providing them the nascent knowledge and skills needed. Additionally, the communities targeted through the workshops will learn to apply good online practices, therefore contributing to their successful inclusion in the digital economy and society.

In the long-term, this Project is expected to increase the incomes of participating youths and young adults and advance their socio-economic posture. Targeted countries will also benefit from this new pool of skilled workers in information / digital security, which will contribute to improve their level of cybersecurity capabilities. It is also expected that the communities will be digitally engaged, strengthening their local economy. Finally, the education on information / digital security will also contribute to the active and secure participation of low-income communities in the digital society, reducing the digital divide.

Activities:
1. Youth from low-income communities trained in information/ digital security and Job readiness
a. 1 week trainings in Colombia, Dominican Republic, Peru and Costa Rica, 40 students/country
b. Brightest students (40) will be divided in two groups. The first group will have access to an Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program in Spain, a one week training to empower technical people with entrepreneurial and managerial skills to fund their own cybersecurity company which will be specifically designed for them with the help of the Spanish National Institute of Cybersecurity (INCIBE). They will also participate in the Cybersecurity Summer BootCamp that will take place in Spain in July, 2018. The Summer BootCamp is a two week-long training event co-organized by the OAS Cybersecurity Program and the Spanish Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE). This event seeks to educate and train specialists on the technical aspects of incident management in cybersecurity, as well as the latest techniques for combating cybercrime. The targeted audience includes specialists from security bodies such as state security forces and law enforcement authorities, as well as policy makers and technicians from public CERTs. The second group of talented individuals will be placed in internship opportunities in the private and public sector of their countries.
2. Increased awareness in cybersecurity for SMEs with a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) - FREE
a. Online Course – 3000 participants (in Spanish) – 7 weeks

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
The following countries: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Peru and Costa Rica.
160 economically disadvantaged youths and young adults (ages 18-25) 40 per country

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Partners:
• Trust of the Americas
• Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad de España (INCIBE)
• Governments of host countries
• Universities at host countries
Financing:
• Citi Foundation

Cybersecurity Program at the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism, Secretariat for Multidimensional Security.

Gonzalo Garcia-Belenguer, [email protected] 202 370 9885

Brief description of initiative:
The Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering is the hemispheric forum for discussion, analysis and formulation of conclusions in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.

Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
- From September 25 to 26, 2017, the XLIV Meeting of the Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering was held in Asunción, Paraguay, in which the following recommendations were approved:
To approve the Report on the “Study on best practices for the coordination between administrative and judicial authorities with the specialized agencies for the administration of seized and forfeited assets”;
To approve the Report on the “Study on the needs of training on the topic of administration of seized and forfeited assets of the OAS Member States””;
To approve the Report on the “Diagnostic study on expert reports utilized by countries in cases of money laundering” ;
To approve the “Study on new typologies of money laundering, especially in the use of virtual currency”;
To accept To approve the proposal of the Strategic Plan of the GELAVEX for 2018-2020;
To approve the Work Plan 2017-2018;
To approve the candidacies of Bolivia and Colombia to the Presidency and Vicepresidency, respectively, for the period 2018-2019.

Website: (if applicable) http://www.cicad.oas.org/main/aboutcicad/activities_eng.asp?IE=PYO015

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
34 OAS Member States

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Financing: GS / OAS; USA (INL); and Paraguay (current Chair of the GELAVEX).

Organization:
15512

Contact name / email / phone number:
SMS/DDOT
NELSON MENA
202-370-5431

Initiative: Training Program on Money Laundering for Judges and Prosecutors

Brief description of initiative:
The program aims to train judges and prosecutors on money laundering issues, such as: (i) typologies; (ii) international legal principles and frameworks; (iii) national money laundering legislation; (iv) procedural and criminal aspects related to money laundering proceedings; and (v) international legal cooperation. Under the program, activities such as seminars and workshops for judges and prosecutors, trials and mock investigations on money laundering and organized crime cases were developed.

Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES:

-Regional Anti-Money Laundering Workshop for Judges and Prosecutors: From the May 22 to 24, 2017, in Bridgetown, Barbados, this regional workshop was carried out, co-organized by the DTOC/OAS and the Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS) and with the financial support of Canada; 28 prosecutors and judges from Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago participated with the purpose of receiving training in prosecution and trialing of money laundering offences.

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
Barbados, Belice, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kits and Nevis, Santa Lucía, San Vicente y Las Granadinas y Trinidad y Tobago.

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Financing: GS / OAS; USA (INL); and Paraguay (current Chair of the GELAVEX).

Organization:
15512
Contact name / email / phone number:
SMS/DDOT
NELSON MENA

Initiative: Training Program on Money Laundering for Law Enforcement Agencies

Brief description of initiative:
This program provides guidance and training in the application of special investigative techniques (establishing the commission of the crime, identifying its perpetrators and participants and related assets), as well as strategies for the asset investigation that facilitates their seizure and forfeiture and other related evidences in the commission of these crimes. Thus, the investigators will be able to strengthen their operations and build an effective response in the fight against money laundering.

Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
REGIONAL ACTIVITIES:

a) Regional Workshop on Special Investigative Techniques applied in money laundering cases: From May 16 to 18, 2017, in Kingston, Jamaica, this workshop, co-organized by the DTOC/OAS and the Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS), and with the financial support of Canada was carried out; 32 prosecutors and investigators from Belize, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago participated with the objective of being trained in the use of special investigative techniques.
NATIONAL ACTIVITIES:
b) National Workshop on Forensic Auditing and Creative Accounting Applied to the Investigation of Money Laundering Cases: From June 19 to 21, 2017, in Lima, Peru, this national workshop was implemented, co-organized by the DTOC/OAS and the “Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP” of Peru (Superintendence of Banking, Insurances and AFP), with the financial support of the United States; 32 employees of the Office of Public Prosecutors, “Dirección de Investigación de Lavado de Activos de la Policía Nacional” of Peru (Directorate of Investigation of Money Laundering of the National Police of Peru) and Analysts of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) participated with the objective of strengthening their abilities in the development of financial investigations through theoretical and practical training in forensic auditing and other techniques of accounting investigations.
c) Technical Assistance Project to Peru: meeting of the Multisectoral Executive Committee against Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Comisión Ejecutiva Multisectorial contra el Lavado de Activos y el Financiamiento del Terrorismo - CONTRALAFT). From August 21 to 24, 2017, in Lima, Peru, DTOC specialists met with members of COTRALAFT to assist Peru's relevant authorities in preparing for the GAFILAT ML/FT Mutual Evaluation.

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
Belice, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucía, San Vicente y Las Granadinas, Surinam y Trinidad y Tobado, y Perú.

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Financing: EEUU (INL); Canada.
Strategic partners: Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS); Comisión Ejecutiva Multisectorial contra el Lavado de Activos y el Financiamiento del Terrorismo (CONTRALAFT) of Peru; CFATF and GAFILAT.

Organization:
15512
Contact name / email / phone number:
SMS/DDOT
NELSON MENA
202-370-5431
[email protected]

Initiative: Training Program for Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)

Brief description of initiative:
This program seeks to establish and/ or strengthen the Financial Intelligence Units by providing them with legal, administrative, IT and human resources tools for the control of money laundering. Thus, it seeks to improve the analysis capacity of the FIUs through training in the management of intelligence analysis tools and the implementation of IT tools for the collection, storage, analysis and delivery of information. Within the framework of this program several activities were held, such as workshops on analysis, links and relationships; Specialized courses in forensic accounting and analysis of financial intelligence information; and workshops to foster dialogue between the public and private sector on AML /CFT matters.

Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
NATIONAL ACTIVITIES:

- From April 17 to 21, 2017, and from October 16 to 20, 2017, in Montevideo, Uruguay, the DTOC continued supporting the Technical Assistance Mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to improve the capacities of the Financial Intelligence Unit of Uruguay in the areas of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism.

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
Uruguay

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
This activity was funded by the International Monetary Fund, and coordinated in conjunction with the DDOT.

Organization:
15512
Contact name / email / phone number:
SMS/DDOT
NELSON MENA
202-370-5431
[email protected]

Initiative: Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Program

Brief description of initiative:
Forfeiture Program and Asset Recovery provides technical assistance to States interested in developing and improving systems for identification, location, retrieval and management of seized and forfeited assets. The working plan allows for the implementations of actions against criminal offenses related to organized crime and it helps Member States to improve their legislation, administrative and management practices related to the assets, instruments or effects of crime.

Activities: (List the different activities for implementation of this Initiative)
a) Regional Meeting of Professionals in Asset Recovery of the Caribbean (ARIN-Carib): The first phase of this initiative was initiated with the objective of establishing an Asset Recovery Network in the Caribbean Region based on the experience of the six other networks around the world , through this expert meeting held on 15th and 16th of November 2016 in Bridgetown, Barbados. This meeting was attended by experts in Asset Recovery (judicial and law enforcement authorities) from 32 jurisdictions in the Caribbean along with experts from different ARINs around the world. The meeting was co-organized by the Department against Transnational Organized Crime (DTOC/OAS) and the Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS), and had the participation of several International Organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Financial Action Task Force of the Caribbean (CFATF), the Financial Action Task Force of Latin America (GAFILAT), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In the end, participants agreed to create an Asset Recovery Interagency Network for the Caribbean (ARIN-CARIB) and the discussions generated suggestions concerning membership, structure, and function that would later be included in a “Statement of Intent.”
b) Steering Group Meeting for the establishment of an Asset Recovery Interagency Network in the Caribbean: Continuing with the process of establishing the ARIN-Carib, on February 7th and 8th, 2017, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, the Steering Group, created in the experts meeting held in Bridgetown, Barbados, met with the purpose of writing a document that presents the conditions of membership and functioning of the network: this document would constitute the draft Statement of Intent.
c) First Meeting of National Points of Contact of ARIN-Carib: From June 28 to 29, 2017, the inaugural ceremony of ARIN-CARIB was celebrated in Miami, United States of America, co-organized by the DTOC/OAS and the Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS). With the adoption of the Statement of Intent, ARIN-Carib was created, composed of 32 jurisdictions of the Caribbean region, and open so that any country or intergovernmental body with similar functions or objectives can be elected to be a part of the Membership.
d) "Regional Workshop on Investigation of Financial Flows and Illicit Economies": from November 20 to December 1, 2017 in Rome, Italy, co-organized by the DDOT / OAS and the Scuola di Polizia Tributaria and the Guardia di Finanza of Italy, with financing from the government of Italy; in which 35 officers of judicial investigation police and prosecutors with competence in the investigation and prosecution of organized crime cases participated: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama , Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Website: (if applicable)
https://www.cfatf-gafic.org/index.php/home/cfatf-overview/cfatf-news/490-targeting-illegally-obtained-criminal-wealth-in-the-caribbean-launch-of-the-asset-recovery-inter-agency-network-arin-carib

Beneficiaries: (e.g. Country/Institutions/specific groups,etc.)
COUNTRIES:
Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe (FR), Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique (FR), Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Martin (FR), St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands.

