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Albania’s State Police capacities for Physical Security and Stockpile Management strengthened through a SEESAC Course

Funded by the European Union and upon request of the Ministry of Interior of Albania (MoI), UNDP SEESAC is holding a week long course in Armament and Ammunition Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) from 17 – 21 October, in Tirana, Albania.

The goal of the PSSM course to improve the knowledge and increase capacities of the Albania’s MoI and police service personnel in charge of managing and safeguarding stockpiles of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. The course specifically focuses on the security of SALW.  

Twenty participants from police directorates throughout the country are receiving theoretical and practical knowledge on the secure storage of armament and ammunition in accordance with the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS). The course includes security regulations and plans, physical security and access control, personnel security and vetting, as well as evidence and property management. As a practical example of application of security standards and requirements in securing the stockpiles, the participants will also visit the State Police weapons’ storage.

Earlier this month, SEESAC organized the same course in Jahorina for police officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Implemented under Component 1 of SEESAC’s EUSAC project,  the course supports one of the project’s main objective of reducing the threat posed by the spread and illicit trafficking of SALW and their ammunition. The course complements efforts to increase security of storages through infrastructure improvements implemented under the same component of the EUSAC project.

The history of large-scale accumulation of small arms and light weapons and ammunition stockpiles in South East Europe, an insufficient number of secure storage locations, and the persistent lack of sufficient capacities to fully secure them has made the countries in the region a particular concern as well as an important challenge in the European Union Strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. 

Promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by the United Nations at the Sustainable Development Summit held in New York in September last year and which the UN members have determined to achieve by 2030. This week’s course is a contribution to achievement of SDG 16, which aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence, and work with governments and communities to find lasting solutions to conflict and insecurity.


EU SUPPORT OF SEESAC DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL ACTIVITIES IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE (EUSAC)

The European Union entrusted SEESAC with the implementation of a series of region-wide activities in the period 2014 – 2016 through EU COUNCIL DECISION 2013/730/CFSP. The regional course is part of Component 1 of the resulting EUSAC Project (EU Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe) which is an integral part of the SEESAC SALW Control portfolio.

The Union previously supported SEESAC through Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP, extended and amended by Council Decisions 2003/807/CFSP and 2004/791/CFSP. Most recently, the Union supported SEESAC arms control activities through Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP.


Designed in close cooperation with national authorities, the EUSAC project works on the following five interrelated streams of activities:

  • Increased security of stockpiles: through the renovation and security improvements to storages of arms and ammunition.
  • Stockpile reduction: through the destruction of surplus arms and ammunition held in storages.
  • Improved marking, tracing and registration of SALW: through the provision of support to the establishment or enhancement of existing weapons registration and record-keeping systems.
  • Improved regional cooperation on awareness raising, information sharing and knowledge transfer: through the facilitation of regional cooperation between national institutions tasked with arms control.
  • Implementation of collection and awareness raising campaigns.

 

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