A Signature Solution to Arms Control
A new innovative Roadmap from the Western Balkans Addressing the illicit trade on Small Arms and Light Weapons
On the July 10, The Roadmap for a sustainable solution to arms control in the Western Balkans by 2024 was adopted by the Western Balkans Six (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) in the presence of the European Union at the fifth annual Western Balkans summit in London. Part of the Berlin Process, an initiative undertaken by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to bring Western Balkan countries and EU partners together, it addressed pressing issues concerning the illicit trade and insecure storage of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the region. The Roadmap and the associated projects are headed and coordinated by the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) under the mandate given to it by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC).
The Summit, according to the United Kingdom public sector information website gov.uk, had three central aims:
(1) increase economic stability and interconnectedness in the region,
(2) strengthen regional security cooperation and
(3) to facilitate political cooperation through dismantling bilateral conflicts and strengthen democracy.
But most importantly, the final stages of The Roadmap were discussed and adopted by all present states.
The issue was previously discussed at a side event at the Third Review Conference on the Programme of Action (RevCon3) at the United Nations in June. At the conference, various leaders of the European Union, particularly France and Germany, stressed their commitment to the project. Other representatives, such as the representatives for Italy, the UK and Austria, asked engaging questions about the Roadmap and expressed their interest in aiding international efforts.
The Roadmap is serving as a consensual guiding document for governments, regional institutions and NGOs to find a “sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking ofSALW/firearms, and its ammunition, in the Western Balkans.” During the side event at RevCon3, and within the Roadmap itself, outside parties such as Germany and France repeatedly stressed that although they would be happy to play a supporting role, the project should be owned and headed by regional leaders in the Western Balkans.
The vision ingrained into the Roadmap formulates seven specific goals, which are outlined extensively. In relation to all seven goals, specific importance is placed on gender and gender equality.
Goal 1 focuses on the legislative and regulatory framework in the Western Balkans. By 2023, this framework should be standardized in compliance with European and international standards and guidelines. This may be considered a foundation for all other goals because an effective standardization of the legislative and regulatory framework will allow for more effective cooperation between the regional actors.
Goal 2 highlights the importance of having evidence based and intelligence led arms control practices. This includes effective exchange of information with multinational organizations such as Europol, Eurojust and Frontex, increasing analytical capacities and firearms data analysis, and standardizing data collection.
Goal 3 aims to significantly reduce illicit flows of firearms, ammunition and explosives (FAE) by 2024. The Roadmap stresses the importance of effective border and FAE export controls as it serves as a base for any program on national and regional security.
Goal 4 targets 2024 to reduce firearms trade, demand, use and misuse through increasing awareness, educational programs, campaigns, outreach, and advocacy. This will target media outlets, institutions involved in FAE production and trade and security institutions, as well as the general population, especially young men, as they account for most firearm related incidents.
Goal 5 pinpoints 2024 as the target year to substantially decrease the number of FAE in unlawful possession in the region. To achieve this goal, countries must offer a way to voluntarily surrender firearms and expand legal capacities to allow for re-registration of firearms (within the lawful parameters) and find a way to address inherited firearms.
Goal 6 calls for the systematic and public destruction of surplus stockpile and seized FAE in an environmentally friendly manner.
Goal 7 focuses on securing FAE storage and improving stockpile management by advancing regulations, improving storage facilities and strengthening relevant state institutions such as armed forces, customs, law enforcement and other institutions involved in monitoring stocks.
What makes the Roadmap innovative is that it is specifically tailored to the current socio-political landscape of the Western Balkans. Over the last 15 years, leaders from a historically conflicted region have come together to work on combating this issue, and as Pawel Herczynski, the director for the Security Policy and Conflict Prevention in the European External Action Service, put it: “Regional processes, not only advance small arms and light weapons control measures, but also help build trust and confidence in the region.” And indeed, building trust between the regional actors has been an integral part of the process. After 15 years of preparatory work and now finally having been adopted, now we shall see if the goals will be reached by 2024.
Works Cited
“About the Western Balkans Summit.” GOV.UK, GOV.UK, 12 July 2018, www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/western-balkans-summit-london-2018/about.
“Roadmap Vision” UNDP SEESAC, Twitter, 29 May 2018, twitter.com/UNDP_SEESAC/status/1001488662348124160.
“A Plan for a Safer Future.” News-SALW Control — A Signature Solution to Arms Control — SEESAC, www.seesac.org/News_1/A-plan-for-a-safer-future/
“A Signature Solution to Arms Control.” News-SALW Control — A Signature Solution to Arms Control — SEESAC, www.seesac.org/News-SALW/A-signature-solution-to-arms-control/.
