From January to December 2002 the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control ofArmed Forces (DCAF) conducted a special programme on the progress of security sector reform in South East Europe. The project was executed on the Mandate of the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs as an overall contribution to the Table III programmes of the Stability Pact.

The countries invited to participate in this self-assessment programme are signatories of the Stability Pact: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, and Romania. Over the last twelve years their governments have made considerable efforts to reform their defence and security according to democratic requirements and to adjust to the changing security environment. The objective of the programme is to assess the progress to date, review lessons learned, and identify requirements for reform programmes implemented in each country. Opportunities provided by the Stability Pact were a guiding theme.

The method of the programme was stock-taking and self-assessment. Policy makers in the target countries would assess the stages of reform so far attained, prioritise the immediate requirements and, working with external experts, define both the feasibility and implementation of consequent reform activities.