African Perspectives on SSR.pdf - UN Peacemaker

een adequately explored and brought
into SSR practice. We also know that
while each context has its own specific
history, priorities and dynamics, there
are general lessons that can be learned
about SSR policy and practice in Africa
and elsewhere that we have not adequately
explored.
“The new opportunities inherent to intra-<strong>African</strong> SSR partnerships have not yet been adequately explored”, says
Mr. Dmitry Titov, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions, UN Photo/Martine Perret.
A word from:
Mr. Dmitry Titov, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule
of Law and Security Institutions
Learning From <strong>African</strong>
Experiences in SSR
The international debate around security
sector reform (SSR) has become more
vibrant in recent years, particularly in
Africa, where States and societies have
been engaged in SSR for decades. Many
<strong>African</strong> Member States have recognized
that SSR is necessary for early recovery
from conflict, economic development
and sustainable peacebuilding, as well
as regional stability and international
peacekeeping. This is why the United
Nations Department of Peacekeeping
Operations (DPKO) is supporting approximately
ten <strong>African</strong> Member States
to undertake SSR on the basis of the
highest international standards.
The United Nations has also recognized
that the legitimacy of our global approach
depends on the extent to which
it is informed by and responds to the
voices of those States and societies the
Organization is seeking to serve. However,
SSR-related policy discourse, in
general, tends not to adequately involve
states undergoing reform in Africa and
elsewhere. Moreover, the design and
implementation of SSR has evolved
considerably over the past few decades.
Increasingly, <strong>African</strong> Member States are
not only engaging in this strategic area
as “recipients” of external support but
they are also “providers” of assistance.
Yet, the new opportunities inherent to
intra-<strong>African</strong> SSR partnerships have not
While each context has its own
specific history, priorities and
dynamics, there are general lessons
that can be learned about
SSR policy and practice in
Africa and elsewhere that we
have not adequately explored.
To create the space to address these
and other critical issues, in May 2010,
the Permanent Missions of Nigeria and
South Africa jointly co-hosted a Highlevel
Forum on <strong>African</strong> <strong>Perspectives</strong> on
SSR, informed and guided by an Expertslevel
seminar the previous day. These
events were funded by the Netherlands
with technical support from the SSR Unit
in the Office of Rule of Law and Security
Institutions (OROLSI), DPKO. The discussions
focused around three main themes
(national ownership; coordination of SSR
assistance; and the regional dimensions
of SSR), which served as entry points to
address and collectively seek pragmatic
responses to a range of challenges and
opportunities for SSR in Africa. The
events also provided a forum to launch
the strategic SSR partnership between
the <strong>African</strong> Union and United Nations.
A year later, we have far from resolved all
of the issues raised in these important
discussions. However, the outcomes of
these two events have served to enrich
our thinking and improve our practice.
For example, many of the main findings
from these events have been integrated
into the <strong>African</strong> Union’s draft policy on
SSR, which could serve as critical guidance
for the <strong>African</strong> Union, regional
organizations, Member States and their
partners as they engage in SSR on the
continent. Over the past 12 months,
this policy has been further elaborated
and widely consulted and should soon
be presented to <strong>African</strong> Union Member
States for adoption.
The usefulness of these two events
underscores the need for more vibrant
dialogue on SSR between <strong>African</strong>
Member States, regional organizations
and the United Nations. Indeed, the
importance attached to SSR is not an
exclusively <strong>African</strong> trend – it reflects the
global recognition of the need to build
effective, efficient and accountable
security institutions. The United Nations
therefore also provides diverse SSRrelated
support in many other regions of
the world. Thus, as the United Nations,
we are committed to fostering this dialogue
and, on this basis, improving SSR
practice in Africa and globally.
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