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OAS Donates Two Firearm Marking Machines to Honduras

The Organization of American States (OAS) today donated to the government of Honduras two firearm marking machines, along with two computers and accessories, which will go to the Armed Forces of the Central American country to strengthen their capacities in the fight against the illegal trafficking of this type of weapons.

The presentation took place in a ceremony held on the premises of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Honduran Armed Forces, which was attended by the Inspector General of the Armed Forces of Honduras, Miguel Palacios Romero, and the Logistics Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Brigadier General, Edilberto Ortiz. The OAS Representative in Honduras, Claudia Barrientos; the Coordinator General of the Assistance Program for the Control of Arms and Ammunition (PACAM), Carl Case, and PACAM Regional Coordinator, Carlos Orozco, attended the ceremony in representation of the OAS.

The donation is part of the project "Promoting Firearms Marking in Latin America and the Caribbean," which aims at strengthening the capacity of states in the marking and tracing of firearms and is being implemented within the framework of the Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA). In all, since December 2011, the OAS has donated to the government of Honduras three firearm marking machines. The grant was funded by the U.S. government.

At the same time, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) of the OAS held this week a two-day workshop on training in the use of equipment for marking weapons and information maintenance for members of the Honduran Armed Forces responsible for the implementation of marking activities.

The OAS, through the project "Promoting the Marking of Firearms in Latin America and the Caribbean," has among its primary goals to help member states to effectively and efficiently respond to the increasing levels of crime and violence caused by the illicit trafficking of firearms.

Up to date, 25 countries in the region have signed a cooperation agreement with the OAS and have joined the project: Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Uruguay, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

As a result, 36 marking machines and 36 computers and accessories have been delivered to 25 beneficiary states; more than 260 national authorities have been trained in the use of equipment; and around 285,000 firearms have been marked in the region.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-079/14