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VTC with the young Moldovan Security Researchers

VTC with the young Moldovan Security Researchers

Video-Teleconference; 23 April 2013; Tirana

Following the newly established partnership between the Albanian Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) and Moldovan (NATO focused) Information and Documentation Centre (IDC-NATO) a video-teleconference (VTC) was conducted on 23 April 2013.actually implementing a project aiming to develop NATO related expertise among young national security experts. The overall impact of the project is to stimulate the interest regarding NATO’s events and activities among Moldovan’s young scholars. One of the areas intended to be covered during this project was the relation between security and economy, and (particularly) how specific security options influence the economy.

In the recent past, IDM has been interested and conducted extensive research on the multi-dimensional impact of the process of the Albania’s membership to NATO, which was finalized with the well received IDM publication, in 2008, on “Costs and Benefits of NATO membership”. Considering the area of interest and the built expertise, both institutions were interested to establish a bilateral partnership. In that vein, the first presentation was delivered by IDM researcher, Foto Duro, via Skype. In that presentation, for about 30 minutes the IDC-NATO audience was briefed with some of the most distinguished aspects of the challenges for the Albanian Armed Forces in their process of reforming and contributing to NATO-led operations, as well as the associated cost. On the other hand, Albania’s membership to NATO has proven beneficial, not only in the political and security area, but also for its economy.

In the briefing, it was supported by various concrete/statistical arguments. After the presentation, a session of question and answers followed for about 20 minutes, where the audience was interested to learn more about NATO membership. The audience questions consisted on:

  • Some further elaborations concerning relations between security and economic development.
  • Albanian public opinion on NATO membership, immediately upon the accession and later.
  • Some other obligations and contributions to NATO (as a nation, despite the military ones).

  • Casualties from the missions abroad and their impact on the Albanian society.

Both institutions, IDM and IDC-NATO are kin to maintain and further their cooperation in the area of security research and advocacy.