MAG & MAG Countries

RACVIAC’s Steering Group

RACVIAC - Centre for Security Cooperation is a international, independent, non-profit, regionally owned, academic organization, accountable to its political decision making body, the Multinational Advisory Group (MAG).

The MAG, as the steering committee to RACVIAC, is composed of the representatives from Members, Associate Members and Observers. The MAG provides direction to ensure the operation and development of RACVIAC, in accordance with the guidelines, principles and decisions adopted.

Membership

There are currently twenty nine nations involved in RACVIAC and divided into:

  • Members - 9 countries of the SEECP - Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey

  • Associate members - all other countries wishing to support and contribute to security dialogue and cooperation in SEE - Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

  • Observers - other countries, institutions or organizations, which may participate in RACVIAC activities as Observers after approval by the MAG - Canada, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and the USA.

In addition, Belgium, Ireland, Latvia and Switzerland have expressed their interest in RACVIAC’s work. Military and civilian members from 10 of the above-mentioned nations staff this multinational body. In these eleven years RACVIAC hosted over 8400 participants from all over Europe and beyond, in more then 270 activities. Tailored for the needs of the region, situated in the region and comprised of personnel from the countries of the region, RACVIAC perfectly embodies the expression "Regional ownership".

Guidelines

The composition, tasks, responsibilities and procedures of the MAG and its financing are specified by Terms of Reference (TOR). The Members and the Associate Members participate on an equal footing in the discussions of the MAG, which takes its decisions on the basis of consensus of Members only.

The Chairperson of the MAG is elected by the MAG Members for a period of a year. Ms Vesna Batistic Kos, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affaires and Global Issues, Ministry of Foreign and European Affaires of the Republic of Croatia, holds the position of MAG Chairperson for the period of November 2012 to October 2013. The MAG meets twice a year. The Spring Meeting is usually held in one of the Member Countries.

Regional Ownership

RACVIAC materializes the principle of "Regional ownership"

  • In the Region (SEE) - for the Region (SEECP)
  • Chairman of the MAG from the Region
  • Led by a Director - since 2007 a Civilian Diplomat - from the Region
  • Deputy Director / Chief of Staff always from the Host Nation
  • Operating part of the budget raised by the Region
  • Staff predominantly from the Region

Legal Status

The current legal basis of RACVIAC is the Agreement on RACVIAC, signed on 14th April 2010 in Becici, Budva, Montenegro, by 8 SEECP Countries, with Romania following suit on 18 February 2011. For the time being, the Agreement has been ratified by the Parliament of Albania, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia* and Montenegro and Serbia while in other member countries the process of ratification is still under way. The Republic of Serbia deposited its instrument of ratification of the Agreement on RACVIAC on 15 November 2011 with the Depositary, Republic of Croatia. With this act the Republic of Serbia has become the fifth signatory State to ratify the document, which was the prerequisite for the Agreement to enter into force. Agreement entered into force on 01 December 2011. This marked the end of the transformation process of the Centre, started in 2007, whereby RACVIAC – Centre for Security Cooperation became legally and formally a very unique international organization promoting enhanced regional security and cooperation through the concept of regional ownership.

* Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.

 

Left:
Business/MAG Secretary Ms Gloria Ivkovic, former MAG Chairperson Mr Zoran Sajinovic, former Director of RACVIAC Ambassador Nikola Todorcevski and former RACVIAC Deputy Director Col Zeljko Cepanec

Right:
MAG Meeting in Budva, Montenegro, 14 April 2010

 

Left:
MAG Chairperson, Ms Vesna Batistic Kos, Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affaires and Global Issues, Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affaires

Right:
MAG meeting.