A SALW and ammunition storage location and two evidence rooms in Moldova were brought to international security standards, resulting in improved security of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and ammunition stockpiles in the country and the region.

The weapons and ammunition storage has become more secure thanks to the upgrade of the General Police Inspectorate (GPI) main storage facility at the outskirts of Chisinau, and two evidence rooms of the Police Directorates of Balti and Cahul. The upgrade was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through SEESAC  (The South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons ), with a kind co-funding of the GPI focusing on safety elements.

This activity aimed at the prevention of the illicit trade and of a destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons supports the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 16 to promote peaceful, just and inclusive societies and its target 16.4 that includes a significant reduction in illicit arms flows by 2030.

Mr. Ianus Erhan, State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Moldova took part in the handover ceremony of the upgraded storage facility in Chisinau on 29 October 2019.

The central storage facility and evidence rooms’ security upgrades are contributing to international peace and security by combatting the threat posed by the widespread accumulation and illicit trafficking in SALW and their ammunition in and from South East Europe. The total investment in the project under the COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2016/2356 of USD 212,000 involved designing and putting up a new restricted area security fence, upgrade of the storage building, along with the supply and installation of video surveillance (CCTV) cameras, access control, as well as weapons and ammunition storage equipment. The investment also included the security upgrade of two premises of the Police Directorates in Cahul and Balti, which have been turned into evidence rooms for safekeeping of weapons through basic refurbishment, installation of security doors with access control, windows with security bars (where available), CCTV cameras and weapons racks.

About SEESAC

The South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) is a joint regional initiative of UNDP and Regional Cooperation Council. As the executive arm of the South East Europe Regional Implementation Plan on Combating the Proliferation of SALW, SEESAC has been working to promote safety and security through regional cooperation in South East Europe since 2002 and has grown in to a regional hub for a wide spectre of issues related to security sector reform. SEESAC works to strengthen the capacities of national and international stakeholders to control and reduce the proliferation and misuse of SALW, and thus contribute to enhanced stability, security and development in South East Europe. SEESAC has been actively providing comprehensive support to national counterparts in South East Europe on small arms and light weapons control and successfully facilitating regional cooperation in South East Europe.