International Exercise - SouthEast Europe Simulation Network "SEESIM 08" Ends
SEESIM (Southeastern Europe Simulation) Project was initially put forward by the US at SEDM Deputy Defense Ministerial Meeting held on 21 June 2000 in Athens. At the SEDM Ministerial Meeting held in 9 December 2000, it was decided that SEESIM should be established to integrate several SEDM initiatives on the basis of simulated exercises, and the activities were projected to commence in 2002 with a demonstration and exercise that would be based on Civil Emergency Operation Scenario.
The first SEESIM Demonstration and Exercise (SEESIM 02) took place on 14-24 October and on 9-19 December 2002. It was hosted by Greece with a scenario based on multiple earthquakes. Remote sites were established in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, and SEEBRIG HQ.
The US was the support nation and Italy was an observer.
Through a series of simulation-based exercises, SEESIM is designed to serve as a foundation for integrating several initiatives functioning within the SEDM framework. These initiatives include the South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) and its Engineer Task Force (ETF); civil-military emergency planning (CMEP) workshops; and the USsponsored Partnership for Peace Information Management System (PIMS). SEESIM is also intended to be a prelude to regional live exercises and real world emergency response operations.
The ten-nation Expert’s Group formed in December 2000 to develop and implement the SEESIM initiative, consists of a Steering Committee under Host Country and US co chairmanship and subordinate Operational and Technical Working Groups.
Representatives from NATO and the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe have a standing invitation to attend SEESIM meetings and planning conferences.
SEESIM 08, 4th in the SEESIM series, ended on October 31st. The main control group of the exercise within the initiative of the ministries of defence of the countries of the southeastern Europe was placed at the Bulgarian national military training centre "Charalitsa" , the host of the exercise.
The exercise included military and civilian institutions of the ministries of defence of the following southeastern European countries: Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy,Macedonia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.
The following international organization participated in the exercise: UN, OCHA (Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - UN), IFRC (International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies), NATO, EADRCC (Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre), EU MIC (EU Major Incident Centre), Stability Pact/DPPI and RACVIAC (Centre for Security Cooperation) and Georgia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia will participate as spectators.
The southeastern European countries, participants in the exercise, were, with the constant communication on their territories, simulate natural or other disasters and make communication with the main control group of the exercise at the Bulgarian national military training centre "Charalitsa".
The SE Europe Brigade headquarters (SEEBRIG) stationed at the Turkish crisis headquarters with the response cell.
The aim of the exercise was to stimulate national civilian/military agencies of the ministries of securities, ministries of defence and structures of civil protection in fulfilling important tasks of the nations participants and responsibilities in response on emergencies.
One-week international exercise - Southeast Europe Simulation Network "SEESIM 08", aimed at practicing timely information exchange among nations and international organizations, identification and facilitation of procedures for swift information flow, as well as improvement of national and regional capabilities for rapid response to potential terrorist attacks, but also dealing with consequences from natural disasters.
"The level of mutual interoperability increases with every exercise, which is a prerequisite for realization of what could happen in future real-time environment", said CMC director Pande Lazarevski following the exercise's completion.
According to exercise director, Defense Ministry representative Alim Bajrami, the exercise should create conditions for shortening of procedures of giving and receiving assistance for any of the countries participating in the SEDM process.
The SEESIM exercises next will be held in Albania in 2010. The exercise is supported by the United States of America and the Kingdom of Sweden.