Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States used the United Nations (UN) stage to declare illicit firearms trafficking a critical threat to regional peace and development, calling for shared responsibility across the hemisphere to confront the crisis.

This message was the central focus at an official side event held on 1 June 2026, during the Ninth Biennial Meeting of States on the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (BMS9). The event was co-sponsored by all 14 UN-represented CARICOM Member States, in partnership with the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the Mines Advisory Group (MAG).

Held under the theme “Shared Security in the Western Hemisphere: Regional, Hemispheric and International Cooperation to Disrupt Illicit Firearms Trafficking and Prevent Diversion in the Caribbean”, the event provided a strategic platform for CARICOM to bring greater global attention to the impact of illicit firearms trafficking on citizen security, organised crime, Haiti-related security concerns, sustainable development and international peace and security.

The event was chaired by H.E. Dr. Leslie L. Wade, Permanent Observer of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to the UN, who underscored the importance of regional, hemispheric and international cooperation in addressing illicit firearms trafficking. She noted that while the UN Programme of Action and the International Tracing Instrument remain critical global frameworks, their effectiveness depends on practical implementation, sustained political attention and targeted support to affected States and regions.

Speaking on behalf of the CARICOM Caucus of Permanent Representatives to the UN, H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to the UN and Chair of the CARICOM Caucus of Permanent Representatives in New York, highlighted CARICOM Member States’ sustained engagement in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on small arms control. She noted the role of successive CARICOM elected members of the Security Council in advancing small arms and light weapons control as a matter of international peace and security, including in relation to Haiti, sanctions implementation, regional instability, information-sharing and the strengthening of national and regional control measures.

H.E. Dr. Neil Parsan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the UN, addressed the side event in the context of Trinidad and Tobago’s uncontested candidature within the Latin American and Caribbean Group for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. He noted that illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons is a key priority for Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean, given its impact on national security, citizen safety, organised crime, sustainable development and international peace and security. Trinidad and Tobago’s prospective role on the Security Council was presented as an important opportunity to further advance CARICOM’s security priorities within the Council’s agenda.

Mr. Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director – Policy, Strategy and Innovation, CARICOM IMPACS, presented the Agency’s implementing, coordinating and operational role within the CARICOM security architecture. He emphasised the importance of regional institutions in helping small and vulnerable States translate global commitments into practical national and regional action. Mr. Joseph noted that CARICOM IMPACS serves as a critical platform for strengthening collective capacity, coordinating assistance, supporting implementation and ensuring that Caribbean security priorities are positioned within wider international peace and security discussions.

He further added that the Caribbean’s experience demonstrates the need to move beyond policy dialogue towards measurable implementation, evidence-informed decision-making, operational cooperation and sustained partner alignment. He stated that illicit firearms trafficking requires a whole-of-system response, linking diplomacy, law enforcement cooperation, intelligence, border and port security, institutional strengthening and sustainable development.

Mr. Adam Komorowski, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at MAG, shared practical lessons from MAG’s partnership with CARICOM IMPACS, including work to strengthen weapons and ammunition management, physical security and stockpile management, infrastructure improvements, training, responsible disposal and sustainability. He highlighted the importance of practical, measurable and nationally owned interventions that reduce the risk of diversion and contribute to safer communities.

Representatives of Germany and the United States of America also commended CARICOM IMPACS as a valuable partner in advancing security cooperation in the Western Hemisphere. Their interventions recognised CARICOM IMPACS’ role in supporting implementation-focused responses to illicit firearms trafficking, diversion prevention, weapons and ammunition management, as well as related security challenges affecting the Caribbean and the wider hemisphere.

The event brought together CARICOM Member States, Permanent Missions, UN entities, international and regional partners, and technical stakeholders. Discussions reinforced the value of CARICOM IMPACS as a trusted regional implementation partner and highlighted the need for stronger hemispheric cooperation, sustained technical and financial assistance and deeper alignment between global small arms commitments and the operational realities faced by Caribbean States.

The side event concluded with a call for renewed international partnership to support CARICOM Member States in advancing the priorities of the UN Programme of Action, the International Tracing Instrument and regional implementation frameworks. Participants reiterated that addressing illicit firearms trafficking in the Caribbean is not only a regional security imperative, but also a matter of international peace and security, sustainable development and shared responsibility across the Western Hemisphere.