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OAS/CICTE PROJECT ON STRATEGIC TRADE CONTROLS: PREVENTING AND COUNTERING ILLICIT TRADE OF SENSITIVE MATERIALS IN LATIN AMERICAN FREE TRADE ZONES

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Working Lunches with Permanent Missions of Africa (7 and 22 March 2023)

The main purpose of the project “Countering Illicit Trade of CBRN materials in FTZs of Latin America”, implemented by the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (‘OAS/CICTE’), is to prevent and counter the proliferation of materials and technologies related to weapons of mass destruction in six Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama, and Paraguay) situated in four Free Trade Zones (FTZ), by securing and optimizing supply chains and strengthening strategic trade controls.

The general aim of the project is, firstly, to increase understanding of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats in the region and, then, to promote effective implementation of international security standards, including implementation of UNSCR 1540 and international trade rules; to encourage adoption of trade compliance programs by customs administrations and private sector companies,  including  sustainable  programs related to Authorized Econo-

mic Operators (AEO); to foster greater public-private sector cooperation; and to strengthen national capacity to effectively inspect and, if appropriate, interdict illicit commerce in FTZs.

The project, which seeks to consolidate better strategic trade controls in the Western Hemisphere, is expected to increase adoption of enforcement programs and other security measures to prevent and counter the illicit trade of CBRN materials in the various beneficiary countries. Training courses have been designed and delivered to customs officials and other governmental agencies to promote joint coordination and a common enforcement approach. These programs include the evaluation of existing AEO programs, to identify legal gaps and/or inter-agency obstacles, with particular focus on trade operators in FTZs.

The activities foreseen in the project change from country to country depending on their specific needs, but they overall include the development of workplans with recommendations on how to strengthen the AEO program in each beneficiary state. This involves the organization of training workshops for customs to increase understanding of threats, to close capacity gaps across levels, to improve communication within agencies, and/or to consider granting specialized benefits for private operators certified under AEO rules. The idea behind such workshops is to focus on risk analysis matrix preparation, validations visits, post-incident analysis investigation and verification of minimum- security requirements. Other trainings are tailored for customs and law enforcement agencies to strengthen cargo and conveyance inspections and seizures of illicit goods, including risk analysis, collection and handling of evidence, interview techniques and identifying key criminal trends and distinctive modus-operandi of illicit actors.

Mutual cooperation to share best practices on validation exercises is also encouraged through the deployment of side-by-side validation practices among AEO officers of participating countries (taking into account the observation of aspects related to points of container, wall perimeter inspection, surveys for security personal, cybersecurity measures, etc.).

To increase the awareness of public and private sector officials of WMD threats in FTZ and to endorse greater cooperation and information exchange among them, an outreach/communication strategy is developed for each beneficiary state in order to promote AEO programs, teach basic supply chain security skills to private sector companies and encourage private sector involvement in such programs. This could also embrace the delivery of (virtual) training to private sector entities, in coordination with chambers of commerce, trade facilitation agencies and sub-regional or global international organizations, and the organization of in-person workshops in cities identified by customs administration as having a critical number of FTZ operators and industries.

Another one of the main aims of the project is to promote regional cooperation and coordination in supply chain security through the strengthening of mutual recognition agreements (MRA), and to organize a set of activities dealing with the identification of risks and with the consolidation of incident response preparedness in case of a use of dangerous materials (including weapons, chemical precursors, dual-use, and biological materials) in FTZs.

This project, which is generously funded by the United States builds on the experience of several ongoing OAS/CICTE’s programs, including the UNSCR 1540/WMD program, the Cargo and Container Security program and the AEO program. As a whole, these programs have been contributing to a consolidation of stronger strategic trade controls and to the prevention of the proliferation of WMD in the Americas and overcoming various challenges at national and regional levels.

Strengthening Biosafety and Biosecurity in the Americas: An Overview of the EU-Funded OAS/CICTE Project on the Implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004)

The purpose of the three-year project “In support of strengthening biological safety and security in Latin American in line with the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery” (CFSP/2019/24/BIOSAFSEC LA OAS) is to improve biosafety and biosecurity in eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Uruguay) in accordance with UNSCR 1540 (2004). In particular, the project encourages the establishment and enforcement of effective measures to prevent the proliferation of biological weapons and their means of delivery through the delivery of technical assistance and cooperation in the Americas.

The aim of the ongoing project, implemented by the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (‘OAS/CICTE’), is to further increase beneficiary states’ capacity to effectively anticipate and respond to large-scale incidents involving biological agents, whether man-made or naturally occurring. The project also would serve to improve interagency and international cooperation among OAS Member States, and to address legislative gaps that currently exist in some of the target countries and complement efforts to implement the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). In order to achieve these ends, CICTE/OAS aimed at bringing together the responsible national authorities of the beneficiary countries, relevant representatives of the private sector and civil society, and qualified international experts, to explore steps that can be taken to ensure improved biosafety and biosecurity capabilities in those states and, more broadly, in the OAS region.

The Project employs a two-pronged approach that incorporates both national and sub-regional activities. It seeks to leverage the Secretariat’s prior experience working on these matters in the Americas, along with its well-established network of contacts and partners (especially in the public sector). At a national level, efforts focus on working with individual OAS Member States to enhance national capacities, draft legislation and regulations and develop country-specific action plans for strengthening operational capabilities. At the regional level, the capacity building activities are related to the promotion of the exchange of information and good practices.

