A great year for UK-Macedonia defence engagement

It’s been three years since I was posted as Defence Attaché for Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania and during that time I have enjoyed the opportunity to attend the different army celebration events in the region. For Macedonia it is 18 August, the Macedonian Army Day. It is a day when the President, as Commander-in-Chief, heads a guest list of senior political, diplomatic and military guests. Many of the people I meet there are dear colleagues and associates with whom I have had the opportunity to work throughout the years. It is also a time to reflect on the past year of cooperation with our Macedonian partners.

I was honoured this year by being awarded a gold plated medal from the Macedonian Chief of Defence, Lt Gen Velichovski, for the cooperation between our armies. It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award. It is recognition of a combined team effort in deepening bilateral defence relations between UK and Macedonia. It has been a good year with many significant achievements. But more is possible and we will continue to build on this foundation. We might not have achieved the golden level of cooperation, we are certainly moving upwards.

In the last year we made history. The first ever Macedonian and female army officer Selma Biberovic graduated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).

The first ever Macedonian army officer graduated at the Royal Air Force initial officers’ course in Cranwell.

We continue to support Macedonian army officers to attend training at the Royal College of Defence Studies, and Joint Services Command and Staff College, both part of the Defence Academy.

British cadets attended once again the Summer Camp hosted by the Macedonian Military Academy and Army at Krivolak Training Area with an international environment of people.

We worked with partners in the civil society to raise awareness and support the implementation of the Women Peace and Security Agenda in Macedonia.

UK trainers worked with representatives of various ministries and organisations from across the region on Building Security and Integrity in Balkans Defence and Security.

Our Macedonian partners joined us, as every year, in the Remembrance Service remembering the fallen in conflicts and wars.

This June, UK army officers and NCOs from the 104th Logistics Support Brigade conducted a battlefield study tour in Dojran. UK and Macedonian army officers had the opportunity for sharing time during a formal dinner uniquely held actually on the former Dojran battlefield area: this was an enjoyable event and increased our defence engagement.

But this is not all. The UK and Macedonia cooperation is longstanding. Since our joint operations in Afghanistan there is a strong mutual respect between our two armies. More Macedonian military personnel have been trained and educated at British Institutions. More British service personnel have trained in and visited Macedonia.

UK will continue with its cooperation and support to Macedonian defence reforms. Ever since the early days of Macedonia’s NATO membership, we have been one of the strongest supporters for Macedonia to strengthen its security and stability. UK is also supportive of the Macedonian aspirations to UN peace-keeping operations.

We are committed to peace and security, and a leading supporter of the international rules-based system. Our commitment to our extensive security cooperation with international partners remains steadfast. We are one of the founding members of NATO and we are the only major country which will simultaneously meet the NATO target of spending 2% of our GDP on defence.

Macedonia has challenges ahead in becoming a fully-fledged NATO member. It also has responsibilities and commitments as it is a voluntary-based membership and a criteria-based one. Reform is a never-ending process but is fundamental to maintaining and managing a modern, interoperable, deployable and effective armed force. But it is important to know that we are all on the same path to achieving collective security in the current environment.

Lt Col Richard Parry, Defence Attaché