Assisting the National Authorities of the Republic of Albania to Decrease the Risk of Weapon Proliferation and Misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) (OSCE Presence in Albania)

Duration

August 2021 – June 2026

Beneficiary/ies

Ministries, institutions, and citizens of Albania

Donor/s

Germany, France, EU

Funding Amount

EUR 1,998,883

Funding gaps (if any)

EUR 352,324

Objective/s

To enhance the Ministry of Interior’s and Albanian State Police’s SALW control and non-proliferation capacities in Albania.

The  Project aims to support the efforts of the MoI and other Albanian authorities in obtaining necessary technical assistance; expertise; resources and equipment that will enable them strengthening their preventive, investigative and management capabilities on SALW control and non-proliferation. Such an approach will continue in the process of addressing the following three priority areas as identified by the MoI and ASP:

• Support for the establishment of a comprehensive legislative framework for the deactivation of firearms and its due implementation;
• Build the capacities of the ASP in strengthening their canine (K9) capabilities in detecting SALW, ammunition, and explosives;
• Increase the capacities of Albanian authorities in raising public awareness on the dangers of misuse and proliferation of SALW.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 1:

• Fully harmonize arms control legislation with EU legal framework and in line with international agreements/standards

Goal 3:

• Prevent trafficking (smuggling, illicit trade and transit) of FAE through improved processes, equipment and training of targeted law enforcement units

Goal 4:

• Increase awareness among general population, both women and men, on the danger of misuse, illicit possession and trafficking of FAE;

Goal 5:

• Substantially increase number of seized firearms, ammunition and explosives, and systematically use deactivation to reduce illegal firearms possession

