Information

Capacities of experts from Police Services from BiH in Physical Security and Stockpile Management strengthened

SEESAC, with funds from the European Union and with support of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Ministry of Security and Ministry of Defense, started a week long training in Armament and Ammunition Physical Security and Stockpile Management (PSSM) in Jahorina (BiH).

The PSSM course aims to increase capacities of the personnel from the BiH Ministry of Security and police agencies in BiH tasked with managing and safeguarding stockpiles of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition – with a specific focus on the security of stockpiles. The participants 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 covers security regulations and plans, risk assessment, physical security and access control, personnel security and vetting, transportation and movement and inventory management. On the last day of the course, the participants will visit the MoD’s weapons and ammunition storage in Visoko, as a practical example of application of security standards and requirements in securing the stockpiles. Upgrade of security infrastructure of this storage location was, among other partner organizations, also supported by SEESAC with funds from the European Union through the same project.

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, such as the Visoko storage location.

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 training 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.


EUSAC marks a continuation of the trust placed in SEESAC by the EU since 2002. 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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