An additional objective of the project has been to leverage a ‘peer review’ exercise which had been developed in recent years, under which States voluntarily agreed to work together to assess their efforts to implement 1540 obligations and to identify effective practices and areas for continued bilateral cooperation. Following successful 1540 peer review exercises between Chile and Colombia (2017), the Dominican Republic and Panama (2019) —including a follow-up in 2022/2023— and Paraguay and Uruguay (2019), the intention was to provide specific assistance and cooperation activities for all those countries. All these activities are expected to promote and strengthen the continued cooperation among the countries, share experiences and promote the practice of publishing technical papers to capture the advances made in these forums.

It is well known that, in order to comply with the standards set by the BWC and UNSCR 1540 (2004), countries should take efficient legislative and regulatory measures and establish appropriate controls over sensitive materials. Specifically, it is expected that this project will help towards harmonizing legal and regulatory frameworks on biosafety and biosecurity throughout the region, promote collaboration and cooperation, in particular through 1540 peer review exercises, and facilitate continuous training.

This project complements previous efforts carried out by OAS/CICTE since 2005 to increase biosafety and biosecurity awareness and capacity in the Americas. Back in 2010, the OAS/CICTE Secretariat was given a specific mandate to develop a programme to assist in the implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004). Consequently, a strategic partnership was formed between the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the 1540 Committee Group of Experts, and the OAS/CICTE Secretariat to implement a technical assistance and capacity building pilot project in the Americas to facilitate Member States’ efforts to implement the different areas covered by UNSCR 1540 (2004).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OAS/CICTE’s main objectives have been to work with countries whose governments are fully engaged in the physical protection and accounting of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (‘CBRN’) materials as part of those states’ non-proliferation efforts, as well as to seek to help the beneficiary states implement UNSCR 1540 (2004) by identifying specific needs and challenges in order to tailor legislative assistance and specialized capacity-building activities. The technical asssistance offered by OAS/CICTE in this regard has consisted in drafting 1540 national action plans and strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks; building capacity to prevent and combat nuclear, radiological, chemical and biological material trafficking and smuggling; promoting the exchange of effective practices through the use of the peer review methodology; and facilitating coordination at the political level to identify areas for regional and sub-regional cooperation.

The 50-month-long project has been generously funded by the European Union (Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2108 of 9 December 2019).

The main purpose of the project “Countering Illicit Trade of CBRN materials in FTZs of Latin America”, implemented by the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (‘OAS/CICTE’), is to prevent and counter the proliferation of materials and technologies related to weapons of mass destruction in six Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama, and Paraguay) situated in four Free Trade Zones (FTZ), by securing and optimizing supply chains and strengthening strategic trade controls.

The general aim of the project is, firstly, to increase understanding of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats in the region and, then, to promote effective implementation of international security standards, including implementation of UNSCR 1540 and international trade rules; to encourage adoption of trade compliance programs by customs administrations and private sector companies,  including sustainable  programs Container inspection training for private sector Santiago - Chile January 2023 related to Authorized Economic Operators (AEO); to foster greater public-private sector cooperation; and to strengthen national capacity to effectively inspect and, if appropriate, interdict illicit commerce in FTZs.

The project, which seeks to consolidate better strategic trade controls in the Western Hemisphere, is expected to increase adoption of enforcement programs and other security measures to prevent and counter the illicit trade of CBRN materials in the various beneficiary countries. Training courses have been designed and delivered to customs officials and other governmental agencies to promote joint coordination and a common enforcement approach. These programs include the evaluation of existing AEO programs, to identify legal gaps and/or inter-agency obstacles, with particular focus on trade operators in FTZs.

The activities foreseen in the project change from country to country depending on their specific needs, but they overall include the development of workplans with recommendations on how to strengthen the AEO program in each beneficiary state. This involves the organization of training workshops for customs to increase understanding of threats, to close capacity gaps across levels, to improve communication within agencies, and/or to consider granting specialized benefits for private operators certified under AEO rules. The idea behind such workshops is to focus on risk analysis matrix preparation, validations visits, post-incident analysis investigation and verification of minimum- security requirements. Other trainings are tailored for customs and law enforcement agencies to strengthen cargo and conveyance inspections and seizures of illicit goods, including risk analysis, collection and handling of evidence, interview techniques and identifying key criminal trends and distinctive modus-operandi of illicit actors.

Mutual cooperation to share best practices on validation exercises is also encouraged through the deployment of side-by-side validation practices among AEO officers of participating countries (taking into account the observation of aspects related to points of container, wall perimeter inspection, surveys for security personal, cybersecurity measures, etc.).

To increase the awareness of public and private sector officials of WMD threats in FTZ and to endorse greater cooperation and information exchange among them, an outreach/communication strategy is developed for each beneficiary state in order to promote AEO programs, teach basic supply chain security skills to private sector companies and encourage private sector involvement in such programs. This could also embrace the delivery of (virtual) training to private sector entities, in coordination with chambers of commerce, trade facilitation agencies and sub regional or global international organizations, and the organization of in-person workshops in cities identified by customs administration as having a critical number of FTZ operators and industries.

Another one of the main aims of the project is to promote regional cooperation and coordination in supply chain security through the strengthening of mutual recognition agreements (MRA), and to organize a set of activities dealing with the identification of risks and with the consolidation of incident response preparedness in case of a use of dangerous materials (including weapons, chemical precursors, dual-use, and biological materials) in FTZs.

This project, which is generously funded by the United States builds on the experience of several ongoing OAS/CICTE’s programs, including the UNSCR 1540/WMD program, the Cargo and Container Security program and the AEO program. As a whole, these programs have been contributing to a consolidation of stronger strategic trade controls and to the prevention of the proliferation of WMD in the Americas and overcoming various challenges at national and regional levels.