Vladimir Valdes Garcia, Head of Democratization Department of OSCE Mission to Serbia, commenced the second day of the 2022 Belgrade Security Conference. He reminded the audience of OSCE’s support for the conference since its inception. He conveyed that the quality and relevance of Belgrade Security Conference reflect OSCE’s values and role as the largest regional security organization. He confirmed that OSCE recognizes the link between security and sustainable development and stressed that “lasting security cannot be achieved without sustainable development, democratization and rule of law.”  

Richard Steyne, Programme Manager in the Policy and Research Department at DCAF, Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, discussed a common theme among different challenges, such as the climate crisis and the rise of authoritarianism. These challenges all require collective action to be solved.  

He stated that these “major shifts in global order present opportunities, but also threats.” 

Lastly, Steyne asserted that “there can be no development without peace, and no peace without sustainable development”. 

Luka Glusac, Assistant Director and Research Fellow at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, began his speech with an observation. He noted that there are two connected objectives within the 2030 Agenda: to leave no one behind, but also to leave no one unaccountable. He stressed that to make development sustainable “we have to guide ourselves with the principles of good security, good governance, and good security sector governance.” This idea precisely characterizes of this year’s Academic Event.