Today, 27 November, the Deputy Chief of the Army General Staff, Major General Azim Nuredin, participated in the meeting of the Chiefs of Defense of the Defense Cooperation Initiative – DECI member countries, which we formally joined in 2023, in Budapest, Hungary.
The 13th meeting was also attended by the Commander of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, the Commander of KFOR, and the Commander of EUFOR-ALTHEA, who in their presentations outlined the current regional security situation, the present and future challenges in the KFOR and EUFOR-ALTHEA missions, providing valuable insights and encouraging dialogue on the security and stability of the Balkans.
At the opening of the meeting, General Nuredin emphasized the importance of our membership in this initiative, highlighting that it represents a valuable platform which, within NATO and the EU, enables significant multinational cooperation and offers deeper integration of the Balkan region and Southeast Europe.
“These initiatives allow us to transform challenges into opportunities and ensure that our armed forces remain modern, interoperable, and well-prepared for the evolving security landscape,” the General emphasized in his introductory address.
Additionally, General Nuredin actively participated in the panel discussions dedicated to regional stability and security, military cooperation, and the involvement of the Defense Cooperation Initiative in international organizations.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the future schedule of activities and meetings was determined, after which a joint statement was signed by the Chiefs of Defense.
The DECI Initiative was established under the auspices of Italy in 2012 as a regional initiative focused on security cooperation among the countries of the Adriatic and Balkan region. Along with our country, the organization includes Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Albania, and Montenegro.
The Chiefs of Defense of the participating countries meet once a year to review their mutual defense cooperation and to align the further development of joint projects, as well as to discuss the security situation in the wider Balkan region.
