PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) -The Trinidad-based Caribbean Community (Caricom) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), on Thursday said Caribbean countries now have access to a policy framework that will support and align with international best practices, their efforts in the disposal of the remnants left behind after the destruction of obsolete, unserviceable and illicit firearms and ammunition across the region.

The “Policy Framework: To Sustainably Dispose of Destroyed Firearms and Ammunition Components in the Caribbean” was collaboratively produced among Mines Advisory Group (MAG), CARICOM IMPACS and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).

The policy framework document is intended to support Caribbean states in the final stage of the life-cycle management of firearms and ammunition, with CARICOM IMPACS noting that even after destruction by an approved method, states are left with potentially large quantities of waste material, which may be hazardous and therefore subject to restrictions for its final disposal.

The Caribbean Region has been afflicted by high levels of violent crime involving firearms, and in 2020, CARICOM countries and the Dominican Republic agreed on the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap to work collectively for a safer Caribbean region by reducing the quantities of illicit firearms and ammunition in the region by 2030.

Progress in the destruction of firearms and ammunition has created significant stocks of remnants that must be disposed of in a safe, economic and environmentally benign manner.

A key aspect of the policy framework is to seek a common understanding and agreement between states on the level of destruction required to deem the destroyed firearms and ammunition as “remnants.”

“It then seeks to draw together environmentally acceptable options for states to use for the final disposal of these remnants. The economic realities of provision of the industrial facilities to conduct the final disposal operations (and indeed some of the destruction processes) suggests that regional cooperation should be pursued and the policy framework identifies some ways to work to this end, making recommendations for the immediate-, medium- and longer-terms,” according to the executive summary of the policy framework document.

Speaking at the launch on Wednesday, Adam Komorowski, MAG regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that across the region, illegal firearms remain one of the most persistent threats to citizen security, sustainable development and social stability.

He said that while many initiatives have rightly focused on controlling the flow of illicit weapons and strengthening law enforcement capacities, the disposal of firearms once they are seized, recovered or rendered obsolete is often overlooked.

“This framework marks a turning point. It is not just about destroying weapons – it is about doing so safely, sustainably and systematically. It is about ensuring that every firearm removed from our streets is accounted for, disposed of responsibly and never finds its way back into circulation.

“And it is about aligning our practices with international standards, environmental responsibility, and our shared commitment to peace and justice”, Komorowski said.

UNLIREC deputy director, Katja Boettcher, said that it was an established fact that inadequate management of firearms and ammunition significantly increases the risk of diversion, fuelling the illicit spread of weapons and posing a threat to national, community and individual security.

She said that despite the continued positive efforts and commitment of CARICOM Member States to execute periodic destruction, authorities were often left with remnant components that still needed disposal.

“The framework broaches fundamental issues that need to be addressed and provides a series of recommendations at immediate, medium- and long-term intervals, towards sustainable and cost-effective solutions to this ongoing challenge”, she added.

The acting assistant director, Policy, Strategy and Innovation at CARICOM IMPACS, Callixtus Joseph, said that the framework contributes directly to international normative instruments, placing the Caribbean at the forefront of the development and implementation of global best practices and standards for the safe, secure and environmentally responsible disposal of weapons and ammunition.