The MCTA aims to improve the monitoring processes of the international trade in arms and ammunition in order to reduce the risk of deviation to the illicit market. To this end, the MCTA will provide a secure communication channel that allows the exchange of information in real time among authorities responsible for issuing export, import and transit licenses. It will also allow customs agents to be integrated in order to monitor shipment and disembarkation flows in real time.
Recognizing that half of the countries in the region continue using paper in the issuance of licenses for international transfers of arms and ammunition, the MCTA will also include an optional system, at the national level, for countries wishing to digitize their processes.
The MCTA is a hemispheric tool approved by the States Parties to The Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials (CIFTA). It contributes directly to the implementation of Article IX of the Convention (and other applicable treaties, such as the Arms Trade Treaty).
In order to ensure that the MCTA complies with the needs and expectations of the countries, its design was developed collaboratively with 21 countries in the region. Based on the approval, the OAS is working on the development of the electronic solution, which will be available for pilot testing in 2025.
The MCTA was conceived as a secure web-based tool, with different levels of access to information. It also seeks to be flexible and dynamic to integrate with existing national electronic systems, and to make the necessary adaptations and adjustments considering the natural evolution of the export and import processes. It will have the following functionalities:
- Be a multilingual tool
- Notification of issuance and denied licenses
- Standardize the information contained in licenses and have versions automatically translated into different languages.
- Delivering real-time alerts to all States
- Formulate queries on transfer processes in real time
- Availability of statistics