Key activities implemented up to date

• MoU signed with the Ministry of Interior;
• The Project was launched on 9 June 2022, with the participation of project beneficiaries and other Albanian governmental institutions, donors and other international organization, civil society and media;
• Held the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Executive Committee of the project;
• Supported the establishment and deliberations of three working groups in support of the implementation of the related project activities;
• Engagement of international and local experts for the development and delivery of activities related to deactivation, canine units and awareness raising;
• Completed the 1st project amendment, which included the revision of the existing activities, additional activities, and an increase of the overall budget to reflect the project’s modifications;
• Completed the 2nd project amendment, which extends the project timeline and budget. The implementation timeline was extended until June 2026, with an increased budget to reflect raising market prices, primarily related to construction works and specialized equipment;
• Initiated the consultation process with members of the SALW Commission to respond to the needs related to the three priority intervention areas, as requested by the Albanian government, for inclusion in the 3rd amendment of the Project. The amendment will incorporate budget enhancements and additional activities.
• Finalized the analysis of firearms deactivation in Albania and developed an action plan for its implementation.
• Finalized and endorsed by the beneficiary, the Training Manual on deactivation processes.
• Organized the delivery of two training courses on training manual for conducting deactivation work, providing a practical overview of the adopted training manual.
• Incorporated the Training Manual on deactivation processes into the Security Academy curricula.
• Developed a comprehensive list of deactivation equipment, finalized purchases, and delivered them to the beneficiary on May 2024.
• Re-issued the tender for Supervision Services to oversee construction works retrofitting an existing building as the Deactivation Centre for SALW;
• The Detailed Design for retrofitting the SALW Deactivation Centre is finalized and endorsed by the beneficiary, with all required technical documents submitted for the construction permit. Tendering for construction works and re-tendering for supervision services have both been completed, including the selection processes. However, these activities are currently on hold and will resume once the Albanian government approves the construction permit.
• Initiated the coordination for organizing an exchange visit of the representatives of ASP in an accredited institution in Saint Etienne, France, focused on deactivation and certification processes.
• Developed the standard operating procedure (SOP) and K9 Master Plan for the modernization efforts, outlining a structured approach to mapping, sequencing and prioritizing each K9 capacity requiring support and necessary actions.
• Organized the first regional event in Korca, Albania, to localize the SOP and assess potential advancements of the canine regulatory framework.
• Organized a two-week study visit in France for representatives of the ASP Canine Training Institute, aimed at exchanging experience and learning from EU best practices.
• Organized a one-week working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina for ASP Canine Training Institute representatives to exchange information and learn from regional practices.
• Organized the second regional event in Durres, Albania, focused on developing and localizing the K9 Training Manual and supporting enhanced cooperation amongst canine teams in the region.
• Finalized the Training Manual, “Training and Operational Use of Service Dogs of the State Police of the Republic of Albania and delivered it to the beneficiary. The document was printed in 62 copies to be officially handed over to the beneficiary during a donation ceremony.
• Developed an assessment report in cooperation with the French Gendarmerie on the current K9 capacities and capabilities, and shared its findings with the beneficiary.
• Organized the first Regional K9 Exhibition on the detection capabilities of police dogs for small arms, ammunition and explosives in the Western Balkans, held from 05 – 07 June 2024, in Tirana, Albania. The event gathered regional practitioners and garnered extensive media coverage of over 10 national RV channels before and after the event.
• Completed the organization of SAMBI training in cooperation with the French Gendarmerie for “Training of Trainers” on K9, held from 27 May – 6 July 2024, in Gramat, France.
• Re-issued tender for Supervision Services related to the construction works for refurbishing of two ambulatory rooms in the Veterinary Clinic and retrofitting four buildings with dog kennels as part of the infrastructural upgrades at the ASP Canine Training institute.
• The design and technical documentation for refurbishing two ambulatory rooms and retrofitting four kennel buildings at the ASP Canine Training Institute have been finalized and approved, with tendering and supervision contracts completed; however, implementation is on hold pending the construction permit.
• In December 2024, organized a donation ceremony for the handover of the K9 goods and equipment, two K9 specialized vehicles to the ASP Canine Training Institute with the project donors and partners in attendance/
• Finalized the purchase of two K9 specialized Vehicles and delivered them to the ASP Canine Training Institute.
• Developed and shared an assessment report outlining the needs, requirements, benefits and potential impact of an amnesty/voluntary surrender initiative for illicit SALW, ammunition and explosives in Albania.
• Finalized and presented the Awareness Raising and Communication Strategy to project beneficiaries and relevant stakeholders.
• Conducted a pre-assessment of the campaign with a small-scale audience online to measure the perception/attitudes of the Albanian population on SALW, establish a baseline for the campaign and test the campaign messaging.
• Organized an exchange visit to Croatia for 8 representatives from Civil Society Organizations, Local Safety Councils, MoI and ASP, to learn from Croatia’s experience in designing and implementing awareness raising campaigns on the risks and misuse of firearms.
• Implemented two national awareness raising campaigns:  In May 2024, supported the production and launch of the campaign rap song “Leji armet” and its broadcasting on national TVs;
