The meeting, dedicated to increasing parliamentary commitment, understanding, and action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) control, and presenting progress reports on implementation of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap, has been organised by the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PFSALW),  RCC and South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) in cooperation with the Parliament of Albania. It gathered SALW control experts and parliament representatives from the region.

The opening remarks were delivered by Mr. Bardhyl Kollcaku, Member of the Albanian Parliament, Ms. Elsa Håstad, Ambassador of Sweden to Albania, Mr. Alexis Hupin, Head of the Political Section at EU Delegation to Albania, and  Ms. Monica Merino, Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).  All speakers congratulated the authorities of the region for setting the standards in regional approach to small arms and light weapons control, underlined the importance of WB SALW Control Roadmap as an example of good practice of a regional approach to SALW control and reiterated their support in tackling illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of firearms across the region.

The Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap has been developed by SEESAC under the RCC’s political umbrella. The Roadmap is an undisputable testimony of the commitment undertaken by the region jointly and a great example of a regionally owned process.

The meeting is a continuation of  multi-year efforts and actions of PFSALW, RCC, and SEESAC directed at preventing and reducing armed violence and building more peaceful and sustainable societies in South east Europe and beyond.  It is financially supported by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs’ (UNODA), Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation Fund (UNSCAR), and the European Union.