Western Balkans Ministers Reaffirm Commitment to SALW Control and Regional Security Cooperation at 2025 Interior Ministers’ Summit in London

The Western Balkans Summit on the Berlin Process, held in London on 22 October 2025, brought together leaders from the six Western Balkan economies and European partners to address migration, security, economic growth, and regional cooperation. Hosted by the United Kingdom Government, the Summit was attended by the UK Prime Minister alongside other European leaders and senior officials.

In its Chair’s Conclusions, the Summit emphasized continued support for regional cooperation on the prevention of small arms and light weapons (SALW) through Western Balkans Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control Roadmap 2025–2030. 

In the lead-up to the Summit, the Western Balkans Summit Interior Ministers’ Meeting was convened in London on 14–15 October 2025 as part of the broader Berlin Process programme. The meeting was chaired by Rt. Hon. Shabana Mahmood MP, UK Secretary of State for the Home Department, and brought together Ministers of Interior and Security from the Western Balkans to address migration, security, and organized crime.

In its Chair’s Declaration, the Interior Ministers’ Meeting recognized the SALW Control Roadmap 2025–2030 as a robust and regionally endorsed framework for countering illicit SALW proliferation. Ministers underlined the importance of comprehensive regional security cooperation, including enhanced coordination to address firearms trafficking, recognized as a key enabler of organized crime and violence.

In this context, the partners emphasized that they value the importance of the role of the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) under the joint initiative with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in ensuring a sustained effort in the implementation of the roadmap to achieve its goals for 2030.

The Interior Ministers’ Meeting formed part of the wider Western Balkans Berlin Process, which continues to foster dialogue and cooperation between the Western Balkans and the European Union. The 2025 London Summit once again demonstrated the value of regional ownership, shared priorities, and sustained partnership in addressing common security challenges.

For more information, please visit the Berlin Process webpage.