The Sarajevo Security Conference has been established in 2023 by the Strategic Analysis Initiative, a nonprofit, nongovernmental think tank based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since January 2024, the think tank and the conference have been part of the Western Balkans Center at the New Lines Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nongovernmental organization.
The Sarajevo Security Conference, or SSC, is a unique and dynamic platform dedicated to addressing security and foreign policy challenges. It emphasizes collaborative security, empowers small-state agency, and fosters widespread support for the Euro-Atlantic perspective of Europe as a whole.
The initial Sarajevo Security Conference was held in October 2023, attracting over 200 guests from around the world, including notable decision-makers and opinion-makers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. It continues to serve as a hub for knowledge development, analysis, and expert exchange.
With this platform, we plan to continue transforming the regional security discourse. Our mission is to solidify thisconference as one of the region's most relevant events with global impact, thanks to a concentration of expertise and insight that promotes and enhances security, prosperity, and sustainability through idea generation.
Our goal is to establish a resilient foundation of engaging debates and credible, fact-based materials tailored to global policymakers and opinion-makers. In our work, we focus on bringing security perspectives from Sarajevo and southeaastern Europe into the global spotlight. We are dedicated to offering a nuanced and profound perspective on regional and international security issues, fostering a deeper understanding and more effective policymaking.
Reinforcing our commitment to staying at the forefront of security discourse, we keep the finger on the pulse of global security developments. Our conference programs are developed in a manner that can contribute with the utmost efficiency to the region's pro-democracy agenda, with an emphasis on several key areas that were initiated with our first conference, like the Euro-Atlantic integration of the nonmembers in the region, with emphasis on NATO accession, cybersecurity, and defense, deterrence of foreign malign influences in Southeast Europe, and priority reforms for democratic advancement, with a focus on the rule of law and security.
A focal point of the SSC is the exploration of avenues through which to strengthen democracy and drive essential reforms in the Western Balkans, with an emphasis on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Through insightful discussions, we aim to enhance the socio-political landscape and contribute to reshaping the image of the Western Balkans countries in foreign relations.
Our mission is driven by a firm belief that nurturing partnerships and collaborations between key global actors and Bosnia and Herzegovina is imperative for regional stability. SSC 2024 will continue facilitating discussions that delve into the intricacies of this vital relationship. The second Sarajevo Security Conference is more than just another regional event; it is an entirely new catalyst for positive change in global security dynamics.
Join us on this transformative journey as we shape the future of security together.