UNDP SEESAC Attends SEECP Conference on Excess Ammunition and Storage Safety

On 11-12 April 2012, UNDP SEESAC will take part in the regional conference “Enhancing the Mutual Cooperation in the Region for Resolving the Surplus Arms Issue” organized by the South-East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Belgrade, Serbia.

The SEECP process was initiated in 1996 with the aim to promote increased peace, security, stability and cooperation in the region and currently consists of 12 member states. The focus of the conference, hosted by the Serbian Ministry of Defense as this year’s chair of SEECP, will be the issue of excess ammunition and storage safety of unsafe materials in the South Eastern Europe region.

The rate of accidents at munitions storage sites rose to unprecedented levels in 2011 and, according to the UN International Ammunition Technical Guidelines, Eastern Europe is an area of particular concern due to the significant existing surpluses, many of which are well past their safe storage life.

Ministry of Defense (MoD) of the Republic of Serbia currently holds roughly 8,000 tons of surplus ammunition, including 1,133.86 tons of ammunition filled with white phosphorous and napalm powder. As outlined by the Serbian State Secretary, Dr. Tanja Miscevic, ammunition filled with white phosphorous is extremely dangerous for health and the environment, its destruction is highly complex, and it requires special and expert treatment.

At the request of the Serbian MoD, and with the aim to improve capacity for conventional ammunition stockpile management in Serbia, Capacity Development Programme for Conventional Ammunition Stockpile Management (CASM) was initiated as a joint programme of the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) SEESAC and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The key goals of CASM Programme are the improved human security through the upgrade of safety and security of ammunition storage sites; enhanced counter-proliferation by reduction of the quantity and enhancement of security of surplus stockpiles; and improved demilitarization capacities through the upgrade of infrastructure at TRZ Kragujevac. CASM currently enjoys the support of several European countries and is an example of regional and international cooperation necessary for fostering of safety and security in the Western Balkans – as was pointed out by the Ministry of Defense of Serbia.

In addition to CASM, UNDP SEESAC supports myriad other arms control projects across the Western Balkan region including: public campaigns that aim to raise awareness about the dangers of SALW among the local population, collection and destruction of illegal and unwanted SALW, efficient registration and tracking of SALW currently in use, as well as better management and storage of the existing stockpiles.