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Security Sector Reform Resource Centre
Publication Announcement—SSR 2.0 Brief No. 1: “Security Sector Reform in the CAR”
The CSG has just published its inaugural SSR 2.0 Brief on “Security Sector Reform in the Central African Republic: Chronicle of a Death Foretold,” written by Teodora Fuior and CSG Senior Fellow David Law.
This brief looks into the implementation of SSR in CAR, the deficiencies of its design, and the missteps made in its implementation. Its central finding is that the failure of the peacebuilding process in CAR was predestined, stemming from the earliest stages of SSR implementation in the country.
Read this brief here.
DDR III and a Potential New Role for Militias in the DRC
The rebel group Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FLDR) remains the biggest security concern for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region. However, most of the security issues within the DRC are mainly due internal economic, political, and social issues rather than external factors. –Margarita Yakovenko
News
Kurdish peace viable within a few months, Turkish PM says
Despite recent pessimistic prognostications, senior officials from both the Kurdish political movement and the government of Turkey have indicated that a successful resolution of the country’s peace process may be only a few months away. –Hurriyet Daily News
Canada to deliver spy agency bill next week
The government of Canada will introduce new legislation this week endowing its national spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), with additional powers. –Euan Rocha and Randall Palmer, Reuters
Iraqi defense chief tells Hagel offensive vs militants a priority: Pentagon
Iraq’s new minister of defense has confirmed that his country will prioritize military reform and its fledgling military campaign against Islamist State fighters. –David Alexander, Reuters
Burmese military wants to retain veto power of constitutional reforms
Despite major reform efforts underway in the country, Myanmar’s military leaders are stubbornly resisting any attempts to remove or deny their veto power. –AsiaNews.it
Feared FARC commander ‘Romaña’ joins Colombia peace talks
In a move signifying the growing importance and seriousness of the peace talks with the government, a senior leader of the FARC has joined the ongoing negotiations in Havana. –Adriaan Alsema, Colombia Reports
Libyan tribal leaders gather in Cairo for unity talks
A number of tribal elders from Libya met in Egypt last week to discuss potential avenues to resolve their country’s conflict. The elders were hosted by the Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace Building. –Joel Gulhane, Daily News Egypt
Anti-corruption reform to move Ukraine closer to European standards
Ukraine has passed a comprehensive package of new anti-corruption reforms, allowing it to move closer to requirements enumerated by the European Union. –Alex Statko, Southeast European Times
Central African Republic to create rapid intervention unit, reform army
The Central African Republic unveiled plans last week to reform its army, in an attempt to deal with inter-ethnic clashes and communal conflict. A key element of the reforms is the creation of a rapid intervention unit, which will be tasked with protecting the public from violent attacks. –Crispin Dembassa-Kette, Reuters
US Cyber Security Firm Expands to Europe
Interpreted as a sign of the growing importance and prevalence of cybersecurity, a leading US firm, Alert Logic, has began its expansion into Europe, opening an office in the UK. –RiaNovosti
Analysis
The roots of radicalism should inform government’s response to terror
Responses and approaches to dealing with terrorism should be guided by an understanding of the roots of radicalization and terrorism. At this point, however, governments have generally acted with little interest in or understanding of the factors that motivate someone to become involved in a radical or extremist cause. –Anneli Both, Institute for Security Studies
Ever since Libya entered its most recent round of fighting, the actions of its neighbours have raised serious questions about whether or not the country is being used as a staging ground for proxy wars between regional powers. –Frederic Wehrey, Monkey Cage Blog (Washington Post)
The EU and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Action Without a Script
The role of the European Union in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has entered a new and ambiguous phase, focusing on humanitarian aid and preservation of the fragile cease-fire. However, neither of these objectives does anything to address the root causes of the conflict, or move it towards an ultimate resolution. –Richard Youngs, Carnegie Endowment for Peace
Publications
Tunisia’s Borders (II): Terrorism and Regional Polarisation
Although Tunisia has managed to deal with the political fallout from its 2010-2011 uprising, it has not been able to deal with the effects of terrorist attacks and border violence to its overall security and stability. –International Crisis Group
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