Partnerships and Financing: (e.g. International Organizations/ Institutions/Groups/Governments,etc.)
Funding: USA (INL)
Strategic partners: Regional Security System of the Caribbean (RSS), and had the participation of several International Organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Financial Action Task Force of the Caribbean (CFATF), the Financial Action Task Force of Latin America (GAFILAT), and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Department:
DDOT
Organization:
15512
Contact name / email / phone number:
SMS/DDOT
NELSON MENA
202-370-5431
[email protected]

Connecting Ports in the Caribbean for Enhanced Maritime Security and Operations

With the introduction of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), most countries established separate security agencies to perform port security functions. Unfortunately, this has meant that these agencies are not directly involved in their countries’ mainstream security apparatuses. Further, the agencies responsible for port security in the region do not communicate efficiently with one another.
Lack of efficient communication among the Caribbean’s ports compounds their mutual security risks. This heightened risk requires ports and Port Security Officers (PSOs) to have better mechanisms of information exchange. The establishment of a secure communication platform will improve regional port security connectivity and communication. This project is intended to improve connectivity in order to provide ports and PSOs of the OAS Members States in the Caribbean Basin (both English- and Spanish-speaking) with an efficient, secure, real-time, online communication platform to improve communication, cooperation, and operations.
This project proposes the creation of an online communication mechanism to increase coordination among PSOs in the Caribbean region. Specifically, the efficient, secure, real-time, online communication platform among PSOs will promote more cooperation on issues of port and maritime security and safety. The platform will provide PSOs with a mechanism with direct and secure lines of communication for assistance, particularly during real-time incidents that require the exchange of information among Member States.
This platform will be set within the context of the XI-2 Chapter of the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, as well as the ISPS Code, particularly as it refers to PSO functions and PSO interactions with counterparts in other ports across the region.

Activities:
Identify specific security and information technology capabilities, as well as an initial capability-based gap analysis that will be facilitated through surveys and questionnaires
Design a platform architecture
Design and specify IT equipment to sustain the platform
Design, produce, and distribute promotional material
Train officials to use the platform
Establish a mechanism for ensuring platform sustainability
Establish a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to determine the effectiveness of the program and identify lessons learned for ongoing improvements.
Beneficiaries: National Port Authorities, Ministries of Transport, Ministries of Defense, National Coast Guards, Police Enforcement authorities of the Member States from the Caribbean region. (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Venezuela)
Partnerships and financing: Hudson Analytix, CICTE. (Development stage - Financing to be determined)

Consultative Committee of the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials (CIFTA)

The Consultative Committee of the CIFTA is a forum for states party and signatory states to meet annually to promote of the implementation of the Convention through cooperation and the exchange of information and best practices.

The 17th Regular Session of the Consultative Committee of the CIFTA was held in Washington DC on the May 2, 2016. There, member states and the Technical Secretariat reported on activities carried out to implement the CIFTA Course of Action and in compliance with the Convention. Member States also discussed arrangements for the upcoming Fourth Conference of States Parties to the CIFTA.

Specific Outcomes:
- Development and approval of the document entitled "OAS Firearms Standards: Marking and Recordkeeping" which is a reference guide to assist states parties with the implementation of Articles 6 and 11 of the CIFTA as well as the CIFTA Model Legislation on Firearms Marking and Tracing.

- Presentation of Manuals of procedures for protecting firearms stockpiles and standard operating procedures for destruction under safe conditions of excess quantities of arms, ammunition, and explosives included in the CIFTA.

Beneficiaries:
31 States Party and 3 Signatory States to the CIFTA.

This initiative was financed by the OAS Regular Fund.

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Information available in Spanish

Initiative: Inter-American Network for the Prevention of Violence and Crime
The Inter-American Network for the Prevention of Violence and Crime was designed as a permanent mechanism of dialogue and consultation to facilitate the exchange of experiences, information, best practices, and data among key stakeholders, during the process of designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public policies on violence and crime prevention.

Activities:
To facilitate and foster the permanent dialogue among stakeholders, the Inter-American Network for the Prevention of Violence and Crime contemplates two different and complimentary forums: virtual and in-person. There are part of the Prevention Network activities:

- Develop a virtual platform to foster active community participation into the Network (virtual forums, chats, specialized digital library on violence and crime prevention, best practices catalogue on crime and violence prevention)
- Develop mechanisms to compile systematic information and data to support the implementation of public policies, programs and activities related to crime and violence prevention in the Hemisphere;
- Strengthen information flow on crime and violence prevention practices among stakeholders by information exchange through the virtual platform and a prevention of violence and crime stakeholders directory)
- Gather prevention specialists and other stakeholders into prevention of violence and crime geared events to facilitate networking and knowledge exchange (meetings, conferences, seminars, etc)

Beneficiaries:
- Member States
- Civil Society, Private Sector, Academia
- Organization of American States

Partnership and financing: To be financed through the specific voluntary contribution Fund created to support activities to prevent violence and crime, including the Inter-American Network for the Prevention of Violence and Crime.

Initiative: The Training and Certification Program for Drug and Violence Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation (PROCCER)

PROCCER is a model that provides for inter-agency, inter-institutional, and interdisciplinary organization at the national and regional levels, such that it can offer training and certification in the therapeutic intervention fields of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for drug dependence and drug-associated violence as well as in aspects of program organization and operation.
The components of the PROCCER Model may be adapted and tailored to meet the needs of the specific member state or region in accordance with needs and capacity. The objective of PROCCER model implementation is to develop and strengthen the national and regional institutional and service provider capacities in intervention strategies. The increased capacity is intended to enhance the quality and efficacy of drug use and violence prevention programs, as well as programs for treating and rehabilitating drug dependency or violent criminal behaviors.

Actividades:
PROCCER is presently working in coordination with 23 national drug commissions of member states, 14 universities, and over 3,804 NGOS and members of civil society; and trained more than 2,300 prevention and treatment service providers from governmental and non-governmental agencies.

- PROCCER: Training of treatment service providers in Mexico, Central America- 6, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, the Latin American Federation of Therapeutic Communities (FLACT)-19, including Brazil through the Brazilian Federation of Therapeutic Communities (FEBRACT)
- PROCCER: Training of prevention practitioners and treatment service providers in the Caribbean- 13
- PROCCER: National-level certification of treatment service providers in Mexico, El Salvador, and Costa Rica
- PROCCER: Regional-level certification of prevention specialists and treatment service providers in the Caribbean
- Training in the Specialized Adolescent Treatment Training for treatment service providers working with high-risk adolescents in the Caribbean region and on a global level
-Training in the Universal Prevention Curriculum and Universal Treatment Curriculum on a hemispheric level

Webiste: http://www.cicad.oas.org/Main/Template.asp?File=/reduccion_demanda/proccer/proccer_eng.asp

Beneficiaries: 23 Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago
Of the 23 Member States: the national drug commissions and ministries of health, GO, NGO, and civil society that offer prevention and treatment services, and citizens of member states who suffer from the disease of addiction and violence associated with drugs

Partnership and financing: US Department of State: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL)

Government of Canada: Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP)
In-kind contributions from OAS Member States implementing PROCCER

Initiative: The Training and Certification Program for Drug and Violence Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation (PROCCER)- Specialized Adolescent Treatment Training
PROCCER is a model that provides for inter-agency, inter-institutional, and interdisciplinary organization at the national and regional levels, such that it can offer training and certification in the therapeutic intervention fields of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for drug dependence and drug-associated violence as well as in aspects of program organization and operation.
The components of the PROCCER Model may be adapted and tailored to meet the needs of the specific member state or region in accordance with needs and capacity. The objective of PROCCER model implementation is to develop and strengthen the national and regional institutional and service provider capacities in intervention strategies. The increased capacity is intended to enhance the quality and efficacy of drug use and violence prevention programs, as well as programs for treating and rehabilitating drug dependency or violent criminal behaviors.

PROCCER Adolescents specifically seeks to provide treatment service providers working with high-risk adolescents with the necessary competencies, skills, and attitudes to provide the specialized treatment required by such a vulnerable population.

PROCCER- Adolescents has been implemented in the Caribbean region-- piloted in Jamaica and training is presently being offered in Trinidad and Tobago. This training curriculum has also been offered on a global level in Bangkok, Thailand to 24 participants of 19 countries who are members of the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals.

- Training in the Specialized Adolescent Treatment Training for treatment service providers working with high-risk adolescents in the Caribbean region and on a global level

PROCCER- Adolescents has been implemented in the Caribbean region-- piloted in Jamaica and training is presently being offered in Trinidad and Tobago. This training curriculum has also been offered on a global level in Bangkok, Thailand to 24 participants of 19 countries who are members of the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals.

- Training in the Specialized Adolescent Treatment Training for treatment service providers working with high-risk adolescents in the Caribbean region and on a global level

- Development and implementation of the PROCCER-Adolescents Regional Certification Mechanism

Website: http://www.cicad.oas.org/Main/Template.asp?File=/reduccion_demanda/proccer/proccer_eng.asp

Beneficiaries: 13 Caribbean OAS Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize,Dominica,Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago
Of the 13 Member States: the national drug commissions and ministries of health, GO, NGO, and civil society that offer treatment services for high-risk adolescents; and adolescents of member states who suffer from the disease of addiction and violence associated with drugs

Partnership and financing: US Department of State: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI)

Government of Canada: Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP)

In-kind contributions from OAS Member States implementing PROCCER

Information available in spanish

Initiative: “A New Path”: Promoting a Healthy Environment and Productive Alternatives for Juvenile Remandees and Offenders in Jamaica

“A New Path: Promoting a Healthy Environment and Productive Alternatives for Juvenile Remandees and Offenders in Jamaica” is a project implemented by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS), through its Department of Public Security (DPS), with the support of the United States Agency for International Development. The project is designed to improve the quality of, and access to, reintegration services (educational, vocational, and internship/employment opportunities), technical training (marketable technical skills, life/social skills), as well as individualized psychosocial/emotional services for juvenile remandees of both South Camp and Metcalfe correctional facilities in Jamaica. With the transfer of young men from regular/high security prisons to the Metcalfe remand center in 2011, and the transfer of young female remandees to the South Camp remand center and correctional facility for girls, in 2013, in Jamaica, there was an unprecedented opportunity to work with this vulnerable population, as well as with the staff working in these facilities, in order to avoid/reduce recidivism. Through this project, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) seeks to contribute to reduce recidivism and, ultimately, crime and violence in Jamaica.

To achieve the goals of the project, GS/OAS will:
(1) prepare young women at the South Camp remand center and correctional facility with marketable technical skills, life skills, and individualized psychosocial attention to enable their successful reintegration into society;
(2) assist releasees from South Camp and Metcalfe in accessing educational, vocational, and internship/employment opportunities after their release. This last component of the project entails the creation of an enhanced case management system –to be implemented in both centers- that will provide DPS/SMS/TRUST and the local staff of the two facilities, access to specific nuanced information on the individual level to ensure a more structured and successful integration of former juvenile remandees and offenders into society. This part of the project will engage –aside from the aforementioned staff serving in the correctional facilities- parole officers, social workers, and local civil society organizations serving young people in providing individual follow-up for each juvenile remandee and offender from South Camp and Metcalfe for six to twelve months following his/her release.

Although the program has a nationwide impact, it will place emphasis both in Kingston, where South Camp and Metcalfe are located, as well as on regions to which the majority of juvenile remandees and charged offenders return after being released. The project was officially launched in November 2014 and is estimated to run until January 2017.

