In the period 20-24 March 2023, UNODC through its Global Firearms Programme (GFP) launched in the Western Balkans the new regional project Hermes, which focuses on countering trafficking in firearms, their parts and ammunition in Express Courier and postal parcels. The project Hermes was developed based on GFP’s methodology to address these threats and the experience in implementing project activities in countering firearms trafficking in parcels in BiH and Ukraine.
Within the inception phase of the project Hermes, GFP’s reached the following results: stakeholder’s commitment for the implementation of the project activities, agreement on the timeline of the activities, identification of a project governance structure, support from the French Customs to act as a host for one of project’s activities, added value for WB representatives with the participation of UPU, EMPACT Firearms and USPIS.
In the upcoming period, UNODC GFP will proceed with the implementation of the project Hermes by facilitating a study visit to the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and the development of the standard operating procedures and memoranda of understanding between the stakeholders engaged on the subject matter.
This activity is implemented with financial support provided by Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, and Norway through the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Trust Fund and supported by the European Union.
*All references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
