Strengthening Inter-Regional Cooperation: Exchange Visit of the Republic of Honduras Delegation to the Western Balkans
As part of ongoing efforts to foster interregional cooperation and share best practices in small arms and light weapons (SALW) control, a delegation from the Republic of Honduras visited the Western Balkans, with a specific focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina, from 2–11 July 2025. During their stay in Sarajevo, the delegation also participated in two key regional meetings organized by UNDP SEESAC. The 13th Regional Roadmap Coordination Meeting, which brought together delegations from Western Balkans jurisdictions, donors, and representatives of regional and international organizations, and the 21st SALW Commissions Meeting, gathering representatives from Southeast and East Europe, including representatives of Moldova and Ukraine.
In Sarajevo, the delegation of the Republic of Honduras met with the SALW Coordination Board of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other key institutions, including the Prosecutor’s Office, SIPA, Border Police, Customs Administration, and the Ministries of Interior. Site visits included the Federation Police Directorate’s ballistic laboratory and the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies, where discussions focused on evidence management and forensic capabilities.
The delegation also engaged with UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina to review ongoing support to national institutions and met with two associations of women police officers to exchange experiences on gender equality and women’s leadership in policing, with a particular emphasis on SALW-related initiatives.
This exchange builds on an earlier assessment mission conducted by SEESAC to Honduras focused on the development of a national diagnostic assessment covering key SALW control functional areas, the provision of actionable recommendations across at least eight priority areas, and the facilitation of multi-stakeholder dialogue through a national workshop. The exchange visit also highlights the value of regional platforms, institutional coordination, and peer learning. It also follows similar visits conducted for delegations from the Kyrgyz Republic and Cambodia.
As part of the visit, the delegation from Honduras also participated in the 13th Regional Roadmap Coordination Meeting (8–9 July) and the 21st SALW Commissions Meeting (10 July), both held in Sarajevo. These regional platforms provided a unique opportunity to engage directly with Western Balkan counterparts and gain firsthand insights into the implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap—an initiative the delegation viewed as a valuable model for strengthening coordination, harmonizing policies, and enhancing cross-border cooperation. In parallel, the delegation presented the recently adopted Central America and Dominican Republic Firearms Roadmap and took part in meaningful exchanges on shared challenges and solutions. The knowledge and experiences gained during the visit will directly contribute to advancing Honduras’ arms control efforts and support the effective implementation of their regional roadmap, adopted in February 2025, aimed at combating the illicit trafficking and proliferation of arms, ammunition, and explosives.
“This visit has been instrumental in helping us visualize how regional coordination can translate into concrete action. We return to Honduras with renewed commitment and practical ideas to strengthen our roadmap,” General commissioner Héctor Ruiz.
The visit was made possible thanks to the strategic partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the generous support of the European Union.
The visit was organized by UNDP SEESAC and UNDP Honduras under the umbrella of the EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2323 implemented by SEESAC and the SALIENT project, implemented by UNDP and UNODA.