Belize
Since 2000, Belize has been constantly ranked as the country with the highest homicide rates in the world. The availability of guns, broad presence of gangs, and territorial rivalries between them are very acute problems in the country. In 2001, Belize committed to a consensus decision of the UN to adopt, support, and implement the UN Programme of Action to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons (PoA).[1]
Belize has signed and ratified the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in 2015.[2] In 2017, a first Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management Course was organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) with the government of Belize. This training was aimed at proliferation of best practices for collecting, packaging, and transferring of firearms and ammunition.[3] A National Action Plan on SALW is currently under development.
[1] Alpers, Philip and Michael Picard (2022): Belize – Gun Facts, Figures and the Law. Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/belize
[2] Alpers, Philip and Michael Picard (2022): Belize – Gun Facts, Figures and the Law. Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. GunPolicy.org. https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/belize
[3] UNLIREC (2017, November 13): UNLIREC Implements its First Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management Course in Belize. https://unlirec.org/en/unlirec-implements-its-first-firearms-and-ammunition-evidence-management-course-in-belize
Launch the country dashboard
Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the beginning of data collection in 1979 by the Small Arms Survey, no accidental explosions were reported in Belize.
Source: Small Arms Survey (December 2021): Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS). Database. https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uem
Cases of diversion
Insufficient information on cases of diversion in Belize.
Disposal
With the assistance of UNLIREC 0,22 tonnes of ammunition were destroyed in Belize during the period from 2012 to 2013.
Source: UNLIREC (2016): UNLIREC Destroys Firearms and Small Arms Ammunition in Belize. https://att-assistance.org/activity/unlirec-destroys-firearms-and-small-arms-ammunition-belize
Needs
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for Belize:
- Development or refinement of standards and procedures on stockpile management, in particular – knowledge of any advanced methods for the destruction of SALW.
- Capacity development for the destruction of surplus stockpiles, in particular – knowledge of any advanced methods for the destruction of SALW.
Source: PoA Report 2020, Belize. https://unoda-poa.s3.amazonaws.com/reports/BLZ-English-1062-SUBMITTED.pdf
