SEESAC receives its political and strategic guidance and key indigenous support from the Regional Steering Group on SALW
Strengthening Security and Stability through Regional Cooperation in South East Europe
SEESAC was established by Stability Pact for South East Europe and UNDP in 2002 to assist the governments in South East and East Europe to address challenges that post-conflict proliferation of SALW represented to peacebuilding and the long term economic and social development. Based on a Regional Implementation Plan on Combating Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), and as a focal point for SALW-related activities in South East Europe, SEESAC has been providing a long term, multi-pronged and holistic support to the authorities in addressing this problem through:
- Facilitation of regional cooperation
- Coordination of measures and activities
- Capacity Building
- Resource Mobilization
- Development of Technical Tools
- Project Implementation
- Research
- Information Management
- Provision of technical and expert advice
- Monitoring and reporting progress
SEESAC contributes to the reinforcement of SALW control capacities and measures in South East Europe in a variety of ways. As the South East and East Europe SALW Control Focal Point, SEESAC is facilitating the regional dialogue and coordination of efforts through various forums. As the executive arm of the Regional Implementation Plan on Combating Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, SEESAC is facilitating the information exchange, knowledge sharing and the coordination of efforts through the Regional Steering Group meeting on SALW in South East Europe. In addition, SEESAC is also responsible for the coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap.
Further to this, the Regional Platform of SALW Commissions and the South East Europe Firearms Experts Network, facilitated by SEESAC, represent the backbone of implementation of SALW control efforts in South East and East Europe.
SEESAC provides support for the development of legislation and policy frameworks, as well as for the harmonization of the SALW control legislation with the EU acquis. To contribute to evidence-based policymaking, SEESAC is continuously investing in data collection, research and analysis and dissemination of the SALW-related knowledge through different channels. SEESAC has created the key knowledge base on disarmament and arms control in South East and East Europe.
As the proliferation, use and impact of SALW display evident gender dimensions, SEESAC has been assisting the authorities to mainstream gender perspective in SALW control through innovative research and capacity development approaches.
To increase the security and safety of existing SALW and ammunition stockpiles, and to reduce the risk of proliferation, SEESAC has been providing support to the authorities in enhancing weapons and ammunition stockpile security by supporting security upgrades, and by reducing surplus stocks of SALW and their ammunition, as well as training.
Through the provision of technical assistance, training and analysis, SEESAC directly supported local institutions in the establishment or enhancement of firearms registration, marking and tracing systems and supported the strengthening of investigation capacities by the establishment of Firearms Focal Points.
Comprehensive support to the border and criminal police services is being provided through comprehensive needs assessments, development of procedures, training and provision of equipment to enhance the detection and investigation of firearms-related crimes.
Support has further been provided in strengthening the transparency of arms transfers by capacity development, regional exchanges, production of annual regional and national arms exports reports, and development of practical tools.
SEESAC has also supported several national-level and implemented regional public education and awareness campaigns to address the impact of SALW and armed violence.
SEESAC also assisted the national authorities to successfully implement their work by helping them build their internal capacities through training, by providing them with a variety of tailor-made technical tools, such as RMDS/Gs, Awareness Support Packs and various Software.
An important part of SEESAC’s mandate is related to resource mobilization. In this capacity, SEESAC operates as the Secretariat of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi Partner Trust Fund, funded by Germany, the UK Home Office, Sweden, France, the Netherlands and Norway. Since its establishment in 2019, over 21 million USD have been fundraised and currently, 10 projects are being implemented by UNDP Offices in the Western Balkans or UNODC Global Firearms Programme in support to the implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap.
In recent years, much of SEESAC’s contribution has been in direct project implementation support through the provision of financial, administrative, management and technical advice.
SEESAC is implementing the EU Council Decision 2019/2111 maintaining the EU Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe, building on the Council Decision 2016/2356, Council Decision 2013/730, Council Decision 2010/179, Council Decision 2004/791/CFSP, Council Decision 2003/807/CFSP and the Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP.
SEESAC is also implementing the EU Council Decision 2018/1788, amended through the EU Council Decision 2022/1654, for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans, and coordinating the implementation of UNDP’s Regional Project in support to implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap, funded by Germany, implemented by the UNDP Offices in the Western Balkans.
Additionally, SEESAC is also directly implementing the 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 EU Commission, DG NEAR.
Furthermore, with the support of the US State Department Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, SEESAC is implementing targeted projects aimed at enhancing the security and safety of SALW and related ammunition storage locations in Albania and Serbia.