The Partnership for Peace (PfP)

The PfP program, particularly timely and important initiative for the European security, especially for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe that landed in a vacuum of security in early 90s, became accessible to theRepublic of Moldova on 16 March 1994, after signing the Framework Document.

The participation in the PfP offers to Moldova a real opportunity to strengthen its national security and defense capabilities. Thus, the PfP framework allows us to use the experience of military construction of NATO and partner countries in order to continuously improve our armed forces, the staff preparation, the language training for the officers of the National Army, provides access to information, statistics, sources of political, technical and financial support. A unique aspect is the acquaintance of Moldovan soldiers with the proceeding of peacekeeping operations.

Moldova’s accession to the PfP can be divided into several stages. The first is the signing, on 16 March 1994, of the Framework Document, Moldova becoming the 12th signatory country and the second of the CIS after Ukraine. The next stage is the drafting of the presentation document, under which in 1995 was developed the Individual Partnership Program (IPP), the last stage of accession. The IPP included the following areas of collaboration: control over armaments and disarmament, civil protection, prevention and resolution of crisis situations, joint planning and carrying out of peacekeeping operations, staff training and other aspects of military activity. To achieve and coordinate these activities, the Ministry of Defense of Moldova has delegated a liaison officer at the Partnership Coordination Cell (now, the Military Cooperation Division, MCD), based in Mons (Belgium). With the adoption of the IPAP, IPP areas of cooperation were subordinated to the structure of the Action Plan.

Peacekeeping operations. In accordance with the Individual Partnership Program between the Republic of Moldova and NATO were undertaken a series of actions to prepare the participation of Moldovan military personnel to the UN peacekeeping operations. In recent years, several contingents of engineers of the National Army participated in the international humanitarian operation in Iraq.

The Planning and Review Process (PARP) of the Partnership for Peace was started in order to increase the level of practical interoperability of partner countries, provide them with a methodology for identifying and evaluating military forces and capabilities. The essence of the process is establishing transparency, official and truthful information and mutual aid between the Alliance and partners in all aspects of security and defense fields, by achieving the goals of general interoperability. Moldova joined the PARP in 1997.