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  • The Second Regional Report on Arms Exports
  • Electronic version of the Regional Report on Arms Exports
  • Montenegro: Industry Outreach Workshop
  • Western Balkans Parliamentary Forum on SALW
  • Serbia: Support to the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development
  • Women Police Officers Network (WPON)
  • Regional Information Exchange Process on Arms Exports
  • Montenegro: Support to the Ministry of Economy
  • Activities in 2009
    • Convertible Weapons
    • Serbia: SALW Destruction
    • Regional Report on Arms Exports
    • Albania: National Report on Arms Exports
    • Moldova: SALW Destruction
    • FYR Macedonia: Marking and Tracing Legislation
    • FYR Macedonia: Brokering Legislation
    • Serbia: Industry Outreach
    • Croatia: Security Perception Study
    • Montenegro: Needs Assessment
    • Regional Conference on Armed Violence Prevention
    • Resource Mobilisation
    • Regional Arms Exports Information Exchange Process
    • Arms Exports Control Software
    • Croatia: Crime Prevention Planning Tool
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Target activities

Cross Border Control

SEESAC work in this functional area is primarily in support of, and in close co-operation with, SALW measures proposed under the NATO, OSCE and EU Integrated Border Management process. These include cross border police and customs cooperation and the development of practical control measures.

Legislative and Regulatory Issues

One of the primary functional areas in SEESAC’s mandate is addressing the legislative and regulative issues regarding Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) of stakeholder nations in South Eastern Europe. SEESAC’s work in this field mostly concentrates on providing support to the regional harmonisation of arms control and export legislation, including the provision of independent, impartial and neutral legal advice to regional governments for the development of effective and appropriate legislation.

Eighteen months after the 1st Regional Arms Law Roundtable, following a range of consultations on legislative progress with regional governments and international stakeholders, it was decided that it would be appropriate to continue with the process. The objective of the 2nd meeting was to review the current situation and assist the regional governments in moving forward with the legal issues they are tackling.

The 2nd Regional Arms Law Roundtable was held on 25 - 26 May 2004 in Belgrade. 30 representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior and Defence from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Moldova and Serbia and Montenegro gathered to discuss the legislative developments their countries have made in SALW issues. Observers and Working Group mediators to the Roundtable included over 20 international representatives from NATO, the Wassenaar Agreement, the OSCE, RACVIAC, Saferworld, US Embassy Belgrade and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Roundtable was organized in association with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), who provided valuable support, especially in relation to aspects of SALW export and import legislation.

Summary of Conclusions or the Conclusions in full can be downloaded here.

SEESAC has also produced the Compendium of Arms Laws for the region, which acts as a useful reference tool for all stakeholders.

Management Information

One of the operational objectives of SEESAC was to develop a framework to collect, collate, analyse and disseminate (or support dissemination of), operational data and public information relating to SALW issues within the region in order to generate knowledge and support SALW initiatives.

SEESAC has therefore developed Regional SALW Databases for information collection and dissemination.

Of major significance is the development of Regional Micro-Disarmament Standards and Guidelines (RMDS/G) to identify, record and disseminate in International Standards Organisation (ISO) format, the lessons learned and best practices of all areas of micro-disarmament.

SEESAC also worked closely with the Small Arms Survey in the development of standard Survey Protocols to ensure the accuracy, effectiveness and consistency of all future national SALW Surveys.

SEESAC continues to develop co-ordination links and dialogue with national governments, international and regional organisations, NGOs/CSOs and other interested agencies in order to ensure an appropriate response for SALW issues.

SALW Awareness and Communications Strategy

SALW Awareness is a fundamental component of the small arms control process, which involves the use of professionally developed ‘core messages’ and dissemination strategies to shape the perceptions, impart knowledge and change the behaviour of the civilian community towards SALW. It is about far more than just standard public information initiatives.

SEESAC has been further developing the concept of SALW awareness and now has a standard SALW Awareness Support Pack (SASP - 2006), which is available for all to use in support of their own SALW initiatives.

This functional area also involves extensive consultation and liaison with non-governmental organisations (NGO) and civil society. The SEESAC SALW Awareness Officer works closely with all representatives of society to build their capacities and ensure that an efficient and effective SALW Awareness programme can be developed and implemented.

SALW Destruction Programmes

SEESAC has the capacity to provide independent, impartial and neutral technical advice and assistance for the development and implementation of safe, efficient and effective SALW destruction initiatives. This assistance and support is enhanced by the development of the Regional Micro-Disarmament Standard and Guidelines (RMDS/G) on SALW Destruction.

SEESAC support is not just limited to UNDP and Stability Pact SALW related initiatives; it is a resource for all stakeholders to use.

Examples of specific advice provided to date include:

• Project development assistance to UNDP Macedonia for the SALW Control in Macedonia (SACIM) Project. This includes the part funding of an Ammunition Technical Advisor.
• Technical advice and project development assistance to UNDP Sarajevo for their SALW Assistance Programme (SAP).
• Technical advice to the European Commission (EC) on their support to wider SALW collection activities within the region.
• Technical advice and assistance to UNDP Sofia for the destruction of surplus SALW and ammunition. This also involved the provision of ‘seed funding’ to further enhance Bulgarian national destruction capacity.
• Technical advice and assistance to the Republic of Montenegro for the destruction of SALW and ammunition collected during their 2003 national weapons amnesty. This also involved the provision of ‘seed funding’ to further develop the Montenegrin national destruction capacity.
• Technical advice and assistance to the Republic of Serbia for the destruction of SALW and ammunition collected during their 2003 national weapons amnesty. This also involved the provision of ‘seed funding’ to further develop the Serbian national destruction capacity.
• Technical advice to OSCE Mission to Moldova on the future destruction of surplus ammunition stocks in Moldova.

SALW Stockpile Management

This is a growing SEESAC Activity as the identification of SALW and ammunition storage, security and surveillance systems becomes even more important to future SALW intervention planning. SEESAC activities to date include:

• Technical advice to UNDP Sofia on the future development of ammunition destruction within Bulgaria.
• The development of an Ammunition Technical Assessment (ATA) methodology for future ammunition destruction programme planning

SALW Survey

SALW Survey is a systematic and logical process to determine the nature and extent of SALW proliferation and impact within a region, nation or community in order to provide accurate data and information for a safe, effective and efficient intervention by an appropriate organisation. SEESAC has been instrumental in developing the concept of SALW Survey, and in distinguishing its four constituent parts:

• Small Arms Capacity Survey (SACS) The component of SALW Survey that collects data on indigenous resources available to respond to the SALW problem.
• Small Arms Distribution Surveys (SADS) The component of SALW Survey that collects data on the type, quantity, ownership, distribution and movement of SALW within the country or region.
• Small Arms Impact Survey (SAIS) The component of SALW Survey that collects data on the community and social and economic development.
• Small Arms Perception Survey (SAPS) The component of SALW Survey that collects qualitative and quantitative information via focus groups, interviews and household surveys, on the attitude of the local community towards SALW and possible interventions.

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