Presentation of Awareness Raising and Communication Strategy, Action Plan, and Campaign on Small Arms and Light Weapons

TIRANA, 6 June 2023 – The OSCE Presence in Albania, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Albania, the Ministry of Interior, and the Albanian State Police, launched today the Awareness Raising and Communication Strategy and Action Plan 2023-2027 on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). The first awareness raising campaign under the umbrella of the Strategy was also launched at the event.

Small arms and light weapons continue to present a significant threat to public safety in Albania[1]. The strategy and the action plan aim to reduce the demand for and misuse of SALW in Albania by implementing co-ordinated, inter-institutional, and comprehensive awareness-raising activities. The strategy also emphasizes the importance of constructive engagement and dialogue with the public.

Deputy Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari, Acting Head of the OSCE Presence Clarisse Pasztory, Director of the Albanian State Police Public Security Department Rebani Jaupi and UNDP Program Manager Vladimir Malkaj addressed the event. International development partners, officials of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC), civil society organizations, Local Safety Councils and the media were also in attendance.

Aligned and building on the achievements of “SALW, their Ammunition and Explosives Control Strategy of Albania”, the strategy seeks to reduce the demand for and misuse of SALW in Albania. The OSCE Presence developed the strategy following a series of consultation meetings with stakeholders – such as the Ministry of Interior, the Albanian State Police, the National SALW Commission, civil Society, Local Safety Councils, youth groups, media, SEESAC and UNDP Albania – based on data-driven research and incorporating regional and international best practices in awareness raising.

As the UNDP Albania launches and implements the Awareness Raising Campaign, the OSCE Presence will build upon these efforts by continuing the implementation of additional campaigns outlined in the strategy.

The strategy and the ongoing awareness raising campaign are integral parts of the SALW projects that are carried out by the OSCE Presence and UNDP Albania in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and the Albanian State Police.

The OSCE-implemented project receives financial support from the European Union, Germany, and France. The UNDP project is made possible through financial contributions from Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Norway, facilitated by the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi-Partner Trust Fund. The project is further supported by the European Union.

[1] According to South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, 430 SALW incidents, resulting in 32 fatalities, were reported in Albania in 2022.