Brussels, Belgium - A round-table event titled "Safeguarding Democratic Values – The Role of Security Sector Governance and Parliamentary Oversight" took place in Brussels, Belgium. The event was organized jointly by the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and the Partnership for Peace Consortium under the framework of the PfPC Security Sector Reform Working Group (SSR WG). The roundtable aimed to enhance security sector reform and promote good governance through joint research, outreach, and expert training initiatives.

Emphasis on Rule of Law and Democratic Resilience

During the opening remarks, Brig. Gen. (Ret) Rolf Wagner, Chairman of the Senior Advisory Council at PfPC and Deputy Director at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, emphasized the importance of democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law. He announced that the focus for the coming year would be on the rule of law, highlighting it as a central element of their work. The event featured parliamentarians from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Ukraine, who engaged in discussions on parliamentary oversight and the role of parliaments in enhancing democratic resilience and maintaining sovereignty.

Exploring Parliamentary Oversight and Security Sector Reform

Throughout the event, key figures such as Ambassador Herbert Salber and Dr. Hans Born led discussions on critical topics, including the security-development nexus and the implications of Artificial Intelligence on security sector governance. On the final day, discussions centered on parliamentary oversight of international military operations and intelligence services, with insights shared by Lt. Col. Olaf Garlich from the PfPC and Antje Fritz from DCAF. The event concluded with reflections on regional parliamentary dialogue and an evaluation of the round-table sessions, setting the stage for continued collaboration and progress in security sector reform.

You can learn more about the Security Sector Reform Working Group here.