With financial support from the European Union through the GIFP component ‘Countering Firearms Trafficking’, on 13 September 2022, a firearms marking machine was delivered to Paraguay, destined for the Directorate of Military Equipment (DIMABEL) at the Defence Ministry. Designated personnel from the directorate then attended courses designed to provide technical skills and establish appropriate parameters for the marking of firearms.
The electromagnetic micro-percussion machine is to be used to mark imported firearms. Traceability is key in preventing and combating the illicit manufacturing and trade of firearms. Marking them is an important first step in tracing, as it facilitates their identification and record-keeping. Exchange between different institutions and countries is also essential in weapons’ tracing.
The opening ceremony and delivery of the machine took place at DIMABEL’s headquarters and was attended by H.E. Javier García de Viedma, Ambassador of the European Union to Paraguay, Ms. Lucia Gomez Consoli, Regional Coordinator for the UNODC Global Firearms Programme, and Divisional General Aldo Daniel Ozuna Recalde, Director of DIMABEL.
Following the opening ceremony, a 3-day training course was organised for DIMABEL practitioners. The first session was destined for civil servants in charge of arms marking and was focused on the technical and operational procedures for micro-percussion marking, such as the physical installation, maintenance, and handling of the machine. The training ended with practical marking exercises. The second session was destined to legal advisors, authorities, and designated personnel in charge of the marking of weapons from DIMABEL. It focused on the appropriate administrative and legal parameters for firearms marking. Topics covered included the international, regional, and national legal frameworks for marking, and integrity in stockpile management.
These initiatives are part of the Countering Firearms Trafficking action’s wider effort to interrupt the illicit traffic of firearms through a holistic approach that integrates diverse aspects including legislative, security, criminal justice response, and international cooperation.
