Canada to Support the 8th School of Security Sector Reform in Serbia

The Embassy of Canada in Belgrade has agreed to support the 8th School of Security Sector Reform, to take place 23 to 27 October 2006 in Belgrade. The School will be supported through the Canada Fund and the Canadian Embassy will assist the ISAC Fund in bringing two Canadian experts to help in transferring knowledge on specific topics to the School participants. At the signing of the Agreement in the Canadian embassy on Friday, August 4, H.E. Robert McDougall – Ambassador of Canada and Mr. Pavle Jankovic – President of the ISAC Fund expressed their mutual satisfaction about the upcoming program.  In the words of Ambassador McDougall, the School is precisely the kind of project through which Canada can best assist security sector reform initiatives coming from Serbia’s civil society.  Expressing his gratefulness for Canada’s support, Mr. Jankovic explained that one of the most important tasks ahead remains the development of specialist formal education which would, in turn, provide the necessary foundations for many of the other components and steps in the reform of the security sector. The upcoming School, a five day intensive educational program for young leaders, professionals and practitioners in security affairs, remains one of the most notable education initiatives for security sector reform in Serbia.   The first School of Security Sector Reform was implemented by the Defence and Security Studies Centre (DSSC) in spring 2003.  This educational activity is the groundwork on which the ISAC Fund plans to expand and offer more specialised educational courses aimed at helping the participants engage in an in-depth exploration of specific areas of the security sector and its reform process through workshops consisting of scenario-based role-plays and simulations. The Previous Schools were organised with the generous help and kind donations of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the British Embassy in Belgrade, the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Belgrade, NATO's Public Diplomacy Division and Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe (sponsored by Germany), the Danish Ministry of Defence, the Royal Danish Embassy in Belgrade, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Finnish Embassy in Belgrade, and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Czech Embassy in Belgrade. The ISAC Fund expresses its gratefulness to the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade for making the 8th School possible. Main Objectives of the School: The activities of the School are intended to contribute to: Achieving a well targeted transfer of quality knowledge and relevant experience aimed at helping professionals increase their knowledge, and providing them an opportunity to practice these skills through workshops in an environment of their peers. Helping initiate future civilian experts in issues and concepts of security sector reform process, as well as to expand the knowledge of security sector professionals. Supporting the emergence of an informed, competent and decisive Security Community in Serbia and Montenegro. Underlining the urgency of the need to reform the security sector in Serbia and Montenegro. Diminishing public ignorance and lack of interest for the security sector reform and for the establishment of democratic control of the armed forces in Serbia and Montenegro, by offering a serious and responsible educational approach to the matter. Public promotion of the need for the democratic control of the armed forces and particularly of the Army of Serbia and Montenegro by addressing the issues of collective security systems and their importance for the security as well as for undertaking of the process of security sector reform in Serbia and Montenegro. Outlining the course of the country’s integration in systems of collective and cooperative security, predominantly within the Euro-Atlantic structures – PfP and NATO.

15 Aug 2006