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.
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 by:
Transforming thinking on national, regional and international security cooperation issues,
Exposing participants to the benefit of cooperative approaches to security issues, primarily through conferences, courses, seminars and meetings at RACVIAC, as well as through language training and other applicable supportive programmes,
Reaching key members of national, regional, and international security cooperation communities.
The goal of RACVIAC, as a professionally competent, motivated and respected international organization with an innovated, integrated and collaborative internal organization, 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:
Participative work environment
Flexibility and responsiveness
Impartiality and credibility
Respect and trust
Responsibility and accountability
Adaptability and integrity
Openness to improvement.
RACVIAC's strategic objectives are:
To strengthen the SEE region's overall stability and security
To improve the momentum achieved through all arms control mechanisms and confidence and security building measures
To promote Security Sector Reform and encourage regional cooperation in the area of Defence Conversion
To encourage regional cooperation to effectively counter terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, organised crime, and all kinds of illicit trafficking
To support European and Euro-Atlantic integration processes
To be at the ready to assist the Regional Cooperation Council's (RCC) activities
To seek for synergy with organizations and institutions having similar objectives, such as EU, NATO, OSCE
To communicate and to support European Security and Defence Policy
In its Seminars, Courses and Workshops, RACVIAC deals with security sector reform and security policy related issues, (e.g. Small Arms and Light Weapons, Code of Conduct, the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Border Security Issues, Ottawa Convention), as well as the major Arms Control treaties and agreements and all Confidence and Security Building Measures, (Vienna Document 99, Dayton Peace Accords, Aerial Observation/Open Skies, the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe, Chemical Weapons Convention). RACVIAC activities also include English Courses on Arms Control Terminology and courses on Disaster Management in SEE. From 2005, RACVIAC started with organizing activities/workshops on key aspects of Defence Conversion: resettlement of military personnel, conversion of former military bases and restructuring of defence industries.
And from 2008 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 budget required to carry out activities is approximately 800,000.00 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 a Core part of the budget and an Activity part of the budget. RACVIAC Core part of budget, covering its "running costs", is financed by its regional Core members.
Associate members should contribute to RACVIAC program activities - the activity part of the budget. Moreover, international partners, organizations and donor countries could make a general financial contribution to RACVIAC activity budget and/or support certain specific program activities.
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.
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 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".
Left:
RACVIAC's annual programme includes over 30 activities: seminars, training courses, workshops, MAG meetings and a number of other extracurricular activities. So far RACVIAC has hosted over 4000 participants
Right:
RACVIAC has strong links established with national authorities, such as MoD, MFA, MoI, which support RACVIAC in organizing and carrying out various types of activities
Left:
RACVIAC is honored to have been visited by distinguished guests, keynote speakers and lecturers such as Ph.D. Selmo Cikotić (Minister of Defence, Bosnia and Herzegovina), H.E. Hikmet Çetin (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey and Former NATO Senior Civilian Representative for Afghanistan) and Mr. Gabriele Cascone (Political Affairs and Security Policy Division NATO HQ), during Seminar on Promoting Southeast Europe – NATO Integration, RACVIAC, 5th November 2008
Right:
From the ceremony of signing MoU between Security Cooperation and the Centre for European Security Studies (CESS) and RACVIAC, held in RACVIAC Centre on 13th November 2008, Ph.D. Willem Frederic van Eekelen (CESS Chairman of the Board) and RACVIAC Director Ambassador Nedžad Hadžimusić
Left:
Open Skies Treaty Aerial Observation Course held in Croatia, 27th September 2005
Right:
During Inspection visit to 5th Infantry brigade in Debrecen, Hungary, 26th September 2006
Left:
Adopted CFE Treaty (ACFE) / Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Orientation Course, Airbase Zagreb, Croatia, 20th November 2008
Right:
During Inspection visit to 59th Airbase Kecskemet, Hungary, 27th September 2006
Left:
RACVIAC representatives visited NATO School Oberammergau and were welcomed by Commandant of the NATO School Colonel James J. TABAK and Deputy Commandant Colonel Enrico Werner, Oberammergau 11th February 2009
Right:
Group photo of RACVIAC staff, October 2008
Left:
RACVIAC is located at the Vitez Damir Martić barracks in Rakitje, 10 kilometres west of Zagreb. Military barracks are shared with Croatian Army PSO Centre
Right:
For hosting various types of activities RACVIAC uses two seminar rooms with capacity of up to 40 persons, and one of them has equipment for simultaneous interpreting
Left:
Briefing room with capacity of 25 people also hosts certain activities
Right:
Guest in RACVIAC Centre have library with Internet access at their disposal