The country's armed forces are under the authority of the president, who also serves as minister of defense. The ministry itself has been significantly reorganized and enhanced in power. Whereas formerly it was weak and frequently bypassed by the military, the ministry is now playing a vital role in handling and consolidating democratic civil-military relations. Among its most important duties is the implementation of mechanisms and procedures to ensure tight political control of the military by the government so as to build confidence in the military on the part of the people.rnThe Defense Council is the supreme defense body and is chaired by the president acting in his dual role as defense minister. The council directly commands the military and also directs the actions of the ministry of defense in executing the directives issued by the National Security Council.
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