Activities: • Carry-out a Needs Assesment evaluation to determine the nature and magnitude of existing reintegration and training programs for the girls housed at South Camp and the boys housed at Metcalfe and the interests and capacities of the youth housed at South Camp and Metcalfe; identify local implementing partners; and define monitoring and evaluation indicators
• Design and implement a case management and case follow-up system at South Camp and Metcalfe
• Design a standardized training curricula on Case Management techniques for trainers (NGO’s representatives, social worker and/or personnel), based on the implementation of the new case management system/software
• Train South Camp and Metcalfe staff, NGO representatives, and/or social workers in case management, Individual/Personal Development Plans, and case follow-up techniques, for youth in juvenile detention facilities
• Implement Reintegration, Education, and Vocational Training for Girls at South Camp
• Implement a creative arts and communication skills curricula in South Camp (music, healing circles, creative writing and journalism, among others)
• Organize "pitch tank" simulation events where releasees can pitch product and service ideas to a panel of external judges and develop their business ideas and plans
• Support training, education, and internship opportunities for releasees
• Create the public-private sector steering committee
• Assign a case manager to each releasee in their local community shortly before his/her release

Beneficiaries: Direct beneficiaries:
- Two groups of juvenile remandees and charged offenders: (i) Young women in the South Camp female juvenile center and correctional facility; and (ii) Young men in the Metcalfe juvenile remand center for boys.
- Target Remand centers and correctional facilities’ staff
- Local Civil Society Organizations
- Social Workers
Indirect beneficiaries:
- Government agencies (Department of Corrections Services, Child Development Agency)
- University of West Indies- Social Work Department
- Private Sector

Partnerships and Financing: Implementing partner: Trust for the Americas (TRUST)
Donor agency: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Iniciative: Counterdrug Capacity Building Program
To contribute to enhancing the capacity of OAS member states to effectively control narcotrafficking, to consider adopting common or compatible approaches to counter-drug activities and to improved coordination in counterdrug activities.
The objectives are:
- Increase awareness regarding new threats and challenges related to narcotrafficking and drug production or new investigative techniques or approaches that they might apply in whole or in part;
- Increase capacity to respond to these threats or to apply counterdrug strategies, approaches, skills, tools/resources or programs;
- Promote a common or compatible approach to counterdrug activities;
- Promote cooperation and coordination in counterdrug activities and the exchange of information between agencies both nationally and internationally.

Capacity Building Initiatives:

1. Counterdrug Intelligence
Officers will have increased their knowledge and competence in apply specialized techniques related to counterdrug intelligence development and analysis, through the following activities:
- Regional Counterdrug Intelligence School of the Americas (ERCAIAD) established by CICAD
- Strategic and operational counterdrug intelligence techniques
- Specialized counterdrug intelligence techniques

2- Counterdrug Law Enforcement
Drug control officers including plain clothes and undercover have increased their knowledge and skills to safely and effectively monitor, detect, investigate and control the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs and related contraband

3. Control of Chemicals Used in the Production of Illicit Drugs
Officers (police, customs, regulatory, administrative control, chemists, judges, prosecutors and others) from relevant agencies concerned with the control of chemicals will have increased their knowledge and skills in the administrative processes and specialized operational techniques to safely and effectively monitor, investigate, detect and control chemicals that can be used to produce illicit drugs. They will also understand what new chemical substances, precursors and processes are being used to produce drugs and new investigative approaches and techniques.

4- Control of Synthetic Drugs (including Pharmaceuticals)
Officers concerned with the control of synthetic drugs will have an increased level of awareness of this problem and the knowledge and skills in the administrative and specialized operational techniques to safely and effectively monitor, investigate, detect and otherwise control these drugs. Officers will be able to recognize the signs of clandestine laboratories, the type and how to safely investigate them. They will understand the effects of these drugs and how to recognize the signs of people under the influence of these substances

5- Control of Narcotrafficking across International Borders
Police, customs and other officers working at land borders, airports and marine ports will have increased their knowledge and skills to monitor, investigate, target, detect and interdict the movement of illicit drugs and related contraband. Increased awareness, knowledge and capacity will lead to more effective controls over these border points regarding drugs, chemicals and related contraband.

6- Role of the Private Sector in Drug Control
Private sector companies have increased their awareness of their role in controlling illicit drugs and related contraband in the distribution chain going through ports and the techniques they have to apply to prevent this from happening. More private companies will become more directly involved in securing the supply chain and the ports through which their goods pass.

Activities:
In the last six months the following activities were carried out by CICAD's Supply Reduction Section:
- Regional 3-week course in strategic and operational intelligence (2 courses)
- National 2-week seminar on specialized areas of counterdrug intelligence
- National 1-week seminar on specialized counterdrug intelligence investigative techniques (2 seminars)
- National 1-week seminar on street level drug dealing for regional counterdrug commanders
- Meeting of the Group of Experts on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products
- Meeting of Group of Experts on Maritime Narcotrafficking
- National 1-week seminar to increase private sector involvement in port security through the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programme
- National 1-week seminar on advanced program to gather counterdrug intelligence, special Internet investigative techniques and in the use of Excel software to compile, manipulate and analyze counterdrug intelligence gathered during drug investigations
- National 1-week seminar on the investigation of Internet sales of drugs (2 seminars)
- National 1-week seminar on the illicit production and use of drugs
- National 1-week seminar on chemical diversion control
- National 1-week seminar on container control and security in collaboration with SMS/CICTE

Website: http://www.cicad.oas.org/Main/Template.asp?File=/reduccion_oferta/default_eng.asp

Beneficiaries: Direct Beneficiaries:
- Officers and officials in member states responsible for controlling drugs, chemicals and related substances and for counterdrug activities.
Indirect Beneficiaries:
-Agencies in the countries that are responsible for policy, operational or regulatory aspects related to the control of drugs, chemicals and related substances and/or for counterdrug activities
- All member states

Partnerships and Financing: Narcotics Affairs Section in-country (U.S. Dept of State); Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); National Police of Colombia (DIRAN); National Police of Peru (DIRANDRO); Ameripol/CLASIP; UNODC Office in-country and Vienna; Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC); Government of France (CIFAD); CARMA; French Customs in Martinique); SMS/CICTE.
Financing: Government of United States (INL/Dept of State); Government of Canada (DFATD); in-kind contribution from countries hosting activities.

Initiative: Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) - Sixth Evaluation Round
The Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) is a diagnostic tool, designed by all member states of the Organization of American States (OAS), to periodically carry out comprehensive, multilateral evaluations on the implementation level of the Plan of Action of the Hemispheric Drug Strategy of member states of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD). The MEM is considered “the only valid hemispheric tool for evaluating drug control policies in the countries that make up the inter-American system.” (Declaration of Antigua Guatemala, 43rd Regular Session of the OAS General Assembly, 2013).

Activities: In December 2014, the 34 MEM Sixth Round national evaluation reports on drug control were publicly released via the CICAD/MEM website. The reports evaluate the level of implementation of 27 standard recommendations based on the 2010 Hemispheric Drug Strategy and its Plan of Action for 2011-2015, focusing on five areas of drug control: institutional strengthening, demand reduction, supply reduction, control measures and international cooperation.

In May 2015, the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) concluded its Sixth Evaluation Round with the publication of the Hemispheric Report for the Sixth Round. The contents of the Report highlights the findings from the 34 national evaluation reports in the aforementioned five thematic areas of drug control.

Website: http://www.cicad.oas.org/Main/Template.asp?File=/mem/reports/6/ronda_6_eval_eng.asp

Beneficiaries: 34 OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Canadian Funding.

Initiative: Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020
The Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020 was established in November 2014 to include the participation of the 34 member states and a Chair to steer the Group. The Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) Section of the CICAD Executive Secretariat is supporting the work of this Working Group given the direct role the MEM plays in evaluating the actions taken by member states in implementing the Plan of Action.

Activities: The Working Group is following through and in line with the mandate in the Guatemala Resolution of September 19, 2014, "requesting CICAD to draft the Plan of Action 2016 – 2020, focusing on scientific evidence, experiences and impact indicators provided by the member states regarding the causes of the world drug problem and the new challenges emerging in the region, and taking into account the contributions made by the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism and the progress achieved by the specialized organizations as well as by other relevant sectors.”

During April 27 - 28, 2015, in Washington, D.C., the Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020 held its first meeting to initiate in-person dialogue among delegations. The structure of the Plan was discussed and agreements were reached to continue the work. The MEM Section supported the Group's work through the creation of an online platform, providing the pertinent reference documents, translations and compiling country comments/input for the view of the delegates. In doing so, the MEM Section also worked with civil society organizations and specialized regional organizations to collect their comments and inputs to the Plan of Action 2011 - 2015 and uploading it to the online platform. Also, there were ongoing organizational and coordination conference calls and meetings held between the CICAD Executive Secretariat and the Chair in preparation of the first meeting of the Working Group and thereafter.

Beneficiaries: 34 member states

Partnerships and Financing: OAS Regular Fund

Iniciative: Contribute to strengthening the quality and effectiveness of National Drug Policies in the Latin American and Caribbean Region.
Increasing the capacity of national officials to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate National Drug Policies, Strategies and Action Plans, including the development of local strategies.

Activities: Follow up on National Drug Strategies and Plans of Action
Promote Horizontal Cooperation
Provide Technical Assistance when requested by Member states

Website: http://www.cicad.oas.org/Main/Template.asp?File=/fortalecimiento_institucional/planesnacionales/default_eng.asp

Beneficiaries: National Drug Commissions of all OAS member states

Partnerships and Financing: Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Initiative: Public Security Information and Knowledge Network
The program aims at strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of Member States to produce and manage reliable data on public security.
In collaboration with other international institutions, the Public Security Knowledge and Information Network strives for the standardization of indicators across countries to conduct valid comparative analysis and assess security issues from a regional perspective. It also seeks to raise awareness of the importance of conducting victimization surveys to complement administrative records, and support Member States in both designing a common regional questionnaire and applying victimization surveys in their own countries.
The Public Security Knowledge and Information Network supports the design, implementation and evaluation of public security policies based on rigorous scientific evidence.
The Network also promotes the development and sharing of national and regional public security studies in collaboration with prestigious Universities, research centers and thinks tanks; stimulates human resources development in data collection, management and analysis; and facilitates the exchange of initiatives, lessons learned and best practices regarding data management, information sharing and knowledge creation on public security.
The Public Security Information and Knowledge Network is built upon three axis: the political axis, the management axis and the technical axis. Programmatic activities are included within the technical axis according to three areas: systems and processes, data and information gathering tools, and knowledge resources.

Activities: Technical axis - Systems and processes
1) Develop and implement a tool to assess current systems and processes for data gathering, processing and dissemination.
2) Develop working plans as requested by Member States to strengthen institutional, technical and technological capacities.
3) Draft guidelines for setting up integrated systems of security statistics and national observatories.
4) Create a network of Observatories linked to the Hemispheric Security Observatory.

Technical axis - Data and tools
1) Work with Member States on the quality and standardization of a set of core indicators according to the International Crime Classification for statistical purposes and the United Nations Surveys on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems. A specific set of indicators regarding gender-based violence will also be included (paragraph 3).
2) Work with Member States on the standardization of information gathering tools.

Technical axis - Knowledge resources
1) Develop directories with contact information of institutional and individual stakeholders related to public security.
2) Develop databases with programs and project on relevant public security issues, including violence prevention, homicide reduction, among others.
3) Create a digital library which would include the publications of the Public Security Department.
4) Create a calendar with events related to public security.
5) Develop a training module and a database with existing trainings and courses.

Beneficiaries: 34 active Member States, Observatories (regional, national and local), universities, think tanks, NGOs, international and regional organizations, journalists.

Partnerships and Financing: Within the management axis, there will be a management board composed of regional and international organizations. In addition, within the technical axis, particularly as part of the knowledge resources, the Network will create communities of practice linking together governmental and non-governmental specialists and practitioners.

