© 2022. PHOTO BY MERIJN HARTOG
On 1 and 2 June, 2022, the Netherlands-based organization Centre for European Security Studies (CESS) in partnership with Peace Dialogue NGO convened two policy labs discussions in Yerevan on the topic of Democratic Security Sector Oversight. The discussions were organized in the scope of the project Developing Inclusive Oversight of Security Sector (DIOS). As a first phase of the project, the policy labs discussions were particularly aimed at implementing inclusive and participatory assessment of issues and challenges obstructing the effective democratic oversight of the Security Sector in Armenia.
Overall, 14 representatives of Armenian CSOs, expert community, Human Rights Defender’s Office, and the RA Parliament participated in two policy labs discussions. With the facilitation of the experts Peter Vanhoutte, former MP of the Belgian Parliament and Board Member of CESS and Merijn Hartog, the director of the organization, the participants shared their concerns and recommendations regarding the role of oversight actors in creating an effective democratic mechanism of checks and balances over the processes of development and implementation of Armenia’s defence and security policies.
Mr. Nico Schermers, the Ambassador of the Netherlands in Armenia, welcomed the participants and expressed his commitment in further support of this initiative and processes aimed at fostering and empowering oversight actors, and overall democratization in Armenia.
The DIOS project is implemented by the Centre for European Security Studies, (the Netherlands) and Peace Dialogue (Armenia). The project is funded by the Netherlands Embassy in Armenia.
