The present report was composed in the context of the Initiative for Peacebuilding’s (IfP) Security Cluster by the Balkan Fund of Democracy in collaboration with ELIAMEP.
The Initiative for Peacebuilding (IfP) is supported financially by the EU and draws together the complementary geographic and thematic expertise of 10 civil society organisations (and their networks) with offices across the EU and in conflict-affected countries. IfP partners have joined together to develop and promote international knowledge and expertise in the field of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
For most European countries, security today is primarily measured in non-military terms and threats to security are mainly non-military in nature. These threats include: incompetent government, corruption, organized crime, insecure borders, smuggling [weapons, drugs, people], illegal migration, ethnic and religious conflict, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, shortage of natural resources [e.g., water] and of course, terrorism. In this context, it is urgent to generate ideas, stimulate thinking and discuss openly all aspects of security reform.
Moreover, there is an equal need to increase the strength of the ‘security community’ – the body of military and especially of civilian personnel competent in the new security issues and capable [a] of filling posts in national and international institutions; and [b] educating the population to understand the new needs of security so as to ensure their support through the democratic process.
For more information about the project, see the website.