Initiatives: Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020
The Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020 was established in November 2014 to include the participation of the 34 member states and a Chair to steer the Group. The Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism (MEM) Section of the CICAD Executive Secretariat is supporting the work of this Working Group given the direct role the MEM plays in evaluating the actions taken by member states in implementing the Plan of Action.

Activities: The Working Group is following through and in line with the mandate in the Guatemala Resolution of September 19, 2014, "requesting CICAD to draft the Plan of Action 2016 – 2020, focusing on scientific evidence, experiences and impact indicators provided by the member states regarding the causes of the world drug problem and the new challenges emerging in the region, and taking into account the contributions made by the Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism and the progress achieved by the specialized organizations as well as by other relevant sectors.”

During September 28 - October 2, 2015, in Mexico City, Mexico, the Working Group for the Preparation of the Plan of Action 2016 - 2020 held its second meeting to continue the drafting process of the Plan. As an outcome of the meeting, the Working Group decided that subsequent meetings would need to held to finish the work tasked to the Group, this request is pending approval of the CICAD Commissioners. The proposed dates for the third meeting of the Group is December 14 - 17, 2015 and for the fourth meeting is February 29 - March 4, 2016, both in Washington, D.C.

The MEM Section continues supporting the Group's work through via an online platform, providing the pertinent reference documents, translations and compiling country comments/input for the view of the delegates. Also, ongoing organizational and coordination conference calls and meetings were between the CICAD Executive Secretariat and the Chair in preparation of the second meeting of the Working Group and thereafter.

Beneficiaries: 34 OAS member states.

Partnerships and Financing: Mexican Funds / OAS Regular Fund / US Funds.

International Cooperation (Part 2)
a. Promotion of inter-agency coordination in the fight against transnational organized crime (Part 2)

• In March 2013, the ES organized a technical visit with officials from El Salvador to Colombia, with the aim of exchanging experiences in management of seized and confiscated assets, as well as on in rem forfeiture matters;

• In May, the First Meeting of Preparation of the Proposal for the Improvement of the BIDAL Project was held in Dominican Republic. It supported the Interagency Working Group (GTI) in the preparation and completion of the Proposal for the Improvement of the Forfeited Assets Management System, along with the writing and formal presentation of the Final Document to the national authorities;

• The ES/CICAD, within the Implementation of Technical Assistance Plan on Anti-Money Laundering in Peru, which is developed with the active participation and collaboration of the Implementation and Monitoring Committee of the National Strategy to Combat Money Laundering Actives of Peru (CONTRALAFT), has performed the following activities in 2013: a) A First Diagnostic Mission for the development of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Council of Legal State Defense took place in April, and a Second Mission for the delivery of Results and Training for the development of the Unit, took place in early July; b) In April, a workshop of Administration and Disposition of Seized and Confiscated Assets was conducted; c) Also in April, a Course on Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing was held for judges and prosecutors; d) In May and October, a Public/Private Sector Dialogue and Training Program against Money Laundering and Financing Terrorism was executed. This program promotes public (justice)/private (financial) sector dialogue and training against money laundering and financing of terrorism, and seeks to ensure that the justice and financial sectors effectively collaborate; e) A First Workshop on Special Investigative Techniques (TEIs) was conducted in July, involving judges, the Office of the Attorney General, investigators and UIF analysts, as well as the National Commission on Seized Assets (CONABI) and the State Law Defense Council officials; f) A Workshop on “Mock Investigation” on an AML case and Organized Crime was held in July; and g) In August, a Mock Trial of a Money Laundering Case was developed, with 80 officers from the State’s Legal Defense Council, the FIU, the National Police of Peru, prosecutors and member of the judiciary. This exercise created a space for interdisciplinary and inter-agency discussion, while motivating and boosting their performance by applying best practices for investigating and for intervening in public and oral trials.

b. Agreements to strengthen international cooperation and technical assistance

• In November 2012, in the framework of the Fifth Summit Meeting of the American Police Community, the appointment of the first liaison officers of the American Police Community (AMERIPOL) to the OAS was confirmed, effective March 2013. An officer from the Carabineros de Chile and the National Federal Police of Colombia.

• DPS, in the framework of the Cooperation Agreement signed with Ameripol, carried out the seminar “Strategies for Police Public Safety, an initiative to promote innovative approaches developed by police institutions of the hemisphere, particularly regarding police service models that provide a timely and satisfactory response to citizens’ needs in terms of public security. The seminar was open to all Permanent Missions and police attaches of the Member States.

• The Department of Public Security, representing the GS/OAS, signed technical assistance and cooperation agreements for stockpile management and destruction with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and with Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Suriname for cooperation and assistance as part of the project “Promoting Firearms Marking and Tracing in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

• Throughout 2012 and 2013, DPS also provided direct technical and financial assistance to: destroy of 21,294 firearms in Costa Rica (13,493), Dominica (180), El Salvador (3,638), Guatemala (983), and Honduras (3,000); destroy 1,361,828 units of ammunitions in Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala; clear 1,371 unexploded munitions in Nicaragua; deliver 23 firearms marking machines with computer database equipment and software, as well as 32 vices, to Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru and Suriname as part of the project “Promoting Firearms Marking and Tracing in Latin America and the Caribbean.”; deliver safety and analysis equipment and construction of a storage and handling facility for precursor chemicals at Estanzuela, Guatemala.

Activities:
a) Technical visit with officials from El Salvador to Colombia, with the aim of exchanging experiences in management of seized and confiscated assets, as well as on in rem forfeiture matters.
b) First Meeting of Preparation of the Proposal for the Improvement of the BIDAL Project.
c) A series of activities for the development of the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Council of Legal State Defense.
d) Participation in the Fifth Summit Meeting of the American Police Community.
e) Cooperation agreements signed for stockpile management and destruction with El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and with Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Suriname.
f) A series of activities related to arms destruction.

Beneficiaries:
El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, and with Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Panama, Peru, and Suriname, among others.

Partnerships: AMERIPOL

International Cooperation (Part 1)
Promotion of inter-agency coordination in the fight against transnational organized crime

• CICTE’s Cybersecurity program has forged important partnerships and cooperation agreements concluded with the private sector and civil society. For example, the Secretary General signed a cooperation agreement with the global awareness campaign “Stop. Think. Connect,” which seeks to raise Internet user awareness of cybersecurity risks. The OAS General Secretariat also signed the World Economic Forum’s Cyber Resilience Principles, which assist institutions in adapting appropriate cybersecurity principles.

• In May 2013, CICTE published a joint report with the cyber security firm Trend Micro title “Latin American and Caribbean Cybersecurity Trends and Government Responses.” This report paired objective threat report data from Trend Micro with Member State-provided data concerning government responses to issues of cyber security and cybercrime. Filling a knowledge gap expressed by Member States, the report informed the future of CICTE’s cyber security work and exemplified the type of public-private relations that will strengthen cyber resilience in the Americas. Finally, it showed other regions in the world the dynamic perspective that is generated by working with non-government partners. CICTE also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft to start the development of joint training and capacity building initiatives in the Hemisphere.

• CICTE’s Maritime Security program delivered several “best practices” workshops in topics such as risk assessment and management and drills and exercises based on the APEC Manual. The CICTE Secretariat conceived and spearheaded an effort to update and enhance this document based on the input of the joint OAS-APEC members, namely Canada, the U.S., Chile, Mexico and Peru. As a result, the manual has now been re-written and the modified text has been launched in four of our member states (Jamaica, Bahamas Honduras and Mexico).

• With support from the OAS Department of Tourism, the CICTE Tourism Security program collaborated with the World Tourism Organization and the ministries of tourism of the Hemisphere to organize the Tourism Security in the Americas Conferences (Dominican Republic, 2011, Panama, 2013; and for the upcoming conference in Ecuador, 2014). The Tourism Security Program continues to develop relationships with tourism security agencies around the region, creating a strong network of partners, which include both public and private sector members.

• CICTE’s Document Security and Fraud Prevention Program, in collaboration with INTERPOL, held national workshops in the area of integrated border management and database promotion. This partnership is expected to be strengthened in the future for the execution of a project enabling the countries to share and consult information through a national alert system on the latest trends in travel and identity document falsification and alteration. In parallel, activities on this front have promoted participation by civil registries, which has led to greater and better interagency cooperation at the national and regional levels, and to raised awareness of the importance of the travel document issuance process.

• In 2012 members of the Supply Reduction staff were invited to attend several international counterdrug meetings to offer their expertise. The events included the Fifty-sixth Session of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs; COPOLAD Maritime Narcotrafficking Conference; International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) Training Conference; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Sin Fronteras Project Meeting; Joint Task Force on Prism and Cohesion Meeting (INTERPOL); PRELAC/UNODC International Meeting on Control of Chemicals and the Private Sector.

• As part of the training activities undertaken by CICAD, there were two Preparation Missions for the Implementation of a Technical Assistance Plan on Anti-Money Laundering, in July. The first one, in Peru, intended for presenting the Technical Assistance Program to the Committee for the Implementation and Monitoring of the National Strategy Anti-Money Laundering. The second one, in Honduras, was a validation workshop for the study “Regional Action Plan Against Money Laundering”, within the framework of the Support Plan to the Central American Security Strategy, the Central American Integration System (SICA, Spanish acronym) and the Central American Economic Integration Bank (CABEI).

• In the month of December 2012 a legislative technical assistance mission took place. It was addressed to the National Commission of Seized Assets (CONABI) of Peru, with the aim of drafting the Regulation and Manuals of the organization and functioning of CONABI. Following CONABI last August, specific advice was given on handling storage, units of conservation, transport and all aspects related to the neutralization and/or destruction of chemical inputs.

Activities:
a) Several “best practices” workshops in topics such as risk assessment and management and drills and exercises.
b) Tourism Security in the Americas Conferences (Dominican Republic, 2011, Panama, 2013; Ecuador, 2014).
c) Two Preparation Missions for the Implementation of a Technical Assistance Plan on Anti-Money Laundering.
d) Participation in: The Fifty-sixth Session of the Commission of Narcotic Drugs; COPOLAD Maritime Narcotrafficking Conference; International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) Training Conference; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Sin Fronteras Project Meeting; Joint Task Force on Prism and Cohesion Meeting (INTERPOL); PRELAC/UNODC International Meeting on Control of Chemicals and the Private Sector.

Partnerships:
Commission of Narcotic Drugs; COPOLAD; International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) e; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); INTERPOL; PRELAC/UNODC.

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 6)

f. Support for capacity-building to prevent and combat trafficking in persons

• In 2012, the governments of Chile and Uruguay hosted the law enforcement and judicial capacity-building training program sponsored by the Department of Public Security. This program permitted police, immigration officers, prosecutors and judges to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of investigative and interviewing techniques and identifying procedures to protect victims of trafficking in persons. This same year, the Government launched the first national assessment on trafficking in persons.

• The governments of Guatemala, Panama, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas hosted the “Specialized Training Program on Border Controls”, organized jointly by CICAD-CICTE-DPS to train immigration and customs officials to strengthen their techniques and instruments, in order to better identify the illicit trafficking of substances, persons, and issues related to terrorist threats in the Western Hemisphere.

• During this period, the DPS/SMS/OAS continued to monitor the project “Strengthening the Security Forces, Immigration Officers, Prosecutors and Judges, to Prevent and Combat Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children” (Uruguay, December 2012). In addition to strengthening the areas of identification and protection of victims of trafficking in persons, the project created a space for criminal investigation techniques, operational management of the crime scene, and ethical research interviews to trafficked and exploited children through the Internet. This project also provided the opportunity to identify the importance of establishing standard operating procedures for immigration control input and output. Government representatives of the security and judicial sectors, received curriculum guides and training materials.

