The fourth annual report of the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund in support of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illicit possession, misuse and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition in the Western Balkans by 2024 is now available for online reading. The report marks the fourth year in the Trust Fund’s existence, and consolidates its support to the Roadmap’s implementation.

In 2022, the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund and its two participating organizations, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), further consolidated their comprehensive support to the authorities in the Western Balkans in addressing specific priority areas of the regional SALW Control Roadmap. This included support for countering the illicit possession and trafficking of firearms, strengthening criminal justice responses to firearm-related crimes, advancing firearm-related investigations and operational exchanges, enhancing data collection and management, reducing stockpiles of surplus ammunition, engaging in outreach to communities and the population at large on addressing arms-enabled crime, and for integrating the gender perspective in tackling these issues.

The Trust Funds’ total contributions exceeded US $24.1 million, with $2.3 million mobilized in 2022 from four principal donors: Germany, France, Sweden, and Norway. In addition to 10 ongoing projects, six new projects were approved by the Trust Fund’s Steering Committee in the second half of the year, thus further enhancing funding support across the Western Balkans towards the achievement of the seven Roadmap Goals. The Trust Fund increased the total number of projects approved for funding to 16, with an overall budget of $14.6 million.

The UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund remains invested in supporting the Roadmap implementation, along with various local, regional, and international partners. The mid-term evaluation of the Trust Fund, conducted in parallel with the mid-term review of the Roadmap implementation, acknowledged the good overall strategic performance of the Trust Fund, and found it essential to sustaining the momentum of both political and technical commitment to SALW control in the region. The Trust Fund was recognized for providing synergies and interlinkages with other funds and initiatives that collectively contribute to the implementation of the Roadmap, thereby increasing the overall impact.

As stated by Gerd Trogemann, the Chair of the Trust Fund’s Steering Committee “The results highlighted in this report demonstrate that with a joint vision, commitment, partnerships, and support, we are coming ever closer to achieving our shared common goals.”

To access the report, please click here.

The Trust Fund supports a donor-coordinated approach to the implementation of the SALW Control Roadmap in the Western Balkans. The pooled funds strengthen coordination, planning and communication among all partners, foster collaboration, and reduce risks to governments and financial contributors.

The Trust Fund’s contributors include Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Norway. Its governance is supported by the European Union. The Fund is administrated by the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office and implemented by the UNDP and the UNODC, while SEESAC serves as its secretariat.

Originally published on www.seesac.org