Media Center

Press Release

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RATIFIES CIFTA

The Government of the Dominican Republic ratified Friday the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Related Materials (CIFTA) through the signature of a document by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) José Miguel Insulza and the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the OAS Ambassador Virgilio Alcántara.

Participants in the event also included the President of the OAS Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Canada Graeme Clark, and the Permanent Representative of Guatemala and President of the Consultative Committee of CIFTA, Jorge Skinner-Klee. The event was held in the Secretary General’s office at the OAS Headquarters in Washington, DC.

Secretary General Insulza congratulated the Dominican government on ratifying a Convention of particular importance to the Americas. “Armed violence and insecurity affect generally all our societies, worsen our citizens’ quality of life, and makes them feel permanently threatened.”

“The Convention serves the purpose of combating and eliminating the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms. It particularly stresses the needs for arms control; arms confiscation; regulating authorizations and licenses for export, import and transit; and strengthening controls at export points,” said Mr. Insulza, who emphasized especially the threat of small firearms.

Mr. Insulza highlighted that the Convention “also seeks to promote and facilitate co-operation and exchange of information and experiences among the States.”

Ambassador Alcántara said that such a “singular event” as ratifying the Convention “is also a ratification of our commitment to this organization, what this institution represents and its growing significance as a political forum where the nations of the hemisphere can meet and have a constructive dialogue.”

The Dominican diplomat also stressed the fact that “within this organization our nations have found the necessary consensus to provide the continent with a document such as CIFTA.” The Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic felt “deeply privileged” for taking part in the ratification.

With Friday’s signature, the number of OAS Member States having already ratified CIFTA reaches 30. Secretary General Insulza also said that “it was with great satisfaction” that he received the news from US President Barack Obama that his government “will prioritize the ratification of CIFTA.” Mr. Insulza also noted with “particular satisfaction” that President Obama’s call was supported by both the Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry, and the Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Eliot L. Engel.

********

Reference: E-144/09