RACVIAC's Mission

Introduction

In October 2000 the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Germany established RACVIAC as the Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre (RACVIAC), with the aim of providing arms control training, promoting confidence and security building measures and broadening cooperation in South Eastern Europe (SEE). Later on it shifted its emphasis onto a wide range of politico-military issues, including security sector reform with a focus on defence conversion with a view to enhancing regional stability.

RACVIAC has proved itself to be one of the most successful projects under Working Table III of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe. The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was launched in 1999 as the first comprehensive conflict prevention strategy of the international community, aimed at strengthening the efforts of the countries of South Eastern Europe in fostering peace, democracy, respect for human rights and economic prosperity.

The current situation, developments and changes in the security environment in SEE, necessitated a review of RACVIAC's mission, objectives and structure, in order to respond to future security challenges. In that regard, the new name of the Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Centre is now RACVIAC - Centre for Security Cooperation.

Director of RACVIAC is elected by the MAG countries for a period of a two to three years, and at the moment Ambasador Nikola TODORČEVSKI (MK) is the Director of RACVIAC.

Mission/Goal/Objectives

The mission of RACVIAC is to foster dialogue and cooperation on security matters in South Eastern Europe through a partnership between the countries of the region and their international partners.

RACVIAC accomplishes this mission primarily by promoting:

• Security dialogue and Security Sector reform, Arms Control, European and Euro-Atlantic integration as well as Confidence and Security Building Measures;

• Synergy with other international organizations and institutions such as UN, NATO, EU, OSCE, as well as with bilateral partners on all issues of mutual interest and concern;

• Cooperation with the RCC and other regional initiatives and arrangements;

• Dialogue with civil society, academia and opinion makers.

The goal of RACVIAC is to be highly valued as the premier platform for dialogue on security cooperation. The Centre will contribute to openness, transparency and predictability in the region by encouraging exchanges of information, views and ideas.

RACVIAC is guided by the following principles:

• Flexibility and responsiveness

• Impartiality and credibility

• Mutual respect and trust

• Responsibility and accountability

• Adaptability and integrity

• Openness to new challenges and improvement.

RACVIAC's strategic objectives are:

• To further contribute to the established overall stability and security in the Region;

• To build on the experience attained through Arms Control mechanisms and other Confidence and Security Building Measures for the benefit of the Region and beyond;

• To promote Security Sector reform and encourage regional cooperation in the area of Defence Conversion;

• To support European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes;

• To communicate and to support the European Union Common Security and Defence Policy and its relation to NATO’s Strategic Concept;

• To continue cooperation with organizations, institutions and initiatives of the Region having similar objectives, while at the same time expanding RACVIAC’s cooperation network internationally;

• To encourage regional and international security cooperation to effectively counter transnational security threats, including terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organised crime, all forms of illicit trafficking, illegal migration, and climate change, while particular attention will be paid to all aspects of cyber security and threats deriving there from;

• To use the previously gained experience to establish RACVIAC as the partner of choice for fostering security cooperation and dialogue beyond the Region.

Annual Programme

RACVIAC focuses its activities on three overarching themes:

• Cooperative Security Environment, with the focus on Arms Control

• Security Sector Reform

• International Relations and Cooperation, with a special focus on Euro-Atlantic integration

The domain of the Cooperative Security Environment with focus on Arms Control (CSE) Pillar is one of RACVIAC domains with the longest tradition. Arms Control implementation obligations triggered the foundation of the Centre in the year 2000, and even after the transformation into the “Regional Centre for Security Cooperation”, the obligations and demands of the many strict Arms Control regimes in place continue characterizing and dominating all activities of this most robust programmed Pillar. The identified spectrum of regional needs in the said domain ranges from - on the one hand - pure training inspections and training of the trainers for the implementation of legally and politically binding Arms Control treaties to - on the other hand - identifying the possible contributions of most relevant, well-functioning Arms Control regimes to regional stabilization in e.g. crisis situations. The CSE Pillar is continuously providing practical and theoretical knowledge to organisations, working groups, political and administrative structures in all areas of confidence and security building. The CSE Pillar serves as a unique regional training establishment for Arms Control actors with the aim of providing professional knowledge, practical guidelines and new experiences generated through active exchanges.

