SEESAC attends the 28th Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial Meeting in Ankara, Türkiye

SEESAC participated in the 28th Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) Meeting on November 22nd in Ankara, which was hosted by Türkiye and chaired by Romania. The meeting, attended by representatives from 16 countries, three regional organizations, and the Southeast Europe Brigade Command (SEEBRIG), included the defence Ministers of Georgia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, and Deputy Defense Ministers from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Italy.

Following discussions on the future of the SEDM process and regional developments, Moldova, having an observer country status since 2023, was granted full membership.

After the meeting, a joint press conference was held by Turkish Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar, emphasizing the SEDM's 27-year-long contribution to stability, cooperation, and good neighbourly relations in Southeast Europe. With the latest addition of Moldova, the total number of SEDM member countries now counts 16.

In their Joint Statement, the Ministers of Defense of the SEDM Process also expressed their appreciation for SEESAC, RACVIAC and RCC’s support of the SEDM Process. They affirmed their dedication to actively back the organizations’ initiatives to boost security dialogue and regional cooperation which further facilitate stability in the region.

During the meeting, the Head of SEESAC, Ms. Bojana Balon, thanked for the invitation and highlighted the organization's work on small arms control and gender equality while sharing alarming firearm incident statistics in the Western Balkans, emphasizing the need for enhanced control. Ms. Balon brought further attention to SEESAC’s projects supporting regional security cooperation.

Notably, SEESAC has been at the forefront of coordinating efforts to execute the Regional Roadmap, a comprehensive strategy aimed at combating illicit arms trafficking. The influence of this Roadmap extends beyond Southeast Europe, impacting initiatives in both the Caribbean and the European Union.

In addition to small arms control, SEESAC has been actively engaged in promoting gender equality within the defence sector. Ms. Balon took the opportunity to commend the Ministries of Defense for their proactive stance in combating gender-based discrimination. Noteworthy is the praise for the development of the first-ever regional study focused on integrating gender perspectives into military education—a crucial step toward creating inclusive and equitable practices within the armed forces.

SEESAC's participation in the SEDM Meeting not only acknowledged the organization's role in regional security but also served as a platform to advocate for stricter control over small arms and to commend advancements in gender equality within the defence sector. SEESAC’s presentation contributed to the overall dialogue on enhancing security, cooperation, and inclusivity in Southeast Europe while also thanking Türkiye for hosting the meeting.

A short video clip from the SEDM meeting is available here.