UNODA. 2003 ‘Decision 552: Andean Plan to Prevent, Fight and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations. New York, NY: Andean Community / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. 11 April

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Decision 552: Andean Plan to Prevent, Fight and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects

Pursuant to Chapter VIII of the Lima Commitment, which calls for the establishment of a cooperation plan to fight the illegal weapons traffic, the Member Countries met in Pretoria, South Africa from April 9 to 11, 2003. This plan was adopted in June 2003 as Decision 552: "Andean Plan to Prevent, Fight and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all its Aspects" by the Andean Council of Foreign Ministers. The Andean Plan underpins an integral strategy to fight illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, in light of its linkages to terrorism, corruption and the worldwide drug problem.

The primary objective of the Andean Plan is to strengthen the capacity of Member Countries to control the manufacture, trade, transportation, possession, concealment, usurpation, carrying and use of such weapons, as well as to identify, confiscate and possibly destroy them. The Plan provides for specific mechanisms and lines of action at the national, sub-regional and international levels. Member States have designated national points of contact as well as national coordination committees…

The Andean Community (CAN) is a sub-regional organization which consists of four member states that agreed to join together for the purpose of achieving more rapid, better balanced and more autonomous development through Andean, South American and Latin American integration. CAN was established to take the place of the Andean Pact in 1996 that had been founded with the signing of the Cartagena Agreement in 1969. The Andean Community General Secretariat is the executive body of the Andean Community which, starting on August 1, 1997, took on, among other things, the functions of the Board of the Cartagena Agreement. Its headquarters are located in Lima, Peru. Member Countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) have planned to advance an integration process that will contribute effectively to sustainable and equitable human development, with a view to formulating the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) in the future. The Community also includes five Associated Countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay) and two Observer Countries (Mexico and Panama).

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