• Within the framework of this project, the Department of Public Security has also created an information-sharing network of authorities responsible for preventing and combating trafficking in persons. To date, this network is composed of 20 Member States.

• The Department of Public Security and the Educational Portal of the Americas created a virtual learning platform to train consular officers and diplomats in preventive mechanisms and identification of victims of trafficking. The online platform is expected to be released and made available to Member States by mid 2014.

Activities:
a) Law enforcement and judicial capacity-building training.
b) Joint event DPS/CICAD/CICTE: “Specialized Training Program on Border Controls”.
c) Creation of an information-sharing network of authorities responsible for preventing and combating trafficking in persons.
d) Creation of a virtual learning platform to train consular officers and diplomats in preventive mechanisms and identification of victims of trafficking. The online platform is expected to be released and made available to Member States by mid 2014.

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Partnerships: Educational Portal of the Americas of the GS/OAS.

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 5)
• Through a partnership with the Government of Israel and the Government of Canada, CICTE delivered its first Joint Aviation Security Program in Panama, which focused on the identification and interdiction of passengers with suspicious behavior. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) provided expertise on anti-crime behavioral detection methods through their JETWAY Program and from the Israel Security Agency (ISA) shared their experience in counter-terrorism behavioral detection methods.

• The Strengthening Strategies on Emerging Terrorist Threats Program seeks to strengthen Member States’ capacity to respond to potential bio-terrorist threats. This program is implemented primarily through tabletop practical exercises and technical assistance missions to address specific issues and develop National Response Plans.

• Over the last five years, this program has provided critical training to over one thousand government officials in over 30 Member States. As a result, regional knowledge and awareness have been greatly increased, and several nations – including Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, Guatemala and Chile – have initiated, completed or improved upon existing national response plans. In addition, this program has also improved interagency cooperation within the Members States, as well as regionally.

• In the last two years, some twenty (20) tourist security courses have been imparted to strengthen national capacities and create partnerships for cooperation between the public and private sectors in countries and tourist destinations of the Caribbean, Central America, South America, and Mexico. This has led to the creation of a network of tourist security liaisons for the exchange of experiences and best practices. In that connection, the program has enabled tourism police and private sector security chiefs in each locale to work in a harmonized manner with the other providers of tourism services, taking advantage of the social network technological platform.

• During 2013, the CICTE Secretariat conducted six training activities on tourism security in Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Mexico, and Peru. These activities were carried out in collaboration with partners such as: the FBI, the Pan-American Health Organization, the UN World Tourism Organization, the Integrated Secretariat of Tourism of Central America (SITCA), CARICOM-IMPACS- (Implementation Agency for Crime and Security), the Association of Caribbean States, and the CARICOM Disaster and Emergency Management Agency.

• Since its launch in 2006, the Document Security and Fraud Prevention Program has enhanced security in the issuance and control of travel and identity documents in the member states. The Secretariat has implemented different activities and training courses in the region, notable among them advanced training on the detection of fraudulent documents and impostors, and subregional workshops on best practices in travel document security and identification management.

• In addition, in 2013 CICTE carried out a sub-regional workshop on Border Controls and Integrated Border Management in collaboration with SICA and subject matter experts from INTERPOL. This workshop focused on improving inter-agency and cross border communication and coordination on travel document security and border controls issues.

e. Support for crime and violence prevention

• The Department of Public Security created a methodology to strengthen police responses to cases of violence (particularly gender-based) and to promote prevention initiatives from a community-based approach. With funding from the United States, this methodology is being applied in a program currently implemented in Costa Rica since 2013 to promote dialogue and build greater trust and cooperation among local police, community representatives, and key organizations. The methodology can be adapted to different contexts throughout the region, based on a country’s particular needs and/or challenges.

Activities:
a) Training on the destruction of explosive and small caliber ammunition.
b) Training in ammunition management and safety.
c) Training in firearms marking and record-keeping.
d) Training in firearms destruction.
e) Training course on analysis, handling, transport, storage and elimination of hazardous chemical substances.
f) Four workshops on mitigating vulnerable ICS (Industrial Control Systems) from cyber risk.
g) Technical assistance to ports, for compliance with the International Maritime Organization standards, and other international port security norms.
h) More than 15 joint workshops (DPS/CICAD/CICTE) to raise awareness among border officials of risk management and to strengthen institutional relations among border control authorities.
i) Three trainings related to the Customs Controls Program.
j) Training on the identification and interdiction of passengers seeking to traffic in illicit items.

Partnerships:
The Government of Israel, The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), The FBI, the Pan-American Health Organization, the UN World Tourism Organization, the Integrated Secretariat of Tourism of Central America (SITCA), CARICOM-IMPACS- (Implementation Agency for Crime and Security), the Association of Caribbean States, and the CARICOM Disaster and Emergency Management Agency, Interpol.

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 4)
c. Support for implementing the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA)

• The Department of Public Security provided training on the destruction of explosive and small caliber ammunition to a total of 83 national personnel from Costa Rica (29 police), El Salvador (12 military), and Honduras (42 military). In addition, 45 military personnel from Guatemala received training in ammunition management and safety. Under a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Defense of Spain, DPS coordinated the training of a total of 33 personnel from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to be supervisors and instructors in specialized techniques for explosive ordnance disposal (EOD level 3).

• With regards to firearms marking and recordkeeping, the Department of Public Security trained a total of 131 national personnel from Antigua and Barbuda (6), Argentina (10), Dominica (9), Dominican Republic (13), Ecuador (10), El Salvador (18), Guatemala (4), Haiti (15), Jamaica (12), Panama (10), Peru (14), and Suriname (10).

• A total of 76 national personnel from five countries -- including Costa Rica (19 police), Dominica (10 police), El Salvador (15 military), Guatemala (17 military), and Honduras (15 military) -- received training from DPS on destruction of firearms.

• In Guatemala, the Department of Public Security organized a training course on analysis, handling, transport, storage and elimination of hazardous chemical substances for a total of 54 personnel representing the National Civilian Police, Ministry of Interior, National Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ministry of Health, Ministry of the Attorney General, the Judicial Branch, and the OAS Program of Assistance for Control of Arms and Munitions.

d. Support for border, document and tourism security issues

• CICTE’s Cybersecurity program began implementing a new cyber security project on protecting internet-facing critical infrastructures. As evidenced by a joint report published with the cyber security firm Trend Micro, attacks on the industrial control systems—ICS—that administer our most critical services are under constant and evolving attack. In Colombia, CICTE delivered its first of at least four workshops on mitigating vulnerable ICS from cyber risk. The event convened a mix of policy and technical-level officials, providing them a space to learn about the threat landscape and measures that should be taken to safeguard systems from digital penetration.

• The Maritime Security Program has provided training for officials of 31 member states, including technical assistance to ports, for compliance with the International Maritime Organization standards, and other international port security norms. The main objective has been to strengthen anti-terrorist activities and law enforcement capacities at port installations and to improve coordination among governmental authorities involved in maritime security. The program now makes available diversified training to the member states in the following areas: container security; maritime domain awareness; port state control, supply chain security; risk assessment and management, drills and exercises; and information security systems, among others.

• The migration and customs program initially sought to raise awareness among border officials of risk management and to strengthen institutional relations among border control authorities. Based on this approach, workshops were held in 15 countries of Central America and the Caribbean, working in coordination with the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the Department of Public Security (DPS). Thereafter, in response to the priorities indicated by the member states, the approach was modified to address the issue of container and cargo ship security so as to ensure the safety and efficiency of the flow of trade in the region.

• CICTE’s Immigration and Customs Controls program executed three activities in 2013. The first activity, a Specialized National Workshop on Immigration and Customs Controls, was held in St. Kitts and Nevis, in February. This activity, which brought together customs, immigration, police, and other border security authorities for a multidisciplinary training on various aspects of border security, concluded CICTE’s two-year “Specialized OAS Capacity-Building Project on Border Controls.”

• The CICTE Aviation Security program has provided training for 26 states of the region on the identification and interdiction of passengers seeking to traffic in illicit items. These techniques entail no implementation costs beyond personnel skills. Therefore, several countries have established behavior analysis units at their airports.

Activities:
a) Training on the destruction of explosive and small caliber ammunition.
b) Training in ammunition management and safety.
c) Training in firearms marking and record-keeping.
d) Training in firearms destruction.
e) Training course on analysis, handling, transport, storage and elimination of hazardous chemical substances.
f) Four workshops on mitigating vulnerable ICS (Industrial Control Systems) from cyber risk.
g) Technical assistance to ports, for compliance with the International Maritime Organization standards, and other international port security norms.
h) More than 15 joint workshops (DPS/CICAD/CICTE) to raise awareness among border officials of risk management and to strengthen institutional relations among border control authorities.
i) Three trainings related to the Customs Controls Program.
j) Training on the identification and interdiction of passengers seeking to traffic in illicit items.

Partnerships:
Ministry of Defense of Spain
Trend Micro -Cyber security firm

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 3)
b. Support for supply reduction and control measures (part 2)
• The sale of drugs over the internet is a growing global problem that presents major challenges for those tasked with controlling this aspect of drug trafficking. ES/CICAD working with the Swedish National Police delivered seminars in Barbados and Mexico on the investigation of internet sales of drugs. Participants learned how the internet works and techniques and tools that they can use to investigate drugs sales over the internet. A total of 50 officers from Barbados, Grenada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines participated in these seminars.

• The diversion of pharmaceutical drugs and the illicit production and trafficking of synthetic drugs including New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) is a growing global problem. It is a dynamic situation presenting many challenges for CICAD member states. Regulatory officials and counterdrug enforcement officers need to be aware of these changes including the new chemicals and processes being used to illegally produce these substances, how they are diverted and the new drugs that are being produced illegally.

• ES/CICAD and the RCMP partnered to deliver a seminar in the illicit production of synthetic drugs in Guatemala. A total of 113 officers from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago participated in these seminars.

• During 2013 ES/CICAD continued its collaboration with the Swedish National Police to deliver seminars on the investigation of the sale of drugs over the internet. The seminars were delivered in St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia. They focused on the techniques and tools that can be used to investigate drugs sales over the internet. Participants were surprised to uncover evidence of this problem taking place in the host countries at that time. A total of 48 officers from Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines participated in these seminars.

• With the collaboration of the Government of France through its Inter-Agency Drug Control Training Center (CIFAD) and Customs/Coast Guard, both in Martinique, five training seminars were delivered in various subject areas to control the international movement of drug-related contraband. A total of 112 officers from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay participated.

• Working with various chapters of the Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC) the ES/CICAD organized three events on supply chain security and port security in Costa Rica, Colombia and Brazil involving 280 participants from the private and public sectors. A seminar was also delivered in the Dominican Republic. Participants included 85 individuals from the private and public sectors.

• Five seminars on Customs and Immigration Control and Border Security were delivered in partnership with the two other dependencies of the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (SMS): the Committee against Terrorism (CICTE) and the Department of Public Security (DPS). These seminars took place in Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Guatemala, Panama and St. Lucia involving 228 participants. Another seminar was held in St. Kitts and Nevis for 45 customs and immigration officers from the host country.

• ES/CICAD and CICTE also organized and delivered a two-week seminar on container control in Jamaica. This was a train the trainer seminar that included a total of 47 participants. The program looked the ways that narcotraffickers use containers to smuggle drugs and related contraband and how to target interdiction efforts.

