Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
Security Sector Reform has continued to emerge as a powerful organising force among international actors dedicated to conflict prevention and poverty reduction. As the broader strands of the SSR concept are becoming increasingly recognisable and understood it will be important to emphasise that effective SSR implementation requires a balanced approach across the whole security sector.
Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
This document looks at some of the important key processes that supported conflict resolution activities in Sierra Leone. It by no means provides a comprehensive analysis - rather it is designed to draw attention to some of the processes that were used to inform conflict resolution activities that might be being considered elsewhere. While many of these initiatives proved successful, mistakes were made thus the document is not meant to serve as an illustration of 'best practice' but more as a repository of ideas. Despite the 'health warnings' that should come with any documents that review the activity in Sierra Leone, important steps were taken towards developing more innovative practice and approaches within more holistic Security Sector Reform programmes. Moreover, Sierra Leone serves as a fairly unique example of a country requiring numerous reforms across the security sector, thus, much can be drawn from this single case study in terms of 'multiple entry points' and 'sequencing strategies'. This contrasts with many other country or regional case studies that may focus on a smaller number of reform imperatives.
Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
The Security Sector Reform Whitehall Policy Seminar is held each year for practitioners and policymakers to discuss HMG's SSR Strategy and ways in which the strategy should evolve to address current realities. The forum brings together representatives from all Whitehall departments with an interest in security. External guests such as academics, members of non-governmental organizations and local representatives from regions where HMG SSR programmes are ongoing are also invited.
Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
Security Sector Reform has continued to emerge as a powerful organising force among international actors dedicated to conflict prevention and poverty reduction. As the broader strands of the SSR concept are becoming increasingly recognisable and understood it will be important to emphasise that effective SSR implementation requires a balanced approach across the whole security sector.
Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
The Mozambique Security Network Symposium was held in Maputo on 30 June-1 July 2003. The meeting gathered approximately sixty participants from government, regional and sub-regional organisations and civil society. The event was made possible through the support of the UK Government's African Conflict Prevention Pool and was facilitated by the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR), a project funded by the United Kingdom that seeks to unite all actors and agencies in this field of study. Through the generous support of the United Nations Foundation, a number of representatives from Latin American countries also attended the meeting to draw on lessons learned and shared experiences from another southern region.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution, Security, and Regional Cooperation
Political Geography:
Africa, United Kingdom, United Nations, and Latin America
Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform
Abstract:
In proceeding with the recommendations of the declaration that emerged from the Mozambique Security Network Symposium (SNS) held in July 2003, a meeting to discuss the creation of an African network of networks on security matters took place. This event took place under the aegis of the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR) and African Security Dialogue Research (ASDR) who kindly offered to host it in conjunction with the earlier work shop on Security Sector Governance (SSG) in Africa and the subsequent 3rd Advisory Group Meeting of the GFN-SSR.
Topic:
Security, Development, and International Cooperation
Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
Abstract:
The U.S.-led Coalition's swift victory over the Taliban regime in October 2001 created a security vacuum across Afghanistan that the international community was unprepared to fill. Winning the peace in Afghanistan has proven to be a much more complex, costly, and protracted endeavour than winning the war, an imposing burden that has severely tested the resolve of the international donor community. With only 11,000-13,000 Coalition troops mandated to eradicate the last remnants of al-Qaeda an the Taliban in the south and a limited NATO presence of 6,000 troops deployed in the capital to insulate the fledgling political process, the onus for maintaining security in the country fell on the Afghan government and its fledgling security forces. After 23 years of civil war the country's security sector was in a state of disarray, its infrastructure destroyed, resources limited, and facing a shortage of human capacity. To bolster Afghanistan's beleaguered security institutions and ensure they conform to international standards, the major donors engaged in the country launched a security sector reform (SSR) process. Security sector transformation rather than reform seems more appropriate to describe the task of creating efficient, effective, and democratically accountable security forces in Afghanistan, for the bulk of the country's formal security apparatus ceased to function over a decade ago. In spite of the massive challenges that face program, it has been portrayed as the primary means to redress Afghanistan's immediate security woes. What by its very nature is a gradual, long-term process has been thrust into the position as short-term panacea.
Topic:
International Relations, Security, Politics, and Governance
HIV/AIDS prevention and conflict prevention should go hand in hand. They are the two blades of the scissors required to cut the strangler's cord choking Africa. Some 2.5 million Africans will die of AIDS in 2004. One in four African countries presently suffers from the effects of armed conflict.
Topic:
Security, Human Welfare, Non-Governmental Organization, Poverty, and War
Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Sudan on Tuesday, June 29, stopping first in Khartoum before visiting the war-torn western province of Darfur. Powell will be the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Sudan since Cyrus Vance in 1978. In addition to meetings with Sudanese officials, Powell will confer with UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, who will be in Sudan as part of a three-week tour of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe.
Topic:
Security and Religion
Political Geography:
Africa, Europe, Sudan, Middle East, Asia, and Arab Countries
The paper critically analyses the emerging international norm of subsidiarity according to which "Africa are responsible for African conflicts", which is found to be a possible justification for "buck-passing" on the part of the West, leaving the continent with the fewest military means to deal with the largest number of the most destructive armed conflicts. The paper then provides an overview of the various regional and subregional organisations in Africa, including the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as well as a host of less important organisations. It concludes with a survey of the various forms of support promised to these organisations by the West.