Washington DC, 8 April 2023 (TDI): Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Global Programs and Initiatives at the United States (US) Department of State has released a massive statement.
It announced to actively collaborate with global allies and partners to help them transition from Soviet legacy to Democratic governance.
The purpose is to develop modern, efficient, effective, responsive, and sustainable security sectors that are characterized by decentralized, participatory decision-making and other democracy-based governance practices.
Russia’s fraught war against Ukraine has laid bare its outdated, Soviet approach to governance, especially in relation to security. Read how @StateDeptPM is helping countries develop modern and effective ways to provide security to its people. https://t.co/sPH4GU0Ool
— Department of State (@StateDept) April 7, 2023
A global role in countering Russian influence
To mention, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has exposed the outdated approach to security sector governance of Soviet-era equipment and military modernization.
Also, the vestiges of outdated, Soviet-legacy security sector governance hinder effectiveness and reduce transparency, accountability, and participation in decision-making, resulting in an unsustainable security sector.
Through the GDRP, the US government is helping countries to build long-term capacity to transition from “Soviet legacy” to “democracy-based” security sector governance practices.
Therefore, these practices will deliver security, be responsive, possess participatory decision-making processes, value accountability, and be transparent, efficient, effective, and sustainable.
For the information, the Global Defense Reform Program (GDRP) enhances security sector governance and institutional capacity around the world.
Likewise, the GDRP focuses on building the resilience of partner institutions, enhancing effectiveness and accountability, and better aligning the security sector to the needs and challenges of the partner nation and its citizens.
Furthermore, GDRP advisors support governments in many former communist or socialist states or with former Soviet allies to improve transparency, decentralize decision-making, and create more effective security sectors.
Support to European partners and NATO allies
In Europe, the GDRP is supporting European partners and NATO allies to bolster collective resilience.
In Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, GDRP advisors are supporting partners to improve their human resources management and planning, programming, and budgeting capabilities.
Meanwhile, in Peru, the army’s disaster response and humanitarian assistance capabilities are being strengthened through modernization of Soviet-era training, processes, and techniques by a GDRP advisor.
- In Albania, a former socialist state, the GDRP advisor is assisting the Ministry of Defense to modernize its recruitment and retention capabilities.
Following accession to NATO in 2009, Albania transitioned from conscription to an all-volunteer military in 2010, multiplying its recruitment and retention needs.
With the GDRP advisory support, the Ministry of Defense is now relocating recruitment stations from inaccessible bases to city centers and implementing a data-focused approach to retention.
- In North Macedonia, the Ministry of Defense has been working on modernization and resource management reforms to achieve NATO standards since accession to NATO in 2020.
The GDRP advisor is supporting the Ministry of Defense to update its planning and budget regulations to better align policies with resources and to create collaborative structures that support senior leader decision-making.
- In Kosovo, the GDRP advisor supports the Ministry of Defense to build robust planning, programming, and budgeting processes, which enables the ministry to maximize resources and effectively track outcomes.
The focus on transparency and accountability, core tenants of good security sector governance, is a pivot from the legacy approach of centralizing power, enabling Kosovo to meet its long-term objectives and strengthen its own security.
- In Peru, an importer of Soviet military equipment and processes in the 1970s and 1980s, the GDRP advisor to the army is modernizing its Soviet-era training, processes, and techniques.
The Peruvian Army’s shift to US best practices and equipment will enable it to be more effective and better equipped to safeguard Peruvian citizens during a disaster.
In a nutshell, the GDRP’s support for partner countries’ security sector governance reforms enables them to provide security to their citizens and contributes to global security.
Also Read: NATO Foreign Ministers discuss Russia-Ukraine war
@StateDeptPM @USEmbPristina @KosovoinUS @USAmbAlbania @AIEmbassyUSA @USEMBASSYPERU @PeriInTheUSA @USEmbassySkopje @USAIDNMecedonia
#US #RussiaUkraineCrisis #Democracy
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