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Security Sector Reform Resource Centre
Policing Engendered Security Sector Reform
Police reform is a primary component of any security sector reform (SSR) effort, especially since police are seen as the central institution for the protection and security of the population in most nations. A crucial component of this reform is gender recognition. –Heather Murphy
Centre for Security Governance
The CSG has recently 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.
News
Turkish EU Minister hints at amending criticised homeland security bill
Turkey’s EU Affairs Minister has signalled that he may be willing to break with administration policy on the country’s new security bill. Volkan Bozkir confirmed last week that he would raise his objections to some of the measures contained in the bill at an upcoming cabinet meeting. –Hurriyet Daily News
Afghan President Calls on Taliban To Join Peace Process
Afghanistan’s newly installed President, Ashraf Ghani, has issued a call to the Taliban, encouraging it to participate in reconciliation talks and reengage in the political process. –Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
China to send elite army unit to help fight Ebola in Liberia
Liberia’s fight against Ebola is about to be bolstered by an elite unit from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The PLA unit will draw on its experience fighting to SARS to create a 100 bed treatment centre. –Megha Rajagopalan, Reuters
Berlin pledges $637M to Lebanon, Jordan over refugee crisis
Germany has made a new commitment of 500 million EUR to help Jordan and Lebanon cope with the influx of refugees from Syria living in their respective countries. –The Daily Star
China Signals Greater Oversight of Military, Media
As part of its broader strategy to maintain the predominance of its ruling party, lawmakers in China have confirmed their intention to increase oversight of the military and introduce new anti-terrorism legislation. —Josh Chin and Brian Spegele, Wall Street Journal
NATO’s Military Committee recognizes Montenegro’s progress in military and institutional reform
Following a visit to the country, top NATO officials have praised Montenegro for its progress ushering in reforms to its military and other security institutions. –NATO
Farming sector hit by insecurity as Central African Republic crisis grinds on—UN Report
According to a new report, released this week by the UN food and agriculture agency, continued fighting in the Central African Republic (CAR) is degrading the country’s capacity to produce and secure sufficient food. –UN News Centre
Rwanda: FDLR ‘Disarmament’ Process Sluggish, Deadline Ignored
Not a single militia affiliated with the FDLR has followed through with disarmament plans, despite a closely approaching deadline set by regional leaders. –All Africa
Colombia Rebels Acknowledge Harm Done to Civilians
On the sidelines of its peace talks with the government, representatives of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) acknowledged that their decades-long guerrilla war has caused harm to civilians—the first time that the group has made such an admission. –Latin American Herald Tribune
South Sudan: UN officials welcome launch of campaign to end the use of child soldiers
The United Nations has come out in support of a new campaign in South Sudan that aims to end the recruitment and use of children in the army. –UN News Centre
Japan drafts new space policy focusing on security to counter China
According to a document released to the media, the government of Japan’s future space policy may prioritize security, a move interpreted as coming in response to China’s rapidly evolving security capacity in space. –The Japan Times
Analysis
Improving Anti-Crime Policy in Mexico
Despite entering office with a bolder vision for how to fight crime in Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto’s approach has reverted into the same nonstrategic and opportunistic approach that marked the tenure of his predecessor. –Vanda Felbab-Brown, Brookings Institution
Algiers talks are Mali’s best chance for peace
Despite the breakdown of talks in Algeria about the future security of Mali, many insiders are optimistic that the current negotiations could actually lead to a deal, based on the firm leadership of Algeria and the diverse nature of the discussions. –Liesl Louw-Vaudran, Institute for Security Studies
Publications
Politics by Others Means: Conflicting Interests in Libya’s Security Sector
This new Working Paper from the Small Arms Survey takes a look at hybrid security organizations in Libya and some of the political implications of the country’s security sector reform process. Its analysis and conclusions is based on extensive fieldwork in Libya, which included in-depth interviews with government officials, major political actors, security officials, and members of armed groups. –Wolfram Lacher and Peter Cole, Small Arms Survey
This new report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs explores how technology is changing the way that aid agencies and donors respond to disasters and humanitarian emergencies. –UNOCHA
Reforming Tunisia’s Troubled Security Sector
This new policy brief explores many of the issues association with security sector reform in Tunisia and proposes a set of recommendations to help push reform efforts forward. Specifically, it argues that in order to be successful, security sector reform in Tunisia must bolster, not undermine democratic governance. –Bassem Bouguerra, The Atlantic Council
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