Sweden, one of the key contributors of the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi-Partner Trust Fund, has confirmed the new contribution of 6,000,000 SEK (approximately 550,000 USD) to the Trust Fund. This is an addition to the previously contributed 2.3 million USD.

"The Multi-Partner Trust Fund is a key tool in further enhancing the work on SALW control in the Western Balkans, in line with the 2024 Roadmap. The projects funded by the MPTF ultimately contribute to enhancing safety and security in the region and in Europe as a whole. We welcome the progress made so far by the UNDP and the UNODC in close collaboration with SEESAC and the Western Balkan countries,” said Ms. Ann-Sofie Nilsson, Head of the Department for Disarmament, Non-Proliferation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

The Multi-Partner Trust Fund supports a donor- and jurisdiction-coordinated approach to the implementation of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition in the Western Balkans. It strengthens coordination, planning and communication among all partners, fosters collaboration, and reduces risks to governments and financial contributors.

Established in March 2019 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as Participating UN Organisations, the Trust Fund has benefitted from a strong cooperation with Germany and France, as the initiators of the Roadmap, that were soon joined by the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. Due to the generosity and commitment of these donors, the Trust Fund mobilised contributions exceeding 22.5 million US dollars.

UNDP SEESAC functions as the Secretariat of the Trust Fund and is responsible for the overall coordination and monitoring of the Trust Fund, providing technical, management, planning and programming support to it. Thus far, the Trust Fund has supported 14 projects implemented by the Participating UN Organisations across the Western Balkans.

Originally published on www.seesac.org