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Security Sector Reform, Conflict Prevention and Regional Perspectives

Author: O Greene
Date: 2003
Size: 15 pages (211 KB)

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Summary

What is the added-value of regional or sub-regional approaches to security sector reform (SSR) and conflict prevention strategies? This article, published in the Journal of Security Sector Management, argues that the UK government and other donors should assist in establishing or further developing regional and sub-regional SSR programmes due to the cross-border nature of many security challenges. Equally, donors should strengthen their ties with established regional mechanisms and institutions to facilitate links between SSR programmes and wider conflict prevention activities.

There is little consensus on the precise definition of the term ‘security sector’. It usually refers to those institutions and organisations allocated a legitimate role in the use or threat of coercive force to deal with external or internal threats to the security of the state and its citizens. Security sector reform aims to enhance the efficiency or effectiveness of the security sector to meet the needs of national security or policing priorities.

SSR and conflict prevention activities are inter-linked. SSR activities that aim to improve the legitimacy and effectiveness of the security sector indirectly contribute to conflict prevention objectives. In addition, measures that enhance the democratic governance of the security sector and ensure good civil-security sector relations contribute to the building of a peaceful society in which conflicts can be pursued without violence or fear of violence. Due to the transnational nature of many security challenges, a regional or sub-regional approach to SSR could represent a useful step forward by:

  • Enhancing awareness and engagement on cross-border or sub-regional security issues. This may lead to the development of SSR programmes that are designed to address cross-cutting, transnational challenges.
  • Engaging with regional organisations in the development of SSR programmes. This may be beneficial as regional actors often share a similar understanding and approach to the legitimate role of various branches of the security sector, such as civil defence or the military’s role in policing.
  • Enhancing regional co-operation and confidence building. Geographical proximity facilitates the sharing of experiences, lessons learned and the spread of precedents.
  • Understanding that bilateral or sub-regional co-operation may enhance SSR effectiveness through the provision of border guards and the promotion of confidence-building measures (CBMs).
  • Ensuring that the adoption of regional approaches does not replace or lead to inadequate analysis of specific national or sectoral SSR issues.

The UK government has taken a leading role in promoting security sector reform as an integral part of its efforts to support conflict prevention and post-conflict peacebuilding. The UK and other donors could assist in establishing or further developing regional or sub-regional SSR programmes by:

  • Learning from the experience of established regional or sub-regional SSR programmes. These already exist to a limited extent in sub-regions such as the Stability Pact countries and NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP).
  • Extending established regional or sub-regional SSR programmes to other areas, particularly where regional institutions have already established relevant norms. This includes sub-regions or clusters of states in Southern, Eastern and Western Africa, ASEAN and Latin America.
  • Reviewing existing regional SSR programmes to identify gaps and opportunities for extending assistance. For example, programmes to enhance police capacity for combating transnational crime and terrorism are being developed in Africa and ASEAN, however, these reforms have not been extended to other sectors.
  • Ensuring that regional approaches retain flexibility and a strong bilateral dimension. Flexibility is essential to circumvent capacity problems and political constraints in regional organisations.
  • Strengthening the link between SSR and conflict prevention. The UK should develop mechanisms to enhance the contribution of SSR programmes supported in the Conflict Prevention Pools to conflict prevention strategies.

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Source: Greene, O., 2003, Security Sector Reform, Conflict Prevention and Regional Perspectives, Journal of Security Sector Management, Vol. 1, No. 1


 
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