On August 2, 2023, Chargé d’Affaires Andrew J. McLean announced a $60,000 grant to the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) to assist the Palau Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) in implementing a weapons and ammunition organizational management system.
This grant is the latest in an extensive series of U.S. government capacity building programs for the Ministry of Justice and Bureau of Public Safety. Since 2012, the U.S. Government has sent 15 police officers and employees of the Ministry of Justice on professional exchange programs to the Defense Department’s Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies. The United States has also conducted trainings in Palau on a variety of topics including firearms handling, first aid and CPR, investigation of and combatting human trafficking, investigating counterfeit U.S. currency, and financial investigative techniques for money laundering and cybercrimes.
Grant recipient, NPA has extensive global experience implementing weapons and ammunition management projects and has worked closely with Palauan authorities since 2015.
Under the grant, NPA will focus on three broad goals: develop a process for disposal of confiscated weapons and execute disposal of weapons already confiscated, improve the physical security and safety of weapons and ammunition storage, and improve the capacity of BPS personnel to safely handle, manage and store weapons and ammunition by developing an inventory management system in line with international best practices.
In his remarks, CDA McLean stated: “All of us here are aware that stockpiles of excess, poorly secured or otherwise at-risk conventional weapons pose a serious challenge to peace and prosperity. The governments of the United States and Palau are united in our shared commitment to safeguard the security Palau’s residents.”