Activities:
a) Seminars in Barbados and Mexico on the investigation of internet sales of drugs.
b) Seminar in the illicit production of synthetic drugs in Guatemala.
c) Five training seminars were delivered in various subject areas to control the international movement of drug-related contraband.
d) Three events on supply chain security and port security.
e) Five joint seminars (DPS/CICAD/CICTE)on Customs and Immigration Control and Border Security.
f) Two-week "training of trainers" seminar on container control.

Beneficiaries:
Barbados, Grenada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic.

Partnerships:
Swedish National Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
The Government of France through its Inter-Agency Drug Control Training Center (CIFAD) and Customs/Coast Guard
Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC)

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 2)
b. Support for supply reduction and control measures

• In 2012 ERCAIAD celebrated its first full year of operation under the management of the Colombian National Police. Three four-week multinational courses on strategic and prospective counterdrug intelligence were delivered in Bogotá. Additionally, three more two-week regional seminars dealing with certain specialized areas of counterdrug operational intelligence were delivered in Argentina, Ecuador and Mexico in collaboration with national law enforcement entities. A total of 174 counterdrug officers from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, México and Venezuela participated in these courses/seminars.
• ERCAIAD completed another successful year of operation under the leadership of the Colombian National Police. During 2013 three four-week multinational courses (79 participants) took place on strategic and prospective counterdrug police intelligence in Colombia with funding support from the United States. Within the framework of ERCAIAD four additional two-week regional seminars on specialized operational counterdrug intelligence subjects were delivered in Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Panama for a total of 110 officers from these countries.
• With funding support from Canada, ES/CICAD made significant progress towards establishing a parallel regional counterdrug intelligence training school for the Caribbean. The Government of Trinidad and Tobago indicated its support for the initiative and its agreement to host the school. ES/CICAD organized a meeting of senior counterdrug intelligence officials from the region and others from relevant agencies in Trinidad and Tobago to more precisely define the framework of the initiative and map the way ahead to a pilot seminar to be held in Port of Spain in 2014.
• Effective and successful counterdrug enforcement relies heavily on the development and use of intelligence to carry out monitoring, investigation and operational activities. Six seminars on a variety of counterdrug investigative techniques were delivered under this program. A total of 343 officers from Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Grenada, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay participated in these seminars.
• In collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), 2 two-week train the trainer seminars were delivered in Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago on “Jetway” as well as one-week seminar in St Lucia. Jetway is an investigative technique that uses human behavior to identify travelers who may be carrying illicit drugs or other contraband. The RCMP also collaborated with the delivery of a seminar on clandestine laboratories in Ecuador.
• Two two-week train-the-trainer seminars were delivered in Bogota, Colombia and Bridgetown, Barbados. A total of 68 officers participated in these seminars. Trainers from these two seminars will be used to replicate the training in their own country and will be used to assist in similar train the trainer seminars in other countries.
• Two seminars were organized in partnership with the Colombian National Police: micro trafficking investigations with the Directorate of Intelligence (DIPOL) and chemical diversion investigations and interdiction operations with the Directorate of Counter Narcotics (DIRAN). Additionally, three seminars on specialized operational/investigation law enforcement skills were delivered in collaboration with the counterdrug branch of the Peruvian National Police (DIRANDRO).
• During 2013 ES/CICAD delivered seven seminars on various counterdrug investigative technique specialties. These seminars took place in Barbados, Colombia and Peru with 218 officers participating.
• Working in collaboration with the Government of France through its Inter-Agency Drug Control Training Center (CIFAD), ES/CICAD delivered a seminar in Argentina on the analysis of drug-related information using Excel. A total of 20 officers from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay participated in this seminar.
• The Caribbean Regional Drug Law Enforcement Training Centre (REDTRAC) helped organize a regional seminar on the control of chemicals used in the manufacture of illicit drugs in Jamaica. Additional seminars were delivered in the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Grenada with the collaboration of both National Drug Offices. Particular emphasis was placed on the issue of officer safety and how to handle what are often toxic and otherwise dangerous chemicals. A total of 86 officers from Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, participated in these seminars.

a) Three four-week multinational courses on strategic and prospective counterdrug intelligence.
b) Two-week regional seminars dealing with certain specialized areas of counterdrug operational intelligence.
c) Meeting of senior counterdrug intelligence officials from the region.
d) Six seminars on a variety of counterdrug investigative techniques
e) Two, two-week train the trainer seminar on "Jetway".
f) Two two-week train-the-trainer seminars
g) Two seminars on micro trafficking investigations
h) Seven seminars on various counterdrug investigative technique specialties.
i) Regional seminar on the control of chemicals used in the manufacture of illicit drugs in Jamaica.

Beneficiaries:
Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica.

Partnerships:
United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTED), the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC/TPB) and the South America Financial Action Task Force (GAFISUD)

Training to Combat Transnational Organized Crime (Part 1)
a. Support for counter-money laundering activities

• The CICAD Executive Secretariat sponsored or participated in 12 training events in 2012, both country- and region-specific, that reached 440 judges, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement agents and FIU analysts. In March, it delivered two workshops (Ecuador and Uruguay) to train FIU analysts in performing links and relationships analysis on reporting on suspicious banking activity and cash transactions.
• In partnership with the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE, Spanish acronym), the CICAD conducted three Workshops on Anti-Terrorism Financing in 2012. These courses were held in the Dominican Republic and Peru, in March, and in El Salvador, in July. In these workshops, judges and prosecutors were trained in the preparation of financial intelligence reports and in the combat against terrorist financing.
• As part of a coordinated effort by international organizations, CICAD joined with OAS/CICTE, the Executive Directorate of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTED), the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC/TPB) and the South America Financial Action Task Force (GAFISUD) to create the MECOOR Initiative to develop joint capacity building projects to prevent and fight money laundering and terrorism financing. In 2012, they organized a national training event on combating money laundering and terrorism financing for judges and prosecutors in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and a regional training event in Lima for judges and prosecutors from four countries.
• CICAD carried out several workshops on Administration and Disposition of Seized and Confiscated Assets, in Panama (November 2012); Dominican Republic (March 2012); Costa Rica (June), and Chile (August 2012). These workshops strengthened the technical capacity of the officials of the agencies involved in the seizure, forfeiture, administration and allocation of assets of illicit origin.
• Within the framework of the Seized and Forfeited Assets Management Project (which is known by its Spanish acronym, BIDAL) have been undertaken various activities, training around 330 officers. First, the Third Meeting of Preparation of the Proposal for the Improvement of the BIDAL Project took place in El Salvador, in March this year, which aimed to support the Interagency Working Group (GTI, Spanish acronym) in the preparation and completion of the Proposal for the Improvement of the Forfeited Assets Management System, along with the writing and formal presentation of the final document to the national authorities. Secondly, two workshops have been executed so far this year as part of the BIDAL Project. In March, we held a National Workshop in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and in June, a Regional Seminar took place in San Jose, Costa Rica, which involved more than 50 people from several countries of the region, among them Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Dominican Republic. Both workshops are part of the BIDAL Project’s expansion into Central America.
• CICAD organized an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Course for Judges and Prosecutors that explored elements for analysis and practical problem solutions from Spanish and Peruvian doctrine and jurisprudence concerning investigation of money laundering cases. This initiative was carried out in Peru in April 2013 and in El Salvador in October 2013, totaled 90 participants.
• A workshop on seized and forfeited assets administration was held in Honduras (January/February), Peru (April), Paraguay (June), Mexico (July) and Uruguay (July), and in total 300 participants attended, including judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers.

Activities:
a) 12 training events hat reached 440 judges, prosecutors, public defenders, law enforcement agents and FIU analysts.
b) Three joint seminars between CICAD and CICTE on Anti-Terrorism Financing.
c) National training event on combating money laundering and terrorism financing for judges and prosecutors
d) Several workshops on Administration and Disposition of Seized and Confiscated Assets

Beneficiaries:
All initiatives are intended to benefit all OAS member states.
Some of the activities above have already benefited the following countries, among others: Ecuador, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Panama and El Salvador.

Partnerships:
United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (UNCTED), the Terrorism Prevention Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC/TPB) and the South America Financial Action Task Force (GAFISUD)

Study on Women and Drugs in the Americas
Claims by the media, paired with the scarce data available, suggest that in recent years, the participation of women in the international drug industry has increased significantly. Nevertheless, while this participation is visible in the news, it has been largely absent from the research and other activities of most governmental and inter-governmental bodies in the Americas. Preliminary research conducted by the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) of the OAS indicates that in many countries, the majority of women denied liberty are fulfilling sentences for drug-related crimes.

At the request of the Member States of the CIM, the Secretariat published a study "Women and drugs in the Americas: A policy working paper" that offers a country-by country review and analysis of available information, including reflections on the efficacy of current drug control policies and their consequences, as well as recommendations for public policy and other areas from a gender, development and human rights perspective.

The working paper was then launched during an OAS policy round-table on "Women, drugs and incarceration in the Americas," which looked at the growing participation of women in all aspects of the illegal drugs trade in the Americas, the dynamics of their participation and their increased presence in the prisons of the region as a result of drug-related crimes.

Activities:
- Questionnaire circulated to Member States on the gender dimensions of their approach to addressing the issue of drugs
- Literature review conducted of existing data and other evidence on this topic
- Results compiled into a policy working paper and launched during a round-table event on March 31st 2014

Beneficiaries:
Government and other bodies responsible for public policy and programs on drugs, drug-related crime and penal systems.

Partnerships:
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD)
International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
Government of Uruguay (Office of National Security)
Government of Mexico (Ministry of the Interior)

http://www.oas.org/en/cim/womenanddrugs.asp

System of Progress Indicators for Measuring the Implementation of the Belém do Pará Convention
The Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention (MESECVI) is a systematic and ongoing multi-lateral evaluation methodology, based on a forum for permanent dialogue and technical cooperation between the States Party to the Convention and a Committee of Experts. The goal of the MESECVI is to analyze progress in the implementation of the Convention by its States Party, as well as persistent challenges to an effective response to violence against women.

In 2013, the MESECVI adopted a series of rights-based progress indicators related to the different provisions of the Convention. The aim of these indicators is to provide a more nuanced evaluation of efforts to implement the Convention and to generate an idea of the real impact of these efforts on women's ability to live free of violence.

These indicators were circulated to the States Party tot he Belém do Pará Convention in July 2013, and thus far the MESECVI has received 17 replies, which will serve as the basis for national reports and a consolidated hemispheric report on the implementation of the Convention.

Activities:
- Conduct a review and assessment of existing efforts to monitor and evaluate the (State) response to violence against women
- On the basis of this review (good practices/lessons learned) and in keeping with the provisions of the Belém do Pará Convention, identify a series of indicators the measure a) the implementation of the Convention; and b) women's ability to exercise their right to a life free of violence
- Validate the indicators with the MESECVI Committee of Experts
- Circulate the indicators to the States Party to the Convention
- Compile the State Party responses into a series of national reports and a consolidated Hemispheric Report
- Use these reports to develop information and awareness-raising tools and products on the prevalence of violence against women and the measures needed to effectively prevent and address it.

