SEESAC attends 28th SEDM-CC and 29th PMSC Meetings in Rome, Italy

On 13-17 May 2013, SEESAC attended the 28th South Eastern Defense Ministerial Coordination Committee (SEDM-CC) and the 29th Political and Military Steering Committee (PMSC) meetings were held in Rome, Italy. The goal of the meetings, chaired by the State Secretary at the Ministry of Defense of Italy, was to present the ongoing and future activities of SEDM-CC, PMSC and its 14 participating nations all of which aim to enhance security, stability and regional cooperation in South Eastern Europe. Other participating organizations also presented their activities and outlined the importance of continuous cooperation in defense in South Eastern Europe.

SEESAC representatives stressed the increased synergies created between SEESAC’s project ‘Gender Equality in the Military’ which is implemented in partnership with Ministries of Defense in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; and the Female Leadership in Security and Defense project led by the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense. The ‘Gender Equality in the Military’ project aims to strengthen regional cooperation in gender mainstreaming in defense and to ensure better recruitment and retention of women in the armed forces.

Tamara Svirčev, SEESAC Project Officer also called on the members of the South Eastern Defense Ministerial Coordination Committee to endorse SEESAC proposal of a renewed joint commitment on the subject of regional cooperation in reducing the surplus of weapons and ammunition and improved stockpile management.  

The next annual SEDM-CC and PMSC meetings will be held on 17-19 September 2013 in Bucharest, Romania.