Liberia National Commission on Arms (LiNCA)
Delivered by: Hon. James M. Fromayan, Chairman- Liberia National Commission on Arms (LiNCA)
Mr. Chairman,
Liberia congratulates you on your election as Chair of the Ninth Biennial Meeting of States on the Programme of Action (PoA) and assures you of its full support. We also congratulate Sierra Leone on its election as Chair of the Open-ended Technical Expert Group.
Liberia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Nigeria on behalf of the African Group and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity.
Liberia remains committed to the effective implementation of the PoA and the International Tracing Instrument (ITI). In this regard, we have strengthened our legal and regulatory frameworks, marked and recorded state-owned firearms, commenced the registration and licensing of civilian-held firearms, conducted capacity-building activities for security institutions, assessed state armories and storage facilities, enhanced inter-agency coordination, and recovered more than 1,000 firearms, ammunition, explosives, and related materials for eventual destruction.
Despite this progress, Liberia continues to face significant challenges, including resource constraints, porous borders, limited border management capacities, and inadequate maritime surveillance, all of which increase vulnerabilities to illicit trafficking and diversion.
Liberia is also concerned about the growing use of emerging technologies in the manufacture of arms and ammunition. We believe that addressing these challenges requires strengthened regional cooperation and responses tailored to national and regional contexts.
In conclusion, Liberia calls for enhanced international cooperation, technical assistance, and sustained support to help developing countries strengthen their capacities to effectively combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.
I thank you.