An important event was held in February when representatives of the Armed Forces Academy of general Milan Rastislav Stefanik, Slovakia (SVK AFA), especially from the International Courses Department (ICD) and the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre (SWEDINT) met in Stockholm. The intention was to deepen and expand cooperation in the field of international military cooperation and education. It is necessary to emphasize the fact that from January 2025, SVK AFA, together with SWEDINT, has been entrusted by SACT with the performance of NATO DH for the discipline of land operations (LANDOPS), and therefore such a meeting was an indispensable need. In addition to common DH performance procedures, the discussion also focused on the creation of joint training activities and the exchange of best practices within international military operations.

The meeting was held in friendly atmosphere and the participating institutions were represented by Colonel Richard Gray (Commandant), Lieutenant Colonel René Hečko (Chief of ICD) and Zuzana Freissl, MBA. The meeting addressed several key topics that should contribute to further development of bilateral cooperation.

Covered areas in discussion

1. Education and training programs: Exchange of personnel of ICD into the courses organized by SWEDINT and vice versa as it would allow both sides to expand their knowledge and capabilities in the field of international military operations.
2. Exchange of expertise: The exchange of professional knowledge, including training of personnel in the areas of NATO and UN operations, which would help both institutions to increase their capabilities and enhance their readiness to fulfill tasks in the field of education.
3. Future cooperation: Topics related to long-term plans for expanding the partnership between SVK AFA and SWEDINT also included potential new areas in which cooperation could be even more effective.

First steps towards cooperation

During the meeting, both parties expressed interest in further cooperation and reached preliminary agreement on way ahead:

• Drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding: This step will enable the formal establishment of cooperation between SVK AFA and SWEDINT and will set the basic legal framework for future cooperation.
• Pilot projects: The first joint workshops and seminars have been already planned and will become pilot projects for the development of cooperation in the field of training and education.
• Mutual support: In the future, it is planned to exchange instructors and experts between the organizations to support educational and training initiatives.

To conclude

This important session of the International Courses Department of SVK AFA and SWEDINT representatives confirmed the mutual willingness to develop cooperation and strengthen international ties, not only in the field of DH LANDOPS, but also in military education and cooperation. It is expected that action will be taken soon in order to implement the agreed initiatives, which will contribute to further reinforcement of cooperation between the two institutions within the framework of international military cooperation.