Beneficiaries:
Government entities responsible for responding to violence against women (Ministries of Women, Education, Health, Justice, etc.)
Women's (civil society) organizations involved with the issue of violence against women

Partnerships:
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (OAS)
Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIDH)
Gender and Justice Foundation (ELA)

1. National strategies against transnational organized crime (Part 2)
d) Counter-terrorism efforts
• Since the adoption of the Comprehensive Inter-American Cybersecurity Strategy in 2004, the CICTE Cyber Security program has promoted the creation of Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), whose numbers have risen from six (6) to eighteen (18) in the last decade. In parallel, countries such as Colombia, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago have established national cybersecurity policies and strategies, while with support from the OAS Department of Information and Technology Services (DOITS), the Executive Secretariat has developed a mobile laboratory for conducting cybersecurity crisis management exercises, which has been used for training activities in six (6) countries. These three developments have consolidated capacities for response, both national and regional, to this type of threat.
• In 2013, as part of its Maritime Security Program, CICTE concluded the Port Security Assistance Partnership Phase III (PSAP III) that had begun in May of 2010. The PSAP III included projects designed in consultation with Transport Canada and the United States Coast Guard, to carry out and complement activities that had been underway since 2007 on three main subprograms: Port Security Assessments and Follow on Trainings, Crisis Management Exercises (CMEs) and Best Practices Workshops.
• 2013 marks the final year of CICTE’s 3 year project on Capacity-building in Travel Document Security and Identity Management in the Americas. This Program carried out capacity gap assessment missions on travel document security and identity management. These missions focused on identifying the challenges member states face regarding the security of document issuance processes and control of travel documents, while at the same time providing recommendations and suggestions on how to address those challenges.
• CICTE’s Security in Major Events program promotes the building of national and regional prevention capacities through direct assistance to the member states, as was evident in the preparations for the 2010 Pan-American Games (Mexico) and 2013 Central American Games (Costa Rica).
• Since 2011, CICTE has been assisting Mexico work towards UNSCR 1540 compliance by supporting authorities the drafting of a National Work Plan, followed by a 2-year tailored action-oriented program to address needs and challenges. This tailored capacity building and technical assistance program is conducted in partnership with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the UNSCR 1540 Committee Group of Experts.
• In Colombia, based on the tailored assessment and the needs and priorities identified in its National Action Plan of Colombia, CICTE in collaboration with the Colombian Government plans to host specialized training activities at in-country in the near future. The number of activities to be implemented depends on the available funding from donor countries for the Project. To date, funding sources have not been identified.
• In addition, in partnership with Panamanian government authorities, the CICTE Secretariat is coordinating a meeting with relevant officials to take the first steps towards the drafting of a National Work Plan for the implementation of UNSCR 1540 in Panama. This activity will include the support of UNODA, the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts.

Activities:
d) Counter-terrorism efforts

Beneficiaries: All initiatives and intended to benefit all OAS member states.

Partnerships: UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

1. National strategies against transnational organized crime (Part 1)
a) Preventing and fighting transnational organized crime
• In 2012, the SMS/OAS developed a “Model to Strengthen Institutional Capacities to Address Citizen Security Concerns” to provide an overview of citizen security in a country by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the following subsystems: Ministry of Security; National Police; Prison System; Judiciary; Public Ministry; Private Security; and the Parliament; by carrying out a study on the weaknesses of the existing relations between the subsystems analyzed from the perspective of functions National Security System; and by drafting concrete recommendations to address the problems identified. Between 2012 and 2014, and as per the request of each government, the Secretariat performed this needs assessment in Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Belize. Final reports and specific recommendations, in addition to technical projects for possible implementation, were provided to each government.
• The Department of Public Security has created a Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy that seeks to help Member States reduce and/or mitigate the risks associated with violent and/or criminal situations in the hemisphere. Implemented in collaboration with partner institutions such as local governments, public and private networks, civil society organizations, schools systems, and others, the strategy gives priority to identifying risk factors for youth related crime and/or violence.
b) Special investigative techniques
• In order to strengthen the capacities of investigators responsible for conducting investigations of money laundering and organized crime, CICAD organized three workshops on Special Investigative Techniques (SIT) in Paraguay (1) and Peru (2). The course is based on the analysis of money laundering convictions in which SIT played an important function in the investigation and prosecution process, with the discussion of cases, experiences and best practices with a team of CICAD experts.
• CICAD designed and implemented a workshop for prosecutors and law enforcement agents taking into consideration the importance of training in Special Investigative Techniques (SIT). Through numerous experiences and cases, the training explored the characteristics of the special investigative techniques, their complexities and risks, and best practices to achieve optimum preventive and judicial results. The SIT workshop was held in Nicaragua, Honduras and Peru in February, April and June 2013, respectively, and totaled 124 participants.
c) Collection and dissemination of statistical data
• The Secretariat has been helping to strengthen national, sub regional and regional capacities and capabilities to improve information on transnational organized crime and its activities since 2009. The Department of Public Security has helped to develop national, governmental centers and/or observatories for the collection, analysis and distribution of national information on crime and violence in Belize, Barbados, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru, Saint Kits and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
• DPS is working with CARICOM-IMPACS and SICA-OBSICA to develop standardized indicators on crime and violence and helped to coordinate a meeting in El Salvador (August 2013) with OBSICA and the IDB’s Standardized Indicators System (SES).
• The DPS is integral part of the executive committee that oversees the activities of the UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence on Statistics on Governance, Public Safety, Victimization and Justice, in Mexico City. Since January 2012, within the Center of Excellence framework, the OAS participated in several activities with representatives of its Member States to strengthen information collection, information sharing and training of governmental officers on data collection and victimization surveys.
• In 2012, the DPS worked with UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence to develop indicators to measure TOC in the Americas. Furthermore, OAS/SMS/DPS worked with the World Economic Forum (WEF), in 2013, during a series of live and online discussions to develop projects for the WEF Global Agenda Council on Organized Crime (mainly a research on the economic cost of TOC). Additionally, DPS implemented together with economists and statisticians from Oxford Economics a research on indicators of TOC.
• Since 2012, DPS has actively participated in the creation and implementation of an International Classification of Crime for Statistical purposes. The DPS participated in the last round of debate addressing the characteristics of TOC in the Western Hemisphere.
• The OAS has been working in coordination with UNODC to collect, analyze and publish information on crime trends and judicial systems in the Western Hemisphere. Through the CTS process, 20 OAS member countries are collecting national data and informing the international community.
(Continues in Part II)

Activities:
a) Preventing and fighting transnational organized crime
b) Special investigative techniques
c) Collection and dissemination of statistical data

Beneficiaries:
All initiatives and intended to benefit all OAS member states. Some initiatives have been implemented only, for now in Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Belize, Peru, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Barbados, Ecuador, Jamaica, Saint Kits and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

Partnerships: UNODC-INEGI Center of Excellence on Statistics on Governance, Public Safety, Victimization and Justice
CARICOM-IMPACS and SICA-OBSICA
World Economic Forum (WEF)
UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

Law Enforcement Matters
• The Department of Public Security (DPS), within the framework of the Central American Security Strategy, and in collaboration with SICA, is implementing a project to address the impacts of violence related to transnational organized crime and to strengthen the national institutions responsible for assisting and protecting victims and/or witnesses of these crimes in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Specifically, DPS has begun to develop and homogenize a Model Protocol for the assistance and protection of victims and/or witnesses of transnational organized crime in the region.

• DPS has also developed a program to help prevent and combat crimes related to irregular migration and specifically to protect the victims of irregular migration in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Central America. Within the framework of this project, the GS/OAS has committed to supporting strategies for the prevention of crimes that affect migrant population; creating and strengthening national human and institutional capacities to combat existing networks dedicated to the illicit trafficking of migrants; and promoting the formulation and adoption of public policies geared towards the protection of migrants, particularly vulnerable populations like women, children, indigenous populations, and others.

• Also, DPS is developing a new police code of ethics for the National Police of Uruguay within the framework of the “Integrated Local Management of Citizen Security” program being implemented by the Government of Uruguay and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The code of ethics will be complemented by an awareness-raising plan in order to socialize it among the security actors, as well as a training program.

• The Department of Public Security, together with Ameripol, published a report on “Best Practices, a model for effective intervention and transcendence in the Americas”. This compilation of best practices attempts not only to identify success stories from within the police institutions of the hemisphere, but also common threats for the consideration and implementation of a coordinated response by Member States.

• In addition, within the framework of the Cooperation Agreement signed with Ameripol, DPS organized a seminar “Strategies for Police Public Safety”, to promote innovative approaches developed by police institutions of the hemisphere, in particular police service models that provide a timely and satisfactory response to citizens’ public security needs. The seminar was open to all Permanent Missions and police attaches of the Member States.

• The Secretariat, together with the Commission to Reform Public Security in Honduras, created seven (7) bills to reform several of the law enforcement agencies in the country. The proposed bills are framed within the mandates of the Commission and include: Amendment to the National Police Act, Police Career Act, Amendment to the Administrative Litigation Jurisdiction Act. Amendment to the Public Prosecutor Act, Amendment to the Public Prosecutor Office’s Career Service, Amendment to the Judicial Council Act, Amendment to the Judicial Career Act. In addition, the Secretariat worked with Commissioners to create project proposals related to penitentiary reform processes and community police, among others.

Activities:
a) Addressing the impacts of violence related to transnational organized crime and to strengthen the national institutions responsible for assisting and protecting victims and/or witnesses of these crimes in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.
b) Homogenize a Model Protocol for the assistance and protection of victims and/or witnesses of transnational organized crime in the region.
c)Program to help prevent and combat crimes related to irregular migration and specifically to protect the victims of irregular migration in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Central America.
d) New police code of ethics for the National Police of Uruguay.
e) Report on “Best Practices, a model for effective intervention and transcendence in the Americas".
f) Seminar: “Strategies for Police Public Safety”, to promote innovative approaches developed by police institutions of the hemisphere, in particular police service models that provide a timely and satisfactory response to citizens’ public security needs.
g) Together with the Commission to Reform Public Security in Honduras, the SMS technically supported the elaboration of seven (7) bills to reform several of the law enforcement agencies in the country.

Beneficiaries:
All initiatives are intended to benefit all OAS member states.
Some of the activities above have already benefited the following countries: Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the whole of Central America and Uruguay.

Partnerships: Sistema de Integracion Centro Americana (SICA)
Commission to Reform Public Security (CRPS) in Honduras

Information sharing (Part 2)
c. Meetings and events (Part 2)
• In May 30-31, 2013, the XXXV Meeting of the Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering and Working Subgroups was held in Washington DC, United States. Its goal was to follow up on the Work Plan approved by the plenary in September 2012, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and by CICAD in November of the same year.

• The second meeting of the Group of Experts was held in Brasilia, Brazil, in September 2013 and relevant documents were approved, such as: the “Self-Assessment Guide for the Forfeiture and Assets Administration”; the “Study to Identify International Cooperation Mechanism (formal and informal)” that provides an adequate exchange of information to prevent and combat money laundering, the financing of terrorism and the recovery of assets of criminal origin; “Recommendations for the Identification and Analysis of Risk Factors Associated with Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing at the Hemispheric Level”; and “Recommendations to Improve the Anti-Money Laundering Systems at the level of the OAS States Members”, as well as the 2013-2014 Work Plan of the GELAVEX Sub-Working Groups.

• The meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products, chaired by the Dominican Republic, finalized the “Guide for tracing chemical substances” and the “Guide and model training curriculum for judges and prosecutors.

