Collective Security – Purpose, Capabilities and Budgets

From a national perspective, these three considerations – purpose, capability and budgets – are inherently inter-related and dependent upon the extent to which a country chooses to engage with collective security structures, particularly NATO.

Key Questions:

  • What does collective defence and deterrence mean in today’s security environment?
  • How can collective security confront the broadening spectrum of security threats faced and can Serbia independently provide for its own collective security needs?
  • What is NATO’s role with respect to disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction?
  • What sort of financial commitments are required to meet Serbia’s collective security needs and could these financial burdens be more equitably shared with international partners?

Background

The globalization of security threats has transformed both the nature and scope of NATO operations and missions, with NATO forces involved in combat, peacekeeping, training and education, logistics support and humanitarian relief operations in Europe, the Mediterranean, Iraq and Central Asia. These new missions in new environments require that armed forces are trained and equipped to engage in low to high intensity operations, from peacekeeping to collective defence. This requires agile and interoperable, well-trained and well-led military forces, capable of rapidly responding to emerging crises. Defence planning, plus effective arrangements for intelligence and information sharing, are other key components.

Indeed, the emergence of new security threats has brought into question many of the more conventional defence systems and scenarios that were developed throughout the course of the twentieth century. They raise new questions about the sorts of training and equipment required to be prepared to face new and emerging security challenges; challenges that require fresh ways of thinking and new approaches. Today’s security challenges can only be adequately met through a diverse array of capabilities, ranging from complex weapons systems to civil protection and disaster relief. NATO provides country’s with an opportunity to leverage their domestic civilian and military capabilities against those of other member states.

Further Reading:

  • Improving NATO’s Capabilities
  • Transforming Allied Forces for Current and Future Operations (pdf) | (html)
  • Ready to React Rapidly to Crises Worldwide (pdf) | (html)
  • Tackling Challenges of Defence Reform (pdf) – Adapting the armed forces to be able to respond to perceived threats is one of the principal aims of defence reform. This brochure explains how NATO is helping countries to manage the consequences of defence reform by training redundant military, converting military bases, and destroying munitions – Pdf | Html
  • Trust Fund Projects: Promoting Security and Defence Reform (pdf) – NATO Allies and Partners are working together to support practical demilitarization and defence reform projects with expert advice and resources, through a number of Partnership for Peace Trust Funds.
  • Logistics Support for NATO Operations (pdf) – This brochure examines the evolution of NATO logistics doctrine since it went out-of-area following the end of the Cold War and the various initiatives underway to develop the required capabilities – Pdf | Html

If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact TransConflict Serbia at the following e-mail address – office@transconflict.com


The ‘Facilitating Serbia’s Contribution to NATO’s New Strategic Concept’ project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.

Show Buttons
Hide Buttons