• Followed by nationwide audio-visual campaigns with high media presence (traditional and social).
• Established and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Ministry of Interior and four Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), to implement joint awareness raising and outreach activities;
• Established and signed a joint MOU between the OSCE and Elbasan Municipality to cooperate on awareness-raising campaigns and outreach activities.
• Following the established MoUs, conducted meetings with the Mayors of Municipalities of Elbasan, Shkodra, and Lezha, focusing on the importance of local community engagement and Local Safety Councils, while discussing SALW and implementation of SALW-related initiatives.
• By the end of December 2024, successfully implemented and completed two national awareness-raising campaigns, which focused on combating SALW-related gender-based violence and youth engagement, to inform Albanian citizens about the risks of firearms misuse and foster a culture of peace and security.
• The awareness-raising campaign included a digital component featuring the campaign advert, social media posts, and the broadcast of the song "Leji armet" (Leave the weapons), reaching a total of 3,489,034 citizens through television, radio, and social media platforms.
• In close co-operation with civil society organizations, an awareness outreach activity plan targeting school students, teachers, youth, and women was implemented throughout a three-month tour with outreach activities organized in Tirana, Elbasan, Lezhe, and Shkoder. These activities were organized from September to December 2024 with the support of CSOs, LSCs, and local governments, having a vast participation of approximately 670 students, scholars, and teachers.
• Produced campaign materials (brochures, posters, rollups, notebooks, pins, etc.) and delivered to the participants attending the outreach activities;
• Facilitated the production of six video testimonials titled “Unheard voices”.  These testimonials were conceptualized and recorded by youth in co-operation with CSOs and published on social media networks during November and December 2024.
• Finalized an artistic mural in the center of Tirana through the engagement of a local artist. It depicts the consequences of gun violence in families as a powerful message to the youth and citizens.
• Together with the municipalities and Local Safety Council members, supported the establishment of two street installations titled “Gun Violence Memory Walls” in the most accessible areas in the cities of Shkodra and Elbasan. The street installations were conceived based on the inputs from youth showcasing their perspectives on the risks of misuse of SALW in their communities, simultaneously displaying actual events and works of art.
• Conducted an assessment of the perception/attitudes through a survey/focus group with the selected target audience, as designed by the Strategy. The analysis of “Public Firearms Awareness Survey After the Campaign” contemplated the impact of the campaign's eight-month implementation period. The results were carefully compared with the outcome of the Survey conducted before the launch of the campaign, and will serve as a tool to develop and implement future campaign support.
• Organized an exchange visit to Serbia for 10 Albanian journalists covering security and SALW issues, the representatives of MoI, ASP, and SALW Commission. The visit facilitated the exchange of best regional practices and the sharing of experiences with Serbian colleagues. The media exchange visit was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Mission in Serbia and with the engagement of SEESAC, UNDP Serbia, and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia.
• Organized an exchange visit to Sweden for 9 Albanian journalists covering security and SALW issues, along with representatives from MoI and ASP dealing with the media, to learn from the best EU practices and uphold high reporting standards.
• Completed and shared with SEESAC a monitoring report on the current state of media reporting and an assessment of the capacity building needs for the journalists covering SALW and gender-based violence related to SALW issues.
• In close co-ordination with the Project, SEESAC conducted a capacity-building workshop for media, the Ministry of Interior, and the Albanian State Police on the relevance of reporting ethics, with particular focus on the reporting on SALW-related gender-based violence. The event took place on 25 – 26 November 2024. During the workshop with 25 participants, the Project introduced the results of the monitoring of the current state of media and the assessment of the capacity-building needs of the journalists covering SALW-related gender-based violence topics.
• Developed, localized, and contextualized the handbook document “Beyond the headlines:  A Journalist's Guide to Reporting on Security, SALW, and Gender-Based Violence in Albania.
• Duly implemented the Communications and Visibility plan, ensuring high media coverage for the project.
• Finalized the Project Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and started its implementation. The findings and recommendations have been shared with the project’s beneficiary institutions.
• Developed and endorsed an information leaflet “Female Factsheet” to be used as a mini campaign by the beneficiary, focusing on the promotion of women K9 handlers.
• Successfully facilitated the inclusion of the first female canine handler, trained throughout 2024, thus marking a significant milestone in promoting gender diversity and equality in this field of policing.
• Finalized the project’s visual identity, slogan, design and printing of visibility materials;
• Finalized an animated project video and shared it across the OSCE and beneficiary communications platforms.

Main challenges encountered

• Lack of bidder applications in the construction sector, and specialized equipment procurement processes.
• Increased prices for goods and services on local and international markets, and rising inflation have impacted the project budget, requiring an increase to avoid only partial project implementation.
• Delays in the approval chain as well as in obtaining necessary documentation from the beneficiary.
• Shifts in beneficiary priorities regarding Canine infrastructural upgrades and specialized vehicles procurement.
• Complex procurement processes require strict timelines and focused efforts.
• Delays from the MoI/ASP in obtaining construction permission;Multiple donor pledges with different timelines.