In Support of Strengthening Capacities of Ukrainian Authorities in Preventing and Combating Illicit Trafficking in Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives in All its Aspects
The CPC/FSC Support Unit recruited and employed one (1) Project Officer (P3), (1) Associate Project Officer P2 and one (1) Project Assistant (G5) in line with OSCE recruitment rules and practices. These positions constitute the Project Implementation Team (PIT) and are directly involved in day-to-day project implementation under direct supervision of Senior FSC Support Officer (P4) and in close coordination with FSC Project Officer (P3). One (1) Project Associate G7, one (1) Senior Liason and Communication Assistant G6, and one (1) Project Assistant G5 positions will be established in Kyiv from July 2024 to support implementation of project activities aimed at delivering results to the projectd beneficiaries. In addition, one (1) P2 position established in the Procurement Unit to support continuous fulfillment of the procurement tasks and one (1) G5 positions will be established to provide administrative and logistical support to the project.
There are no implementing partners. However, the following partners provide an in-kind support to the programmatic activities on ad-hoc basis:
- Canadian Royal Mounted Police
- K9 Training Center of Guardia Civil, the Kingdom of Spain
- K9 Department of the Boder Guard Service, Lithuania
- K9 Department, Border Guard Service, Poland.
- K9 Dog Training Center of Guardia Civil of Spain.
Beneficiaries
- State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
- State Customs Service Service of Ukraine
- National Police of Ukraine
- Other relevant in-line ministries/agencies in Ukraine.
The objective of the project is to streamline the implementation of the OSCE programmatic activities in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in WAE all its aspects in Ukraine.
The comprehensive programme for preventing illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives aims to achieve the following strategic outcomes by the end of implementation:
- Relevant national legal framework adopted (law on weapons);
- Uniform weapons classifier is in use and integrated into the weapons registry;
- National stakeholders established training and basic WAE detection capacitties in specified geograhical areas;
- Expert networking developed, good practices and knowldge transferred adn operational cooperation established.
Activity 1.1 Establishment and work of the project administration and implementation teams
Activity 1.2 In-Depth Requirements Analyses and Capacity Development Designs of Ukraine Authorities in combatting illicit trafficking of WAE
Activity 1.3 Facilitation of projects’ governance, quality assurance and visibility support
Activity 1.4 Supporting key performance indicators setting processes, external evaluation and audits
Activity 2.1 Promotion and transfer of international standards and good practices for the control of manufacture, marking and record-keeping of WAE in Ukraine, including on de-activation of SALW
Activity 2.2 Development and roll-out of the uniform electronic WAE classifier and its integration into WAE registry
Activity 3.1 Promotion of good practices and knowledge transfer in the field of forensics and investigations of illicit trafficking in WAE
Activity 3.2 Promotion of good practices, knowledge transfer and equipment assistance programme in countering and detection of illicit trafficking in WAE for the NPU
Activity 4.1 Country-wide public opinion survey, attitude study and public awareness and communication campaigns on risks related to illegal possession, misuse and trafficking in WAE
Activity 4.2 Promoting improvement of legislative mechanisms for regulating and controlling the circulation and use of WAE and its implementation
Activity 5.1 Promoting development of strategic approaches in prevention and combatting illicit trafficking in WAE in all its aspects in Ukraine
Activity 5.2 Support development of inter-agency data-collection, analysis and dissemination system
Activity 6.1 Comprehensive Training Programme in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking of WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine
Activity 6.2 Equipment assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine
Activity 6.3 Canine assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine
Activity 6.4 Supporting SBGS in co-operation measures and expert networking in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in WAE
Activity 7.1 Comprehensive Training Programme in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking of WAE for the SCS of Ukraine
Activity 7.2 Equipment assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SCS of Ukraine
Activity 7.3 Canine assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SCS of Ukraine
Activity 7.4 Supporting SCS in co-operation measures and expert networking in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in WAE
This is a management project linking three projects implemented on the ground together. The risk management plans are in place for each project implemended by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine in the past (projects no. 3200454, 3200455 and 3200456).
Illicit trafficking and illegal proliferation of weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) across state borders contributes to increased security and safety risks in OSCE participating States (pS) that adversely affect societies and economies, not only in border areas, but as a whole. Destabilizing accumulation and uncontrolled spread of illicit WAE in the country undermines stability and internal security of any state. Thus, combating illicit trafficking of WAE inherently supports efforts to fight organized crime, terrorism, as well as effective implementation of border security and management regimes. Moreover, these efforts build confidence, security and transparency through appropriate measures.
