South East Europe Firearms Experts Network Gathers for Its 18th Regional Meeting

Senior police investigators, customs officials, prosecutors, ballistic experts, representatives of border police, regional and international organisations gathered in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 13-14 June for the 18th Regional Meeting of the South East Europe Firearms Experts Network (SEEFEN).

The SEEFEN meetings are organised biannually by SEESAC and regularly focus on information sharing and knowledge exchange on lessons learned, challenges faced, new modus operandi, and ways forward in combatting firearm and explosives trafficking in and out of South East Europe.

Opening the meeting, Mr. Dragan Vukadin, Deputy Chair of the SALW Coordination Board, of Bosnia and Herzegovina said that “we all work on the same mission-to keep this region safer” and added that “in the perspective of recent tragic events in the region, we should more than ever strive to achieve this goal, which is why regional gatherings, such as the SEEFEN meeting, are of utmost importance as they are the unique platform for sharing good practices and experiences in prevention and countering illicit trafficking and misuse of firearms in the region and beyond.”

“It has been amazing to witness how, in years, this process has grown into one of the key expert networks in the field of small arms and light weapons control and has provided important contribution to increased capacities for small arms and light weapons related investigations in the Western Balkan jurisdictions,” Mr. Shenasi Iseni, Senior Political Advisor at the Regional Cooperation Council outlined and concluded that SEEFEN has also become a model of sustained ownership, confidence building and promoter of joint actions.

Speaking about the continuous support of the European Union to the Western Balkan authorities in the field of small arms and light weapons control, Mr. Tomislav Ćurić, Rule of Law Adviser at the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina said that SEEFEN is the key regional network on the operational level that EU is supporting in this area and added that substantive funding and comprehensive support has also been provided to capacity development of border and criminal police services at all levels across the region.

During the meeting, various topics were discussed such as case studies related to firearms crimes and examples of cooperation between investigators, ballistics experts, and prosecutors. The meeting also covered the gender aspects of firearms criminality, emphasizing the relevance of considering gender perspectives in operational responses.

Furthermore, the participants discussed the results of the Annual Firearms Focal Points Workshop and the draft of the Regional Threat Assessment. Joint law enforcement exercises and the conversion/modification of ammunition were explored, too.

The mid-term review of the Roadmap for SALW Control was presented, followed by discussions on activities carried out by relevant international partners. The meeting concluded with an update on ongoing and planned activities by SEESAC.

Established in 2013, SEEFEN meets to enhance the regional approach to combatting firearms trafficking through information exchange and knowledge sharing amongst experts in the region and beyond. SEEFEN is supported by the European Union through the EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/2111 in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe.