Kuwait said friday reforming the security sector should take place in line with goal 16 of the sustainable development goals sdgs, which should include all parties concerned in order to promote role of. In this volume, the contributors not only explore regional security dynamics and the barriers to cooperation and. And of course repressive security sectors can often trigger violent resistance. The arab spring uprisings in northern africa and the middle east have put the security sector centrestage of efforts to stabilise the region and build legitimate states and open societies. Obstacles to security sector reform in new democracies.
Geneva centre for the democratic control of armed forces, dcaf, 2004. Citizens perspectives is a research effort that brings together four arab research centers to examine public opinion of the security sector in four arab countries. Experience across the arab world demonstrates that when it comes to security sector reform, technocratic approaches are inadequate. Bloated institutions with almost 10% of the arab worlds population employed in the security sector, most arab forces are vastly overstaffed. Reforming the security sector in tunisia and libya. A second challenge is the strong resistance within the ranks of security sectors in postarab spring countries to several critical elements of the reform process. The challenge of security sector reform in the arab world. Melissa dalton july 15, 2016 background over the last 15 years, the department of defense dod has increasingly sought to build relationships and the capacity and capabilities of allied and partner countries to address evolving requirements and threats.
Reforming the security sectors in south eastern europe. Jun 18, 2015 alreadyweak states in libya and yemen crumbled as struggles for control over their security sectors became central to transitional politics after the popular uprisings of 2011. This lesson also helps you understand the key characteristics of ssr. What has changed in policing since the arab uprisings of 2011. Given the crucial role security institutions have played in sustaining authoritarian regimes in the region, any transformation towards more democratic rule will necessarily also have to include a reform of these countries security sectors towards greater. The arab revolutions of 2011 have provided an opportunity to negotiate rights and consider the necessary institutional reforms on various levels and sectors like the security, financial, regulatory, and revenue collection sectors. Core african principles for security sector reform.
The author notes special thanks to dr florence gaub of the european union institute for security studies for support in developing these ideas. Security sector reform ssr has evolved into an increasingly popular approach to address at least some of the challenges experienced in transitional societies. Reforming arab armies kindle edition by gaub, florence. An increasing number of development agencies are becoming operationally involved with security sector reform ssr. The european union institute for security studies euiss is the unions agency dealing with the analysis of foreign, security and defence policy issues.
Reforming the arab security state by yezid sayigh project. Reforming the yemen security sector 1 1 yemen is an ancient country with a rich and varied history. Experience across the arab world demonstrates that when it comes to securitysector reform, technocratic approaches are inadequate. Lessons learned and their relevance for a wider black sea area policy dr. Gfnssr regional guide security sector reform in the arab. The index aims to determine the level of progress achieved in security sector reform in the arab world and the. This introduction to the special issue gathers shared considerations among authors researching the. Apr, 2016 security courts operate with impunity in many countries, and critical flaws in legislation along with government interference consistently undermine the independence of the judiciary.
Western governments so far have refrained from extensive security sector reform in the arab world, preferring. For better or for worse, arab security sectors remain one of the pillars of arab states. Adopted a new social security law to cover enterprises employing one or more workers, and cover the selfemployed. Security sector synonyms, security sector pronunciation, security sector translation, english dictionary definition of security sector. There were particular problems in postconflict societies such as sierra leone, where the army and police were broken and large numbers of exsoldiers without employment and marooned in demobilization camps, threatened a return to.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Reform of the security sector in yemen arab reform. This could lead to the militarization of society and mean that tensions tended to be resolved through violence. How can security sector reform ssr be made genuinely successful. Lesson 1 discusses the changing nature of our understanding of security and how best to meet the security needs of the people. Development theoreticians put forward the hypothesis that, in view of the often artificial borders drawn up in the decolonisation process, the military might play a role in uniting people and building nations. Accountability and transparency over its performance has to be introduced. The experience of arab states in transition shows that technocratic approaches to securitysector reform are inadequate. An increasing number of development agencies are becoming operationally involved with securitysector reform ssr.
In 2011, arab security forces, long suspected to be inextricably. Security sector reform ssr in the arab middle east remains a highly sensitive and politicised subject in a region prone to internal and external influences on its security sectors. Over time, judicial sectors have been weakened and representatives left without the needed skills to exercise their responsibilities and defend their profession. The evolution and reform of palestinian security forces. Ratified the convention on social security minimum standards, no. Reforming the economy for shared prosperity and protecting the vulnerable executive summary may 30, 2016 1. Security sector reform ssr is a key concern in the current transformations which are sweeping across much of the arab world. Security courts operate with impunity in many countries, and critical flaws in legislation along with government interference consistently undermine the independence of the judiciary. Security sector definition of security sector by the free. Abstractin post2011 tunisia, the reform of the security sector has proceeded haphazardly, hindering security efficiency and lowering the overall effectiveness in countering threats.
Even in tunisia, where the military played a crucial role in supporting the jasmine revolution, the ultimate loyalty of the security services remains an open question. Kindle ereaders free kindle reading apps kindle ebooks kindle unlimited prime reading deals on kindle ebooks best sellers indian language ebooks kindle exam central. Security sector reform issues, challenges and prospects. Security sector reform and the arab spring groups affiliated with the losers in the electoral process or the losers from the whole transition process. What has changed in policing since the arab uprisings of. Rebuilding and reforming the iraqi security sector u. One of the major drivers of popular outrage in the arab world has been and continues to be the repressive and brutal tactics of the security sector. Luethold, security sector reform in the arab middle east. They have also posed real questions on how to apply civil and democratic oversight and how important it is. Following the long trail of critique that emerged from first and secondgeneration security sector reform ssr programs, this paper introduces a new theoretical framework for the sociopolitical analysis of the security sector that will enhance the potential for reform and transformation. The politics of security reform in post2011 tunisia. The organizational structures of security agencies in arab. State department has provided direct financial and personnel assistance to palestinian security organizations when it established the office of the united. On the other hand, if any of these protestors were killed or injured, the ministries of interior will be accused of brutality.
Simply put, a technocratic focus on upgrading skills and operational capability, in the absence of improved governance of the security services, can be easily subverted by antireform coalitions, resulting in the continuation of regressive patterns of behavior. Power and the security sector contemporary arab affairs. Mar 30, 2016 experience across the arab world demonstrates that when it comes to security sector reform, technocratic approaches are inadequate. It argues that any reform in arab countries in transition is linked to good governance. Reforming arab security sectors european union institute. It has become painfully clear in the wake of the 2011 arab uprisings in egypt, libya, yemen, syria, iraq, and bahrain that the domestic practices of these forces cause major problems for government accountability, legitimacy, internal security, the security of civilian populations, and u. And why is it that arab governments and militaries have such a poor track record in this domain. Since 2015, the combination of three factors external shocks, international actors pressures and domestic configurations of political power have paved the way for a progressive overhaul of the.
Security sector reform 1 security sector reform in palestine introduction and context of reform palestine is a political entity trying to come into statehood in a context that has been deemed as one of the worlds most intractable conflicts. Simply put, a conventional focus on upgrading skills and operational capability, in the absence of improved governance, is easily subverted by anti reform coalitions and reinforces regressive patterns of behavior. Challenges to developing an indigenous agenda, arab reform initiative, thematic papers n 2 december, 2007. Its core mission is to assist the eu and its member states in the implementation of the common foreign and security policy cfsp, including the common security and defence policy csdp as.
This is especially true in polarised political and social environments the most obvious cases today being egypt, iraq, libya, and yemen, not to mention bahrain and syria. Reforming the egyptian security services arab reform initiative. This is a top down enterprise starting with institutional reform and ending with the training and equipping of personnel. United states security assistance to the palestinian. Reforming the arab security state carnegie middle east. Security sector reform and the arab spring omar ashour. Security sector definition of security sector by the. If the first season of the arab uprisings brought hope, the second season has illustrated many hard challenges, not least of which is restructuring the military, policy and intelligence services of arab states. Revised the investment strategy of the social security investment fund. A collective term encompassing both national defense and foreign relations of the united states.
Yet there is a great deal of variation among the regions security apparatuses. Hybridisation and informalisation of the security sector is a situation where multiple nonstate actors make a claim on the security sphere, or where nonstate actors are absorbed in one way or another into state security sectors. Security sector reform ssr is a key concern in the current landscape of political transition towards democracy in. For effective securitysector reform in the arab world to occur, the shroud of secrecy surrounding the sector must be removed. For north african countries that participated in the arab spring, it is essential to replace authoritarian regimes with elected governments that are capable of transforming their security sectors through a democratic process. Interference of the security apparatus in political life has to be prevented. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading after the spring. Security sector reform european union institute for security studies.
Reforming the arab security state carnegie middle east center. Security sector reform in developing and transitional. Instead of being reformed and upgraded to enhance the fragile legitimacy of interim governments, the security sectors collapsed by 2014. Experiences elsewhere suggest that patterns vary widely, from the. Framework on security sector reform ssr, in fulfillment of assembly decision assembly. The 1994 cairo agreement stipulated the establishment of a strong police force with a maximum of 9,000 recruits 7,000 from abroad and 2,000 from the occupied territories to guarantee public order and internal security within the jurisdiction of the palestinian authority lia 2006. The evolution and reform of palestinian security forces 199320. Security sector reform in yemen requires bringing an end to the plurality of competing apparatuses and creating effective legislative, judicial and civil society oversight over the sector.
Spearheading this new sector of assistance is the uk department for international development dfid. But the past emphasis on centrally managed security sectors has made them a crucial asset in political contests, enabling them to escape oversight and. Jan 25, 2020 part 2 surveys the obstacles and vested interests hindering the transformation of policing in the arab world and looks to future trends in regional and international efforts. Security sector reform is the process of changing the security sector to ensure that its actors are contributing as much as possible to our vision of a secure community as discussed in module 2. Cooperation and integration among different security sectors components in egypt. For effective security sector reform in the arab world to occur, the shroud of secrecy surrounding the sector must be removed. May 28, 20 a second challenge is the strong resistance within the ranks of security sectors in post arab spring countries to several critical elements of the reform process.
Reforming arab security sectors european union institute for. Whereas this is a part of the process, exclusively aiming to enhance the performance of the sectors, other elements of ssr are usually unwelcomed and. Add to that the limited experience in nonle thal riot control. Citizens perspectives, 2015 summary the arab security sector index. It has staunchly resisted foreign control with military force, and thus yemeni warriors play a strong role in yemeni identity and.
Policy during democratic tran sition peter khalil a n a ly s i s p a p e r n u m b e r 9, j u l y 2 0 0 6. Its policy statement, poverty and the security sector published in march 1999, reflects governmentwide consensus on the rationale of ssr as a development issue, and whitehall. The experience of arab states in transition shows that technocratic approaches to security sector reform are inadequate. Overview of the arab security sector amidst political transition. The index aims to determine the level of progress achieved in security sector reform in the arab world and the standing of the security services in these. The kurdistan region of iraq kri is a constitutionally recognized semiautonomous region in northern iraq. But among the arab states, only yemen drafted a freedom of information law after 2011. The question of military and security sector reform has become increasingly pressing in the post arab spring transitional phase, driving the author to probe the structural aspects of reform to the military and security sectors of the arab spring states. These influences have a direct impact on global security, making it a pertinent topic for those following. Security sector reform in new democracies can be immensely complex because of the. Challenges to developing an indigenous agenda arab reform initiative thematic papers, 2007.
Mar 30, 2016 the experience of arab states in transition shows that technocratic approaches to security sector reform are inadequate. Simply put, a conventional focus on upgrading skills and operational capability, in the absence of improved governance, is easily subverted by antireform coalitions and reinforces regressive patterns of behavior. The question of military and security sector reform has become increasingly pressing in the postarab spring transitional phase, driving the author to probe the structural aspects of reform to the military and security sectors of the arab spring states. Security sector reform in developing and transitional countries revisited 341 2. Israel continues to exercise ultimate control over most of the territories officially governed by the.
In egypt and tunisia, where longruling leaders were driven from power, virtually no progress was made in reforming state institutions. Security sector reform, especially in the arab countries in transition, is therefore of crucial importance. In 2011, arab security forces, long suspected to be inextricably linked to their respective. Alreadyweak states in libya and yemen crumbled as struggles for control over their security sectors became central to transitional politics after the popular uprisings of 2011. Abstract there is a burgeoning debate on security sector reform ssr in the arab region. Introduction to security sector reform international. Employing the comprehensive approach to security, regional security in the middle east. Reforming the security sector in tunisia and libya united. It breaks down the term security sector reform, to what is security, what is the security sector and what therefore is security sector reform. Reforming the arab security sector a plea for transparency.
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