The International and Regional Cooperation with focus on Euro-Atlantic Integration (IRC) Pillar has focused its scope of activities from mainly regional security cooperation issues to broader politico-military issues of Euro-Atlantic integration, in accordance with the RACVIAC Strategy Paper. The IRC Pillar activities are focused on subjects dealing with SEE countries’ efforts in their Euro-Atlantic and EU integration processes, as the main driving force behind their reforms and development. The Pillar’s main objective in these activities is to emphasize the need for ever-closer cooperation at regional and broader international levels. Regional cooperation represents an added value in countering trans-national security threats in SEE countries as well as an important complementary mechanism aimed at contributing to the process of advancement of the countries from the region towards the EU. Therefore, further regional cooperation in the area of defence and security is a necessity and the IRC Pillar provides the tools for promoting regional security cooperation and supporting European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes.

Security Sector Reform (SSR) domain represents RACVIAC’s new approach to the challenges of regional needs. Necessity of permanent adaptation of solutions in the security sector to new security challenges is the main characteristic of the scope of activities in this specific Programme domain. The main efforts of the Security Sector Reform (SSR) Pillar are focused on the implementation of SSR related activities through the effective cooperation with RACVIAC partner organizations as well as with the core member countries. Major areas of interest that the SSR Pillar is addressing are:

• basic aspects of SSR,

• democratic control of the security sector,

• democratic oversight and accountability of the security sector,

• security sector integration (national/regional/global),

• compatibility and regional co-operation within the security sector,

• SSR in the context of Peace Support Operations (PSO),

• defence resources management including procurement,

• defence conversion systems.

Financial Policy

The Centre and its activities are financed from:

• Member contributions (primarily running costs and activities)

• Associate Member contributions (primarily activities

• Other contributions

The budget required to carry out activities is approximately 600,000.00 Euros. Until 2007, the budget was secured through the financial contributions on a voluntary basis pledged by the most of the MAG nations. In addition, some countries are supporting and sponsoring staff members in RACVIAC from certain countries in the region. However, there are also countries which support RACVIAC in terms of providing facilities, equipment, lecturers and instructors.

Starting from 2008 RACVIAC has a stable financial basis to ensure its sustainability. The budget is divided into the Operating part of the budget and the Programme part of the budget. RACVIAC Operating part of budget, covering its "running costs", is financed by its regional Members.

Associate members should contribute to RACVIAC program activities - the Programme part of the budget. Moreover, international partners, organizations and donor countries can make a general financial contribution to RACVIAC activity budget and/or support certain specific program activities.

Co-operation

RACVIAC co-operates with and supports a number of international, governmental and non-governmental organisations and institutions, also working to enhance stability and security in SEE. Strong links have been established with the UN, NATO, EU, OSCE, SEESAC, DCAF, GCSP and RCC, as well as the regional Verification Agencies and etc.

Since 2007, racviac has been establishing closer relations with both, EU and NATO, in order to support accession processes of the countries from South Eastern Europe.

RACVIAC will not compete with or duplicate the work of other security organisations but will seek for close cooperation. If extensive cooperation is required, the signing of additional MoU will be proposed to MAG for approval.

Location and Facilities

RACVIAC is located at the "Vitez Damir Martić" barracks in Rakitje, 10 kilometres west of Zagreb. It has completely modern, fully equipped offices for the permanent staff. Its facilities include a newly renovated seminar room capable of holding up to 30 participants, including simultaneous translation capabilities, as well as two large working group rooms. RACVIAC also provides high standard accommodation for up to 30 participants in hotel "Rakitje", a gym, a newly renovated restaurant and the Officers' Club "Barbara".