SEESAC Supports the Establishment of the Western Balkan Awareness Raising Task Force

On 22 June 2022, SEESAC organized the first meeting of the Regional Awareness Rising Task Force for Decreasing Threats Posed by Misuse and Illicit Possession of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Through Informed and Multi-faceted Awareness Raising Activities in Belgrade. The meeting also marked the establishment of the said Task Force, whose work will directly contribute to the ongoing, region-wide efforts to advance SALW control through more diverse and advanced use of awareness tools.

In their opening remarks, Assistant Director of the Police, Mr. Dejan Kovacevic, and Programme Manager at the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Ms. Olivia Debaveye underlined the importance of amplifying institutional cooperation on suppressing firearms misuse and awareness-raising public campaigns.

Furthermore, on behalf of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Ms. Jorida Shytaj, RCC's Senior Political Advisor, added that her organisation is looking forward to the results of the Regional Awareness Raising Task Force since RCC remains dedicated to regional security cooperation processes rooted in the facilitation of information exchange and enhancement of knowledge and understanding of various security-related processes.

On the other hand, during the meeting, participants exchanged experiences and good practices from the Western Balkans, reviewed the ongoing awareness-raising activities in the region, and learned about tools for successful awareness-raising activities.

The Task Force will contribute to the diversification of ways in which awareness-raising is used and strengthen institutional capacities for conducting effective awareness-raising efforts in each of the six participating jurisdictions. Furthermore, it will facilitate region-wide standardization of awareness-raising practices through networking, exchange of information, sharing of best practices and lessons learned, as well as through coordination of and collaboration on awareness-raising activities.

The meeting was organized in the scope of SEESAC’s more extensive work of increasing response to factors fuelling demand and misuse of firearms in the Western Balkans as part of the project Support for Enhancing the Fight Against the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans project, funded by the European Union.

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