• The meeting of the CICAD Expert Group on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products, chaired by Peru, met and finalized “Guide of basic elements to consider in the implementation of mechanisms that allow authorities to evaluate the estimated requirements of controlled substances”, “Guide to Best Practices to Prevent the Counterfeiting of Precursor Chemicals”, “Guide for tracing seized narcotics and psychotropic substances”, and “Information Bulletin on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)”.

• The meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Maritime Narcotrafficking, chaired by Argentina, finalized “Guide for the Control for Small Vessels: Recreational, Pleasure, and Fishing”, “Guide for the Control of Narcotrafficking Over Lakes and Riverine Systems”, “Guide for the Control of “Go Fast” Boats”.

• The meeting of the CICAD Expert Group on Maritime Narcotrafficking, chaired by Peru, finalized “Best practices Guide to prevent the spread of criminal activities and corruption in maritime port facilities” The Group also began work on a number of other resource documents. This document was approved by the Commission in Bogota, Colombia at which time Colombia was elected to the chair the Group.

• CICTE hosted a Regional Workshop on Major Events Security and Crime Prevention in Chile in August 2013, to promote the design and development of a Knowledge Management System (KMS) on Major Event Security planning and crime prevention for the region. Since this event, the National Focal Points for Major Events have been using the platform to exchange information and knowledge on crime prevention, and share documents on best practices.

Activities:
a) XXXV Meeting of the Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering and Working Group.
b) The second meeting of the Group of Experts on Money Laundering.
c) The meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products chaired by the Dominican Republic.
d) The meeting of the CICAD Expert Group on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products chaired by Peru.
e) The meeting of the CICAD Group of Experts on Maritime Narcotrafficking, chaired by Argentina.
f) The meeting of the CICAD Expert Group on Maritime Narcotrafficking, chaired by Peru.
g) Regional Workshop on Major Events Security and Crime Prevention.

Beneficiaries: All OAS member states.

Information sharing (Part 1)
a. National points of contact

• The Secretariat for Multidimensional Security has kept current the list of national authorities responsible for transnational organized crime, based on information provided by the Member States, a copy of which was distributed prior to this meeting. It also maintains a list of points of contact for the CIFTA Convention, national authorities responsible for trafficking in persons, and prison and penitentiary authorities.

• Since its creation in 2006, CICTE’s National Focal Point Network program has provided a forum for sharing experiences and knowledge of planning and security for major events, and now has 28 designated national focal points. In 2012, a permanent information exchange mechanism, accessible to all national focal points, was launched, a tool that provides support to countries hosting major events for security planning and enhanced cooperation among public institutions and between the public and private sectors.

b. Information gathering and analysis

• The Inter-American Observatory on Public Security provides regional, sub regional and national data on Crime and Violence in all OAS Member States. The Observatory portal receives an average of 200 unique visitors a day, comprising mostly of government officials, academic professionals and representatives from civil society.

• The Inter-American Observatory on Public Security includes a database of TOC laws, treaties, regulations (national, sub regional and regional) and documents. The database of TOC laws can be accessed at the following URL: http://www.oas.org/dsp/observatorio/database/resources.aspx?lang=en

c. Meetings and events

• The Department of Public Security helped organize the Third Meeting of National Authorities on Trafficking in Persons, hosted by the Government of Guatemala on October 15-16, 2012. High-level representatives of the OAS member states, civil society and international community addressed issues pertaining accomplishments, gaps and hemispheric challenges in combating trafficking in persons. Particular attention was given to the integral protection of trafficked victims.

• Also, as part of the information-sharing and communication activities, in June 25th, 2013, the DPS/SMS/OAS, with the collaboration of the Department of External Relations of the GS/OAS, organized the 52nd OAS Policy Roundtable called “Awareness of Domestic Servitude in the Americas”. This meeting was intended to inform the representatives of Member States, the civil society and the international community of the challenges of the exploitation of men, women and children in domestic work, based on the 189 Convention of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

• In April 2012, the Meeting of the GAFISUD’s Assets Recovery Network (RRAG, Spanish acronym) took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, instance in which the CICAD participated as a speaker and observer of this meeting for the exchange of experiences in assets recovery of criminal origin.

• CICAD participated in two international conferences in May 2012. First, the CICAD was present at the Conference on Organized Crime of the Network of Anti-Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Trafficking Prosecutors in Central American and the Caribbean (REFCO) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which promoted the exchange of experiences and good practices in the judicial management of the police investigation, and the attainment of better results in prosecuting the crimes of money laundering and organized crime.

• On May 30-31, 2012 the XXXIV Meeting of the Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering was held in Washington DC to follow up on the recommendations of the plenary held in September 2011, and the Sub-Working Groups Meeting, in May 2011.

• The ES supported and participated in the “Conference on money laundering proceeding from drug trafficking, the importance of asset investigation and of the asset recovery offices”, held in May 2013 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The conference was executed within the framework of the EU technical assistance through COPOLAD Consortium.

• In October 2013, the ES participated and supported the Conference “Exchange of Experiences on Managing Seized Assets from drug trafficking and money laundering”, organized by COPOLAD and held in Montevideo, Uruguay.

• From March to September 2013, two Meetings of the GAFISUD’s Assets Recovery Network (RRAG) were held: the first one in Bogota, Colombia, and the second in the city of Panama. In both of them, the ES/CICAD participated as a speaker and observer.

• In July 15-19, the XXVII Plenary Session of GAFISUD was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in which the ES was actively involved in the working sessions and presented the respective report of activities.

Activities:
a) Third Meeting of National Authorities on Trafficking in Persons.
b) 52nd OAS Policy Roundtable called “Awareness of Domestic Servitude in the Americas”.
c) Participation in Conference on Organized Crime of the Network of Anti-Organized Crime and Anti-Drug Trafficking Prosecutors in Central American and the Caribbean (REFCO)
d) XXXIV Meeting of the Group of Experts for the Control of Money Laundering.
e) “Conference on money laundering proceeding from drug trafficking, the importance of asset investigation and of the asset recovery offices”.
f) Conference “Exchange of Experiences on Managing Seized Assets from drug trafficking and money laundering”.
g) Participation in the two meetings of the GAFISUD’s Assets Recovery Network (RRAG).
h) Participation in the XXVII Plenary Session of GAFISUD.

Beneficiaries:
Chile, Uruguay, Guatemala, Panama, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas, among others.

Partnerships: Department of External Relations of the GS/OAS.
Cooperation Programme between Latin America and the European Union on Drugs Policies, (COPOLAD)

The Office of Education and Culture: Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices

The project “Armando Paz: Building a Culture of Peace with Youth in Central America through Arts, Media and Social Dialogue”, concluded in September 2012. The program has been recognized in 2012 by the Organization of Ibero-American Youth (OIJ) as one of 20 good practices, has 2 publications and capacitated over 15, 700 young people.

The Office of Scholarships, Training and Capacity Strengthening

The Department of Human Development, Educationa nd Culture supported the Department of Public Security from 2009-2012 with the administration of scholarships to participate in the Police Courses offered to member states

The Office of Education and Culture: Inter-American Program on Education for Democratic Values and Practices
Working in collaboration with the Secretariat of Education of Hidalgo, Mexico the Project ¨Peace Leaders¨ was created to strengthen the capacities of secondary school teachers and students to develop and manage social projects aimed at building a culture of peace in their communities. A total of 80 teachers from 40 schools received training to work with 2,400 secondary school students on developing community projects oriented to prevent violence within schools and in their communities. The advances made on the student-developed projects may be viewed on: www.facebook.com/LideresDePazHidalgo.
By the end of the Project, a forum will be organized to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences among participating students and teachers for teachers and students to continue to discuss and elaborate upon recommendations regarding potential lines of action to strengthen the way in which violence can be prevented at schools and how school environments may be improved to create a culture of peace and democracy.
This activity is supported partially by the US Permanent Mission to the OAS as well as by the Secretariat of Public Education of the Government of Hidalgo, Mexico.

Initiative:
Hemispheric Plan to Fight Transnational Organized Crime

Description:
The Hemispheric Plan to Fight Transnational Organized Crime is based on two pillars, one political and one operational, that will make use of existing international, regional, and sub-regional arrangements.

Actividades:
• Create an Inter-American Commission Transnational Organized Crime (CIDOT) within the Organization of American States (OAS) as a technical body that promotes political efforts against transnational organized crime.
• Use the Hemispheric Network for information exchange for mutual assistance in criminal matters and extradition, and strengthen ties with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other relevant United Nations bodies and activities.
• Create an independent Coordinating Center against transnational organized crim e to encourage and facilitate comprehensive and systematic exchange of strategic, tactical and operational information in the areas of intelligence, investigation and prosecution. The Coordinating center will also develop strategic products that facilitate the process of decision-making, such as criminal threat assessments and geo-referenced maps.

Initiative:
Hemispheric Drug Policy Analysis

Presidential Directive:
“We, the region's leaders, held an invaluable discussion on the global drug problem. We agreed on the need to analyze the results of the current policy in the Americas and to explore new approaches to strengthen this struggle and to become more effective. We have issued the OAS a mandate to that end.” President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, closing statement, Sixth Summit of the Americas.

Activities:
• Analytical report: An evidence-based and thorough analysis of drug policies in the Americas will pinpoint the strengths, successes, weaknesses as well as current and future challenges in implementing policies. The study will consider a range of issues including the relationship between drugs and public health; socio-economic impact; security challenges including the nexus between drugs, violence and organized crime; production and supply of drugs, pharmaceutical and chemical precursors; and existing regulations and laws related to the drug issue.
• Scenario report: Based on the findings of the analysis, the scenario report will provide a comprehensive catalog of options around the drug issue that will be presented to governments for their consideration. Policy makers, stakeholders, leaders and experts will participate in and contribute to the elaboration of this report.
• Publication of both reports: April 2013.

Partnerships:
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Pan American Health Organization, Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA), Development Bank of Latin America

The OAS agency on Drug Abuse Control (CICAD) has approved its Hemispheric Drug Strategy, thus culminating a comprehensive reexamination of guidelines for national programs, regional cooperation and policy consensus on drug issues. The Commission began drafting a plan of action that translates the Strategy’s guidelines into more specific prioritized national and regional policy and program recommendations that should be measurable and attainable over a fixed period of time. The Commission also elaborated tasks for the SMS in support of Member States. This effort represents the most significant reassessment of drug control policy in 15 years.

In 2010 – 2011, the OAS and the Trust for the Americas continued to implement the project “Armando Paz: Building a culture of peace with youth in Central America through media, arts and social dialogue” in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. Project activities included five capacity building workshops that reached 120 civil society organizations and representatives from governmental institutions working with youth, four national forums promoting dialogue among youth, private sector representatives and government and the launch of the sub-grant competition “Peace challenge”. The competitions goal was to encourage
young people from El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama to submit project proposals to address creatively the problems that are identified as causal factors of violence and insecurity in their communities. The contest ended on April 15, 2011 with the submission of 97 project proposals, 72% of which were submitted by young people between 18 and 26 years old.

In 2010, the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (SMS) of the OAS conducted 114 technical assistance activities providing training to 3,505 participants in the areas of: border controls, critical infrastructure protection, legislative assistance, and combating terrorism. The SMS/OAS has also expanded its partnerships with multilateral and international organizations.

The OAS continues to promote firearms marking and tracking, and the management of arsenals in the Americas, as a means to support capacity-building of Member States. The OAS is also in the forefront of ensuring that our citizens are protected and feel secure, through mechanisms and programs that promote transparency in the acquisition of conventional arms, the application of confidence and security building measures, and education for peace and disarmament, aimed at reducing military expenditures to increase development.