SALW Control Roadmap 2030
Back to project list

Integrated Institutional Approach and Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation to SALW Control (Phase I) (UNDP Kosovo)

Duration

3 November 2023 – 2 November 2025

Donor/s

Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi-Partner Trust Fund

Funding Amount

USD 1,200,990

Funding gaps (if any)

N/A

Objective/s

  • Objective 1: Increase the Integrated Institutional Approach and Community Engagement in Kosovo to effectively and efficiently implement SALW, Ammunition and Explosives Control.
  • Objective 2: Strengthen the Cross-border Cooperation in the field of SALW Control.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Goal 2 - By 2024, ensure that arms control policies and practices in the Western Balkans are evidence based and intelligence led.
Goal 3 - By 2024, significantly reduce illicit flows of firearms, ammunition and explosives (FAE) into, within and beyond the Western Balkans. 
Goal 4 - By 2024, significantly reduce the supply, demand and misuse of firearms through increased awareness, education, outreach and advocacy.
Goal 5 - By 2024, substantially decrease the estimated number of firearms in illicit possession in the Western Balkans.
Goal 6 - Systematically decrease the surplus and destroy seized small arms and light weapons and ammunition.
Goal 7 - Significantly decrease the risk of proliferation and diversion of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 2:

  • Standardize and institutionalize data collection on firearms, by gender and age, regarding legal and illegal SALW/firearms interdictions, armed violence incidents, ballistic evidence, and other firearms related data resulting in periodic regional FAE risk analysis and threat assessment;
  • Strengthen tasking, coordination and monitoring functions of the Firearms Focal Points, to ensure effective policies on Prevention, Mitigation, Reaction, and Suppression of firearms misuse, trafficking and uncontrolled proliferation;
  • Increase national analytical capacities and institutionalize firearms data analysis;

Goal 3:

  • Prevent trafficking (smuggling, illicit trade and transit) of FAE through improved processes, equipment and training of targeted law enforcement units;
  • Substantially strengthen control, monitoring and prevention of diversion of legal trade through improved capacities, procedures and transparency;
  • Strengthen existing bilateral, regional and international mechanisms and encouraging new forms of good practice to counter trafficking of firearms;

Goal 4:

  • Increase awareness among licensed private and legal entities about the danger of misuse and illicit proliferation of FAE;
  • Develop sustainable partnerships to strengthen advocacy, reinforce outreach and reach messaging multipliers;
  • Increase awareness among general population, both women and men, on the danger of misuse, illicit possession and trafficking of FAE;
  • Increase awareness among young men on the dangers of misuse of SALW/firearms since they account for majority of young men are disproportionately represented among both perpetrators and victims of firearms;
  • Increase awareness and reduce the misuses of firearms in violence against women, domestic violence and other forms of gender based violence;
  • Increase confidence in security institutions as providers of adequate and equal safety for all through community-society-regional outreach activities.

Goal 5:

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

Goal 6:

  • Systematically and publicly destroy all seized FAE.

Goal 7:

  • Ensure safe and secure SALW/firearms and ammunition storage facilities designated based on identified needs and in accordance with international standards.

Key activities implemented up to date

  • 12 officials (9 men and 3 women) from the KP PPIO and MoIA trained on OSINT gathering, analysis, and distribution.
  • Approved training curricula on SALW control, firearm misuse prevention, and DV prevention for community policing officers and police cadets.
  • 5-day Train the Trainer TOT programme completed for 12 police instructors and focused on the recently developed curriculum for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Ammunition, and Explosives Control.
  • 516 community policing officers and LPSC members and MCSC members (through 13 tailored training sessions across all Regional Police Directorates);
  • The "Celebrate with Heart, Not Your Gun" implemented for 2024 through a diverse range of activities, reaching more than 700,000 individuals. 4 outreach events took place. 

According to the MoIA report, as part of the campaign: An increase of 40% in reporting of celebratory shootings was recorded by September 2024 as compared to 2023, coupled with 28% increase in opened cases by the police. During the period from June to August 2024, 182 cases of celebratory shootings were opened. The number of people detained increased by 31.46% compared to the previous year (117 in 2024 as compared to 89 in 2023). 

*The awareness raising campaign is ongoing during 2025.

  • 350 police officers (344 men and 6 women) were trained on the detection at border posts (first- and second-line check), firearms trafficking routes and trafficking ‘modus operandi’, identifying the converted weapons as well as recognizing weapons parts, legal framework on SALW Control. This also included joint training for border and investigation departments on effectively investigating firearms trafficking.
  • Technological capacities of Police to detect and counter illicit arms trafficking enhanced through three (3) specialized thermal cameras, two (2) advanced handheld scanners, 37 handheld flashlights and 20 sets of dismantling tools to the Kosovo Police/Border department.
  • 4-day Joint training between law enforcement officers from Kosovo and Albania was completed regarding the role of community policing and intelligence-led policing in SALW Control.
  • 4-day joint training between law enforcement officers from Kosovo and Albania was completed regarding explosives and handmade explosives including their precursors, prevention and trafficking routes;
  • 4-day joint training between law enforcement officers from Kosovo and Albania was completed regarding SALW local and international legal framework including weapons categorization.
  • Study visits to CEPOL on gaining more knowledge and practical sight in developing the e-learning platform was completed;
  • A study visit to the Croatian forensic agency was completed to gain more knowledge on shooting distance determination and serial number restoration.
  • 7 police stations equipped with weapon storage metal cabinets (72), in Prishtinë/Priština, Ferizaj/Uroševac, Gjilan/Gnjilane, Pejë/Peć, Vushtrri/Vučitrn, Drenas/Glogovac, and Lipjan/Lipljan;
  • Awareness raising campaign regarding SALW control, preventing misuse of firearms and increasing reporting of firearm-related incidents in 2024 and 2025 was organized;
  • Capacity development for border police in effectively conducting border control and green border surveillance was organized.

Main challenges encountered

  • Delays occurred in procuring or receiving the specialized equipment.
  • Coordination takes more time due to the sub-regional nature of the project, challenges within each jurisdiction, more stakeholders.
  • The general elections in both jurisdictions, including local and presidential elections, posed risks such as political and institutional distraction, heightened tensions, policy uncertainty and security threats.
  • Delayed adoption of the Law on Firearms and the Law on Civil Use of Explosives.