Commitment to the Western Balkans SALW Control Reiterated the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum

The annual EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs, hosted in Skopje, North Macedonia, from 26 to 27 October 2023, brought together the Ministers for Home Affairs and Justice of Spain, representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, together with their counterparts from the Western Balkans, the European Commissioners for Home Affairs and for Justice, as well as representatives of the incoming Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies of the Council of the EU.

Discussions in the area of home affairs centred around countering terrorism and preventing and countering violent extremism. The session saw the EU and Western Balkan representatives reiterating their commitment to eradicating the trafficking and proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). To that end, they recalled the agreement to prolong the Roadmap for comprehensive SALW control in the Western Balkans beyond 2024.

The EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum further served as a platform to address various topics, including strengthening migration, asylum, border management, the rule of law and judicial reforms. The participants confirmed their joint dedication to tackling emerging threats and ensuring the security of the region.