Georgian, NATO experts review defence initiative in Tbilisi conference

Defence Minister Levan Izoria (third from left) and NATO general Denis Mercier (second from left) launch the conference earlier today. Photo: Georgia’s Defence Ministry press office.

Agenda.ge, 04 Jun 2018 - 18:57, Tbilisi,Georgia

Georgian defence and security experts and their international partners are hosting a conference in Tbilisi on the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package initiative.

High-profile officials from the host country and partner states, including Levan Izoria, Minister of Defence of Georgia and General Denis Mercier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, launched the event in the capital earlier today.

Also involving Mikheil Janelidze, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Desislava Ivanova, the Ambassador of Bulgaria to Georgia, the opening also included a panel on the SNGP benefits for Georgia’s defence capacity-building.

FM @JanelidzeMkh welcomed participants of SNGP Conference 2018. Georgia is committed to effectively use all integration instruments to move closer to the key main objectives of its foreign and security policy – the membership #NATO pic.twitter.com/cTBdVW1tVA
— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) June 4, 2018

During this year’s conference, teams comprised of up to 175 experts on defence and security matters will discuss the results of work undertaken within the package launched in 2014.

Organised in Georgia for the first time, the conference involves the demonstration of the ways SNGP can become a recurring model for NATO’s Defence and Related Security Capacity Building initiatives with partner countries.

It will see participants review "structure, organisation and implementation mechanisms” of the NATO-Georgia program and involve discussions on subjects including:

Interoperability of Georgia’s strategic and operational programs with governmental agencies, NATO member states and partners;
The concept of Total Defence;
Human, organisational, financial, infrastructural and educational resources.

The SNGP was launched between Georgia and the alliance for "strengthening Georgia’s defence capabilities” and "developing closer security cooperation” with NATO member states.

Financially supported by contributions from states including France and Germany, it has involved defence capacity-building and training activities as well as multinational exercises over the last four years.

The 2018 Substantial NATO-Georgia Package Conference will run in Tbilisi between June 4-6.