20 Years of UNODC Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe presence
The UNODC Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe (ROSEE) was established in 2005 as an improvement and expansion of the UNODC Programme Office in Sofia (Bulgaria). ROSEE was hosted by the Government of Bulgaria. Between 2010 and 2011 the ROSEE Office was moved to Vienna HQs and on 1st March 2023 and in partnership with the Government of Türkiye, ROSEE was relocated to the field in Istanbul (Türkiye). ROSEE is hosted and supported by the Government of Türkiye with the strategic vision of a wider inter-regional engagement and impacts of UNODC strategic mandates. Among ROSEE initial tasks, the provision of logistic and substantive support to UNODC personnel deployed to Istanbul and contributing Black See Grain Initiative which ended in July 2023.
ROSEE's Strategic Role and in Support of Balkan States in their EU Accession
The Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe plays a strategic role in supporting Balkan jurisdictions in their journey toward their journey to the EU accession. This assistance primarily focuses on aligning these countries' legislation and policies with EU standards, particularly in areas related to Chapter 23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, Chapter 24: Justice, freedom and security, Chapter 27: Environment, Chapter 28: Consumer and Health protection, of the EU acquis communautaire.
ROSEE supports the Balkan states through the Regional Programme for South-Eastern Europe (2024-2029):
Supporting Reform Agendas: ROSEE assists governments in implementing UN Conventions, promote international best practices, reforms required for EU accession, particularly in areas related to good governance, the rule of law, justice, and security.
Technical Assistance, Mentoring and Expertise: ROSEE delivers technical assistance and expertise to South-Eastern Europe jurisdictions in areas such as countering drug, illicit trafficking, organized crime, corruption, border control, and terrorism. This assistance is particularly important as corruption and asset recovery are key challenges identified in the region's path to EU accession. This assistance includes policy and legislative support as well as institution development and building.
Strengthening Capacities: ROSEE works to strengthen the capacities of national institutions in areas like border security, the criminal justice system, and anti-corruption efforts. This includes training law enforcement agencies, judicial professionals, and other government officials with the inclusive approach to work in collaboration with NGOs and academia. One example of such efforts is ROSEE partnership with Lions Clubs International Foundation to implement the Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence prevention programme, which strengthens the resilience of young students against risky behaviours and vulnerabilities.
Regional Partnership and Cooperation Platforms: ROSEE facilitates regional cooperation and partnership among jurisdictions, promotes the work of existing and new platforms addressing shared challenges related to drugs, crime, corruption, and terrorism. They act as the Secretariat for the Regional Anti-Corruption and Illicit Finance Roadmap, which was endorsed by all Balkan jurisdictions in 2021. They also established a regional component of the UNODC GlobE Network in 2023 to facilitate cooperation on corruption cases.
Research: ROSEE promotes, support and carry data collection, research, and analysis in close collaboration with regional jurisdictions. Tools such as the Annual Report Questionnaire for Drug Statistics, the United Nations Survey of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems, and the Questionnaire for the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons are supported by ROSEE. Through its presence in Türkiye and the collaborative platforms established with Turkish and regional competent bodies, ROSEE leverages its capacity to gain a better understanding of illicit flows and trends between Africa, Asia, and Europe, which benefits regional knowledge and security.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Based on UN standards, ROSEE monitors and reports on the Regional Programme's implementing process. Projects and programmes are also independently evaluated as required.
Relations with Donors, UN system and other International Organizations:
ROSEE actively participates in donors, UN system and other International Organizations' coordination mechanisms for the region, to ensure effective and efficient delivery of UNDOC mandates and in support of the 2030 SDGs Agenda.