Based on the initial request of the State Border Guards Service of Ukraine made in May 2016, the OSCE Secretariat carried out the “Needs Assessment for Combatting the Illicit Trafficking in Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives in/and Across Ukraine’s Borders” (hereinafter, Needs assessment). The Needs assessment, published in April 2018, involved several WAE regulating, law-enforcement and security ministries and agencies. It revealed that the current approach to detecting the illicit trafficking of WAE in/across Ukraine’s borders is proving challenging. The support in terms of human and technical resources development, clearly understood legislation and inter-agency level co-ordination, as well as international support and co-operation need to be enhanced. The Needs assessment also established the baseline for providing technical assistance and institutional support to develop capacities of Ukrainian authorities in their efforts to combat the trafficking in WAE in a holistic and sustainable way as well.
On 7 June 2018, the main WAE regulating, law-enforcement and security ministries / agencies in Ukraine confirmed the results of the Need Assessment on the high-level meeting organized in Kyiv. They reiterated clearly understood current and looming threats of illicit trafficking of WAE and commitments to improve the situation on the ground. This included endorsing the road-map, developed through the Needs assessment, which supports an integrated, comprehensive and co-operative approach for effective capacities development and work of the counter illicit WAE trafficking system in Ukraine.
On 12 March 2019, the same authorities met on the second high-level meeting organized in Kyiv whereby the progress on discussing challenges, actual needs and initiatives related to combatting illicit trafficking in WAE in all its aspects in Ukraine and across its borders has been clearly noted. Moreover, national and international commitments to strengthen action have been made on the meeting as well.
Several law-enforcement and security ministries / agencies have officially, in written form, expressed interest and requested co-operation with the OSCE Secretariat in supporting Ukraine’s efforts to combat illicit trafficking of WAE in all its aspects, namely the State Border Guard Service (in May 2016), the State Fiscal Service (in July 2018) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, including the National Police of Ukraine (in March 2019). By the mid-September 2019, the above listed national authorities have also approached the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine to support practical implementation of project activities.
Furthermore, after the commencement of war against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the above project beneficiaries confirmed the requirement for continued assistance in addressing WAE concerns and challenges. The OSCE external evaluation carried out in mid-2022 endorsed these continued requirement as well.
While in the initial period the operational project activities (Sept. 2018 – February 2022) had been implemented through the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCUk), in the subsequent period these will continue to be implemented directly by the OSCE CPC/FSC SU (due to the closure of the PCUk in mid-2022) in co-ordination with TNTD and any OSCE field presence established in Ukraine.
There’s a presence of significant risks related to illicit WAE in Ukraine, namely:
- illicit WAE proliferation in and across Ukraine borders;
- illegal diversion of WAE from stocks in control of either state and non-state actors;
- use of illicit/smuggled WAE in criminal activities and different forms of their misuse;
- loss and theft of WAE from official storage sites and caches (and, thereby, their illicit proliferation);
- low accountability and transparency in dealing with WAE.
The national authorities requesting cooperation are mandated to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in WAE in all its aspects, specifically:
- The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) is one of the law enforcement agencies vested with the responsibilities to ensure inviolability of state borders and protection of sovereign rights of Ukraine within its exclusive (maritime) economic zone; this includes preventing and combating illicit trafficking in WAE.
- The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine (MIA) is one of the key national authorities in Ukraine that not only formulates state policy, regulates and controls use of the WAE, but executes operational - either directly or through its subordinated agencies – as well as coordinative measures in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking of WAE in all its aspects.
- The State Fiscal Service of Ukraine / State Customs Service (SFS/SCS) is mandated to prevent and counteract smuggling and to fight against violations of customs regulations at the points of passage through state border of Ukraine, in the territories of sea and river ports, airports, at railway stations and other places determined by the Customs Code of Ukraine.
The above mandates and their implementation functions are interrelated and mutually reinforcing.
Therefore, the OSCE Secretariat in conjunction with the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine, in close cooperation with Ukrainian authorities, developed a comprehensive programme to support Ukraine’s efforts to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in WAE in all its aspects. The programme is unified by a single overarching goal, i.e. to strengthen overall system and collective efforts in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects in Ukraine.
The project implemented in the partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Ukraine will aim to address the gaps in: (a) supervisory capacities in control of manufacture, marking and record-keeping of WAE, (b) operational capacities in forensics, analysing, detecting and investigating illicit trafficking of WAE, (c) legislative mechanisms for regulating and controlling the circulation and use of WAE as well as its control, and (d) coordinative and cooperative mechanisms to support joint strategic and operational approaches in prevention and combatting illicit trafficking of WAE in all its aspects.
The projects implemented in the partnerships with the SBGS and the SFS/SCS of Ukraine respectively will address the gaps in: (a) training, technical and operational capabilities in combatting illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives, and (b) transfer of international best practices and information exchanges in particular in relation to EU member states.
