On February 4, with the support of the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program of Global Affairs Canada, the Parliamentary Centre and the Agency for Legislative Initiatives launched a project Parliamentary Accountability for the Security Sector in Ukraine.
This project aims to promote peace and stability in Ukraine by supporting the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) to play its central role in formulating, implementing, monitoring and reforming security policy.
The main stakeholders of the project took part in the event. In particular, the event was attended by representatives of the two parliamentary committees of the Verkhovna Rada, with which the Agency and the PArliamentary Centre will work closely during the project – members of the Security, Defense and Intelligence Committee and the Law Enforcement Committee – as well as other Ukrainian MPs, Canadian MPs, H.E. Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine and the H.E. Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada.
During the event, the participants expressed hope for productive cooperation between the Canadian and Ukrainian sides for the sake of achieving peace, security, and stability in Ukraine.
Dmytro Razumkov, Chairperson of The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, noted that issues of national security have become one of the key issues on the agenda of society and the state in Ukraine.
Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, stressed the importance of taking into account the gender aspect in the reform of the defense sector. The speaker noted that Ukraine has consistently implemented the National Action Plan for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 “Women, Peace & Security”, which is part of the government’s strategy. The parliament of the previous convocation passed a number of laws that opened more opportunities for women to exercise in the military.
In turn, Larisa Galadza, H.E. Ambassador of Canada to Ukraine, is confident that the Canadian experience will help Ukraine in defense sector reform. In addition, she noted the special role of parliament in the reform process.
Andriy Shevchenko, H.E. Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada, also believes that the project “Parliamentary Accountability for the Security Sector in Ukraine” will have a positive impact for both parties:
Tom Cormier, CEO of the Parliamentary Centre, spoke about the mission of the Canadian Parliamentary Centre and stressed the importance of helping the parliaments in democratic countries.
Svitlana Matviienko, Executive Director of the Agency for Legislative Initiatives, noted that the idea of the project has been developed together with representatives of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine so that the project would be of maximum benefit to the parliament of this and future convocations.
Oleksandr Zavitnevych, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Security, Defense and Intelligence, and Denys Monastyrskyi, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement, also expressed their expectations regarding the project.
Denys Monastyrskyi, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement, also stressed the importance of strengthening parliamentary control as one of the levers in the reform process.
A colleague of Ukrainian parliamentarians from Canada, Yvan Baker, MP, Chairperson of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group, said that Canada has always supported Ukraine, especially in matters of security and sovereignty of Ukraine.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, MP, Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union, Member of the Interparliamentary Relations Group with Canada, also noted that Ukraine needs substantial expert support from the Canadian side to continue the path of comprehensive reform.
Anita Vandenbeld, Member of the House of Commons of Canada, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defense of Canada, said that cooperation within the project is very important because in this way Canadian and Ukrainian MPs will be able to share best practices bilaterally. She also called for a gender component to be included in the discussions on defense sector reform, as the inclusion of women in the dialogue could help to look at the problem from a different angle and find new solutions.
At the end of the opening event, the Director of the Analytical Department of the Agency Oleksandr Zaslavskyi and the Director of the Partnerships and Program Development of the Parliamentary Centre Ivo Balinov spoke in detail about the essence, stages, and components of the project “Parliamentary Accountability for the Security Sector in Ukraine”.
In turn, Ivo Balinov noted that the Agency and the Parliamentary Centre are ready to cooperate with other projects that Canada is implementing in Ukraine in the security and defense sector.
The participants of the event expressed their readiness for fruitful cooperation during the implementation of the project “Parliamentary Accountability for the Security Sector in Ukraine”. All in order for the security sector reform in Ukraine to continue to move in the right direction, and for the defense industry to continue to develop according to the best international standards.
