From 13 to 15 September 2022 in Asunción, Paraguay, a workshop was organised under the framework of GIFP component Countering Firearms Trafficking to draft a proposal for the establishment of a National Firearms Focal Point (NFFP) in the Republic of Paraguay. The workshop concluded with a draft of standard operating procedures governing the composition, roles and responsibilities and functioning of the NFFP. It will now be submitted to Paraguay’s “Inter-institutional Working Group on Firearms, Ammunition and Explosives” for consideration.
In parallel to the training course on the marking machine and the legal frameworks of firearms marking, this workshop is a continuation of the one held in March 2022 which had established the importance of forming a Technical Working Group (TWG) to draft standard operating procedures and a proposal for the formation of a Firearms Focal Point.
This interactive workshop offered a space for the exchange of skills, advice, experiences and discussions on good practices and challenges of Focal Points. Participants included members of Paraguay’s main institutions in charge of controlling and combating firearms-related crimes which are part of the TWG: the National Directorate of War Materials (DIMABEL), the Public Ministry, the National Customs Directorate, the National Police, the National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Improving the channels of cooperation between the relevant national institutions allows for a better exchange of communication regarding firearms investigations.
The Focal Point will contribute to the development and improvement of national capacities to monitor and analyse illicit firearms trafficking flows, and to the identification of risks in the areas of serious and organised crime and terrorism. It is also expected to support the development and implementation of strategic and operational responses.
These initiatives are part of the Countering Firearms Trafficking action’s broader effort to disrupt illicit arms trafficking through a holistic approach integrating various aspects such as legislation, security, criminal justice response and international cooperation.
