As part of DCAF-supported project, CCDS organized a working meeting on veterans’ issues at the State Service of Veterans Affairs of Georgia. Attendees were the head of the service, Major General Koba Kobaladze, the Dutch military expert Ms Caecilia Van Peski, Director of the Netherlands Veterans’ Institute General Brigen Paul Hoefsloot, and Colonel Rusen Abidinoglu of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia. Also in attendance were staff members of the service and CCDS representatives.

The goal of the meeting was to share international experience - mostly that of the Dutch and NATO member states - in the area of veterans’ support and to plan joint projects.

General Kobaladze briefly overviewed the structure, administrative aspects, programmes and successes of the Georgian State Service of Veterans Affairs and outlined the areas in which Georgia still faced significant challenges and would welcome help from partner countries and institutions.

Ms Van Peski underlined the importance of veterans’ psycho-social rehabilitation and cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure veterans’ speedy reintegration into society, while General Hoefsloot overviewed the main elements of social, economic and psychological support to veterans in the Netherlands and the services available to them.

Colonel Abidinoglu summarized NATO’s approach to veteran servicemen and the care models used in the member states.

The meeting was held with support from Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) and Civil Council on Defense and Security (CCDS).

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