OSCE supports Ukraine in developing national strategy to combat illicit SALW

In response to the growing threats posed by illicit trafficking in firearms, ammunition and explosives, the Government of Ukraine is seeking to develop a national strategy on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), together with a comprehensive action plan to guide its implementation.

To support this effort, the OSCE convened key national and international stakeholders at an expert workshop on 27 and 28 August in Kyiv, in partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine.

During facilitated plenary and group discussions, participants outlined the main pillars and priorities of the strategy. These include necessary steps for improving weapons tracing and stockpile management, enhancing border control, updating national legislation, raising public awareness and strengthening inter-agency co-ordination against illicit trafficking of SALW.

“The policy documents we develop today will serve as a unified national approach and a strategic tool that will enable us to co-ordinate efforts across the government, law enforcement and with our international partners to more effectively address the risks associated with illicit weapons. This is important work we do for the safety of our citizens and communities,” said Oleksii Serheiev, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

To ensure the document aligns with international best practices and SALW control standards, the drafting process was supported by the representatives from the South-Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (UNDP SEESAC), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT Firearms) and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (AMAT GICHD).

The event was held as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project "In support of strengthening the capacities of Ukrainian authorities in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects", financed by the European Union, Finland, France, Germany and Poland.