Emphasizing the interdependence between the security of the Allies and that of their neighborhood, NATO’s “Projecting Stability” agenda constitutes an important step in the organization’s adaptation to the current security environment. Defense Institution Building (DIB) plays a key role in this agenda by supporting partners in developing their defense sectors, thereby contributing to their own stability and that of the entire region. Under the framework of Partnership Action Plan on Defense Institution Building (PAP-DIB), several programs were developed in order to reach the objectives of the different aspects of DIB, with the ultimate goal of achieving democratic progress and maintaining stability; that is, a modern and democratically-managed security sector which is respected and trusted by the society. As this article stipulates, the success of these programs is dependent upon many variables including credibility of DIB interventions, their continuity, and the political buy-in and national ownership of reform, as well as the extent to which the interventions are tailored to local conditions.