UN Secretary-General Report on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Highlights the Impact of Western Balkans Roadmap on Global SALW Control
The latest annual UN Secretary-General Report on Small Arms and Light Weapons highlights the significant influence of regional roadmaps, with a particular focus on the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap.
The report commends the Western Balkans authorities for substantial progress made in implementing the Roadmap for a Sustainable Solution to the Illegal Possession, Misuse, and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons by 2024, with the support of SEESAC. Among the noteworthy achievements are improved information sharing, enhanced investigations into firearms-related crimes, operational cooperation through capacitated Firearms Focal Points, increased security of weapons and ammunition storages, modernized record-keeping, marking, and tracing mechanisms, as well as strengthened collaboration with criminal justice structures. Standardized approaches have also been adopted to raise awareness of the misuse and illicit possession of firearms.
Furthermore, the report underscores the importance of the Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which has accumulated over $24 million since 2019 to support the above efforts and enable effective coordination and resource allocation. The report also refers to the Mid-Term Review of the Western Balkans Roadmap, validating its effectiveness as a regional initiative.
The document also emphasizes that the good practices and lessons learned from successful regional initiatives point to the crucial role of national SALW commissions in coordinating and monitoring activities and the integration of strong monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including performance indicators. The key to success and sustainability lies in fostering both national and regional ownership of these initiatives.
In alignment with the UN Secretary-General's recommendation in the recent Agenda for Peace, the report conveys the Secretary-General's encouragement to states to develop and implement regional and subregional roadmaps and action plans to address region-specific challenges related to the diversion, proliferation and misuse of SALW.
Thus, extending the recognition beyond the Western Balkans, the report reflects on the Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030, adopted in 2020, marking a significant step forward in addressing the unique challenges posed by the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunition in the region. Participating states have begun implementing the Roadmap by developing national action plans and a monitoring and evaluation framework. The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), along with the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security, has facilitated coordination and assistance, ensuring a cohesive regional approach.
Furthermore, the report sheds light on the Central American Roadmap, an initiative stemming from the Organization of American States' mandate to include the development and implementation of the Central American Roadmap, led by the Organization in coordination with the Central American Integration System and UNLIREC. This initiative aims to prevent illicit trafficking and proliferation of arms and ammunition, drawing on lessons from successful experiences worldwide, including the Western Balkans Roadmap.
The Secretary-General's recommendations are rooted in the work and solutions developed in the Western Balkans. The report stands as a global acknowledgement of the impact of the work achieved under the Western Balkans Roadmap in advancing SALW control.