Serbia’s Foreign Minister Dačić, OSCE Chairperson Lajčák, Head of OSCE Mission Orizio open regional event on security sector governance and reform

BELGRADE, 4 June 2019 – Only an inclusive, accountable and democratically controlled security sector with full respect for human rights, gender equality and the rule of law can effectively provide security to a state and its citizens, said speakers at a high-level discussion in Belgrade today ahead of a two-day regional meeting organized by the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Secretariat on security sector governance and reform (SSG/R).

Opening the discussion and addressing some 120 senior practitioners and policymakers from national security sectors, as well as academia and civil society from across South-eastern Europe, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia Ivica Dačić said: “SSG/R is a topic accorded the utmost importance by the Republic of Serbia, not only because it was one of the priorities of Serbia’s 2015 OSCE Chairmanship, but also because it is an important segment of the comprehensive reform process in our society, in which Serbia achieved notable results. Serbia’s activity and its constant commitment to SSG/R demonstrates our readiness to continuously invest our efforts to the promotion of this concept.”

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajčák pointed out: “There have been massive shifts in our regional and global security landscapes. We have seen rapid technological advancements and complex, emerging security threats.”

“But, SSG/R has remained a consistent element of our global and regional approach to security”, he added.

“And while the OSCE has been supporting its participating States for years in areas that touch upon SSG/R, there is still more to be done, more lessons to be learned and more areas for co-operation to be found.” The Chair continued explaining that the aim of the discussion is to draw from specific experiences in this region, and identify areas where we can co-operate more going forward.

“I firmly believe that our cross-dimensional approach to security brings along a number of opportunities that are yet to be exploited and today’s conference offers a great occasion to further exploit this potential,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Andrea Orizio. “The Mission’s long term co-operation with all relevant stakeholders in this field, has resulted in close and genuine partnerships with the aim of supporting local ownership of reform achievements.”

The discussion will be continued at an expert-level meeting the following day and further elaborate these aspects and encourage participants to exchange experiences, perceptions and views on national SSG/R processes. The event is the first in a series of regional workshops organized by the Slovak OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Secretariat and contribute to build a better understanding of the OSCE’s approach to SSG/R and how the OSCE can better support participating States in the national reform process.

SSG/R has been identified as a priority area for Slovakia’s 2019 OSCE Chairmanship recognizing that good security sector governance, and reforms enhance security for a state and its people in an effective and accountable manner, within a framework of democratic civilian control, rule of law and respect for human rights. In addition, SSG/R can help States address today’s security challenges at the national and regional level, particularly by improving the governance and responsiveness of the security sector.