UN supports Ukraine’s firearms record-keeping with computer donation

The provision of the IT equipment – comprising desktops and monitor sets – is part of ongoing technical assistance provided by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Ukraine, through its Global Firearms Programme. It will enable the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Police to roll out a Unified Weapons Register across Ukraine. This system is designed to digitize registration, accounting, and control activities associated with civilian firearms circulation. The equipment support has been made possible through financial support of the Federal Government of Germany.

Trafficking in persons, firearms, drugs, natural resources, and other illicit commodities has wide-ranging impacts on peace and security as well as sustainable development, contributing to instability, potentially prolonging crises and hindering reconstruction. Involving small and large criminal organizations operating nationally and across borders, trafficking is facilitated by, and incentivizes, corruption. The associated criminal financing also threatens the integrity of funding for development and reconstruction efforts. 

The UN in Ukraine recognises the enormous challenges being faced by the country and commends the efforts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ukrainian law enforcement authorities in their ongoing efforts to combat trafficking. The UN has developed technical assistance actions to support Ukrainian authorities to combat the threats related to trafficking. As part of this, UNODC works closely with the authorities to enhance the criminal justice response against illicit firearms in line with the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. Ukraine acceded to the Protocol in 2013.

UNODC has worked with Ukrainian authorities on the issue of illicit firearms, providing legislative and technical advice, training, equipment, and support for international cooperation to help Ukrainian authorities detect, investigate, and prosecute instances of illicit arms flows within, from and to the country.

The UN in Ukraine continuously works on supporting the Government’s efforts to strengthen the capacity of national systems, in line with the Transitional Framework, a strategic document of the UN development system that addresses the response to the economic and social impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.