Linking defence policy and strategy to the defence budget: the case of Georgia

Abstract

Defence budgets should be prepared in compliance with the guidance provided by the national security and defence policy and strategy documents. The aim of this article is to review Georgia‘s current defence policy, strategy, and planning hierarchy and suggest ways to streamline it, increase its effectiveness, and ensure a clearer link between defence policy, strategy and the defence budget. As a result of the study, it was proposed to carefully reconsider the existence of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) document in its current form (as an agency level document of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia), especially when there is a National Defence Strategy (NDS) document in the defence policy, strategy, and planning documents hierarchy. An updated hierarchy of Georgia‘s defence policy, strategy, and planning documents was proposed to provide a clearer link between defence policy and strategy and the defence budget. It does not matter much the presence of a large number of various specially (sometimes colourfully) entitled national security and defence policy and strategy documents. Rather, it is important to have a logical, simple, and understandable hierarchy of docu-ments that define, outline, and agree on national priorities and the expected role of defence and the military.