The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Ivica Dacic opened today the OSCE-wide Conference on Security Sector Governance and Reform, at the Palace of Serbia in Belgrade.

Speech by Ivica Dacic, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia:

“Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure, as OSCE Chairman-in-Office, to open the OSCE-wide Conference on Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R) hosted by my country, here in Belgrade.

The objective of security sector reform in every country is TO establish and develop a security system that would enable peace, stability, development and prosperity of a state and its citizens, and guarantee the respect of human rights and the rule of law. A well-organized security sector is one of the foremost prerequisites for good governance in the state as a whole.

Security sector reform is a continuing and challenging process, including a wide range of state actors. The process calls for joint and comprehensive government action aimed at achieving a common goal – the establishment and development of democratic and sustainable structures, capable of effectively facing current security challenges on national, regional and international levels.

Nationally, the security sector reform process does not include solely government administration, civil and military structures, but also involves bodies tasked with oversight of security agencies, such as Parliament and its committees. A significant contribution to reform is provided by civil sector organizations and representatives of academia specializing in the security sector, whose expertise facilitates the reform process. Furthermore, the media role is of particular importance in society transformation.

Internationally, many global and regional organizations provide their expert support to interested states in the process of their security sector reform. The role of international organizations is reflected in assistance to their national strategy and policy elaboration, legislation development, strengthening control over security structures, enhancement of coordination of different authorities, personnel training and education, as well as monitoring of the achieved results.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

The Swiss – Serbian Common Work Plan for their consecutive 2014/2015 OSCE Chairmanships included the theme of security sector governance and reform among their common priorities. We therefore have a strong interest in the promotion of this topic within the Organization and the OSCE engagement in this area. We are encouraging ongoing debates and activities in the OSCE to develop a comprehensive and coherent approach to this issue.

As you will recall, Serbia supports the OSCE extra-budgetary project for the elaboration of SSG/R guidelines for the work of OSCE field missions, launched last year, with the aim to improve their field operations and coordination.
Tomorrow, on 22 April, Belgrade will be the venue of a meeting of a network of contact persons for security sector reform, established in 2014 in Slovakia, to discuss the draft SSG/R guidelines.

Let me take this opportunity to thank the former Swiss Chairmanship for their selfless efforts in this area, particularly with regard to the Study on the role played by the OSCE in security sector governance and reform, developed by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF), containing general and specific recommendations for further action. Also, I thank Slovakia for its lead role in the context of an Informal Group of Friends on Security Sector Governance and Reform, of which Serbia was one of the initiating members.

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I believe that the OSCE can make an important contribution to security sector governance and reform through its comprehensive and cross-dimensional approach.

Today’s conference in Belgrade offers the opportunity to the participating States and Partners for Cooperation, but also to the structures of the OSCE, UN, EU, think-thanks and representatives of academia to exchange views and share experiences and lessons learned in the security sector reform process.

Over the past 15 years, Serbia has achieved significant results in security sector reform, which will be discussed in greater detail by other participants of the Conference, and which is extremely important in the process of democratization of a society.

In the regional context, the countries of Southeast Europe are committed to close regional cooperation in addressing common and evolving security threats. The OSCE structures, institutions and field operations, in turn, play an important role in shaping a long-term sustainable security sector in many OSCE participating States. Today’s Conference will certainly be useful when creating internal guidelines for the OSCE staff.

Finally, I count on your support for the continuation of the security sector governance and reform process within the OSCE.

I wish you successful deliberations”.