The French and Romanian armies are modernising on women's commitment, and leadership, courage and excellence are not about gender, but about competence and ambition, the French Ambassador to Romania, Nicolas Warnery, told an International Women's Day event.
"Our armies are modernising and transforming on the commitment of women. In France, the process is the result of a constant evolution and political will in favour of professional equality. This dynamic is no longer just a matter of representation; it is at the core of operational performance and strategic adaptation. I believe that Romania shares this ambition, together within NATO and the European Union. France and Romania cooperate for a stronger, more modern and more inclusive European defence," Warnery said on Wednesday, at an event dedicated to the role of women in military institutions and to the promotion of gender equality in the field of defence, organised by the French Embassy in Romania, in partnership with the Ministry of National Defense of Romania and the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Romania.
In the opinion of the French ambassador to Romania, the Franco-Romanian cooperation on NATO's eastern flank is based on "solid military capabilities", as well as on common values: professionalism, merit and equal opportunities.
"Leadership, courage and excellence are not a matter of gender, but of competence and ambition as well(...). The modernisation of our forces is done by confirming and stimulating talents; equal opportunities is not an abstract objective, but a condition for our collective efficiency," added Warnery.
In his turn, Eduard Bachide, senior official at the Defence Ministry (MApN), pointed out that the "old and deep friendship" between France and Romania is based on mutual respect and support, a shared European vocation, the consistency of economic, scientific, cultural and military ties between the two nations.
In his opinion, there is excellent cooperation between France and Romania at the level of defence ministries, both in terms of high-level bilateral dialogue, and especially in terms of practical cooperation.
He drew attention to the fact that gender equality is "an essential area" for the Ministry of National Defence and informed that, one year after the launch of the "She for Romania" campaign, an initiative of the ministry that reflects "a clear direction", professionalism and competence are the only criteria that really matter.
"We can say that it was a year in which we did not talk only about principles, but we tried to transform intentions into concrete actions, a year of dialogue, internal analysis, initiatives dedicated to professional development, but also of reaffirming our commitment to a fair institutional environment (...) In the last year, more and more women have chosen a military career, I have seen them in military academies, in foreign missions, in command structures, in technical and operational fields. I have seen them (...) assuming difficult responsibilities, in demanding conditions, demonstrating balance and rigor. Our responsibility as an institution is to build a consistent and predictable framework," said Bachide.
He added that "She for Romania" means "real mechanisms of support, mentoring and professional development", as well as encouraging the participation of women in decision-making processes.
"Supporting women in the defence system is a matter of institutional normality, as a solid system capitalises on all available human resources, without unnecessary barriers. We want the young women who are looking today towards a career in the field of defence to see in our institutions a space of seriousness and respect, to know that they can aspire to positions of command and strategic responsibilities, based on their skills," added the MApN official.
The event organised at the residence of the French ambassador in Bucharest aimed to highlight the professional careers of women in the military in France and Romania, to address challenges faced by women in an environment considered eminently masculine and to emphasise the importance of bilateral cooperation in promoting common values: equality, merit, professionalism and modernity.
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