As expressed at the Madrid Summit in June, NATO is committed to continuing to engage with partners to solve shared security problems and advance common objectives

As expressed at the Madrid Summit in June, NATO is committed to continuing to engage with partners to solve shared security problems and advance common objectives

The Eighth Biennial Meeting of State Parties on the Programme of Work to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, held in New York under the auspices of the United Nations, was attended by NATO earlier this month.

As expressed at the Madrid Summit in June, NATO is committed to continuing to engage with partners to solve shared security problems and advance common objectives.

According to Mrs. Eirini Lemos-Maniati, Deputy Director of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division at NATO Headquarters’ Arms Control Directorate.

“NATO is committed to helping partners, especially those in the Western Balkans region, manage their weapon stockpiles safely and securely, destroy extra and outdated weapons and ammunition, and right-size their arsenals.

The main objective of NATO partnerships is to assist partners in strengthening their capacities to address and mitigate security concerns, she continued.

“NATO will also keep supporting international initiatives to address these challenges in the region.

NATO’s approach does not only focus on eliminating weapons and ammunition and securing stockpiles, but also on building sustainable institutional capacities and regulatory frameworks.