Supporting the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in preventing and combating illicit trafficking in WAE
The project implementation team is:
- one (1) national project officer,
- one (1) senior training assistant,
- one (1) project assistant, and
- one (1) senior procurement assistant
Project is envisaging partnership with following national institutions: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (primary), and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
Project is also very proud to recognize the outstanding cooperation and significant in-kind contributions and support of Poland and Lithuania.
The project objective is to assist State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in preventing and combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
The project also contributes to the following Unified Budget Programme Objective: To assist the Ukrainian authorities in improving their compliance with OSCE commitments in the economic, environmental and political-military arenas.
Strengthened operational and technical capabilities of SBGS border control, analytical, operative search and K9 units in combating illicit trafficking of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Project is designed to implement following activities:
Activity 1.1 Comprehensive Training Programme in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking of WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine - includes 5 sub-activities;
Activity 1.2 Equipment assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine - includes 2 sub-activities;
Activity 1.3 Canine assistance programme in preventing and combating trafficking in WAE for the SBGS of Ukraine - includes 3 sub-activities; and
Activity 1.4 Supporting cooperation measures and expert networking in preventing and combatting illicit trafficking in WAE - includes 4 sub-activities.
Risk management plan is in place developed to address eight distinct risks recognized by the Project implemetnation Team. Risk Management Plan is regularly updated in order to reflect the project implementation environment.
Illicit trafficking and illegal proliferation of weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) across state borders contributes to increased security and safety risks in OSCE pS that adversely affect societies and economies, not only in border areas, but as a whole.
Rapid changes in the security of the state borders, the migration crisis in the EU states and the growing threats of organized crime, extremism, terrorism and presence of localized armed conflict require new and comprehensive approaches to take preventive measures to counter the illegal movement of WAE in and across the state borders of Ukraine.
The OSCE Secretariat, based on the request of the SBGS of UA made in May 2016, carried out the “Needs Assessment for Combatting the Illicit Trafficking in Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives in/and Across Ukraine’s Borders” (in continuation Needs assessment). The Needs assessment, which was published in April 2018, 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 as well as international support and cooperation needs to be enhanced. The Needs assessment also highlighted that the Ukraine authorities, to include the SBGS of Ukraine, clearly understood current and looming threats of illicit WAE trafficking in/across Ukraine’s borders and were committed to improve the situation on the ground.
The Needs assessment 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 way. This baseline included capacities enhancement of the SBGS of Ukraine. The Needs assessment report was shared with the national stakeholders via the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the OSCE in mid-April 2018.
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine requests for technical assistance made in May 2016 to the OSCE Secretariat and in August 2019 to the OSCE PCU.
The OSCE Secretariat executed “Needs Assessment for Combatting the Illicit Trafficking in Weapons, Ammunition and Explosives (WAE) in/and Across Ukraine’s Borders” (in continuation the Needs assessment) in the period of November 2017 – April 2018. The Needs assessment confirmed significant risks related to illicit trafficking of WAE in/across Ukraine’s borders and requirements for technical assistance.
The project supports the implementation of commitments under the OSCE Document on SALW (FSC.DOC/1/00/Rev.1), and corresponds the OSCE Border Security and Management Concept (MC.Doc/2/05).
