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  SECURITY SECTOR REFORM (SSR)
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  • Gender and Security Sector Reform Toolkit

  • Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa: ISS Public Seminar Series, July-August 2008


    • The effective governance of the security sector (1) is a crucial issue in most countries of the world, but even more so in the emerging democracies of Africa.  Military and other security institutions hold within them the monopoly of state violence, which, if not properly directed and controlled can become a force unto themselves. The proper governance and regulation of the security sector therefore requires an informed and active legislature, a clear governmental policy framework and laws, effective civilian executive authorities and an active civil society to keep the security sector accountable, transparent and efficient.  The ultimate purpose is to ensure that security institutions (armed forces in particular) are governed according to the principles of democratic control and accountability.

     

    Security sector reform (SSR) and oversight is complex and context specific.  Whilst external actors and specialists can inform and advise, they cannot prescribe when it comes to matters of national security.  A key challenge for all efforts at security sector reform is therefore that of ownership and impact.  This can often best be achieved by opening up the debate through indigenous research and the engagement of policy actors from the country concerned.

     

    In young democracies and societies emerging from conflict there is normally very little capacity within new parliaments, civilian ministries and civil society to fulfil these roles and responsibilities.  From the perspective of the ISS, we believe that much more should be done in developing a context specific understanding of the principles of the functioning of the security sector in a democratic environment as well as in developing local capacity to provide effective direction, control and oversight.

     

    During the last 15 years, the ISS has been involved in the field of SSR in Africa in many ways. The ISS was involved in many facets of SSR in South Africa and through the African Civil-Military Relations Project (ACMRP) and the Project on Security Sector Reform (PSSR) has worked with Parliamentary Committees, Defence and Security Ministries, Armed Forces, and Civil Society Organisations in many African countries. The Defence Sector Programme (DSP), in particular, has established a wide network for this work and is active in the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR) and the African Security Sector Network (ASSN). The Defence Sector Programme aims to enhance civil-security relations, security sector management and collective security in Africa.


    The current project on the Governance of the Security Sector in Africa (ASSG project) specifically seeks to enhance security sector governance in Africa with a focus on strengthening parliamentary control and oversight of security policy, plans and budgets and strengthening the capacity of civil society to engage in the security debate in their respective countries and in the region. It seeks to do so through action-orientated research, done in partnership with local policy makers with the aim to impact upon the practice and capacity of the legislature, civil society and the executive. The project operates within the framework of the Defence Sector Programme at the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria but will also make extensive use of the ISS offices in Addis Ababa and Nairobi.



     

    (1). The “Security Sector” is defined as consisting of the armed forces, the police and intelligence services, the related ministries and departments, para-military forces, governmental oversight bodies, civil society organisations involved in the security debate and sub-regional, regional and international defence and security organisations.



    DOCUMENTS



  • By Invitation Only:  11 Mar 2009: ISS Conference, Jinja: African HIV/Aids Conference for the Military, Jinja, Uganda, 11-13 March 2009

  • 06 Mar 2009: ISS Today: The Role of Civil Society in Security Sector Governance in Kenya

  • 21 Jan 2009: ISS Today: Imperatives for Security Sector Reform in Zimbabwe

  • Situation Report:  26 Nov 2008: Assessing Security Sector Reform and its Impact on the Kivu Provinces, Henri Boshoff and Hans Hoebeke  (PDF 137kb)

  • 23 Oct 2008: Statement: Launch of the African Conference of Commandants Web Portal

  • 22 Sep 2008: ISS Today: Moving Forward: Liberia’s Achievements in Engendering Security Sector Reform

  • 10 Sep 2008: Report of the South African Ministerial Review Commission on Intelligence

  • Essay:  01 Sep 2008: Developing national security strategies in the African context, Colonel (Rtd) James D Noteboom  (ASR vol 17 no3) (PDF 143kb)

  • 20 Aug 2008: ISS Today: The First Real Cyber War

  • 14 Aug 2008: ISS Seminar, Cape Town: To Spy or Not to Spy: Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

  • 08 Aug 2008: ISS Seminar, Grahamstown: To Spy or Not to Spy? Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

  • Podcast  05 Aug 2008: Proposed Changes to the National Strategic Intelligence Act: Interview with Lauren Hutton, ISS Researcher; Station: 702; Programme: John Robbie; Time: 7:21:01 AM; Duration: 00:04:37  (podcast)

  • 31 Jul 2008: ISS Seminar, Pietermaritzburg: To Spy or Not to Spy: Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

  • 24 Jul 2008: ISS Seminar, Johannesburg: To Spy or Not to Spy? Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

  • 10 Jul 2008: ISS Seminar, Cape Town: For Your Eyes Only! Information and Transparency in the Intelligence Sector

  • Webcast  03 Jul 2008: ISS Seminar and Webcast, Pretoria: To Spy or Not to Spy? Intelligence and Democracy in South Africa

  • 25 Jun 2008: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Security Sector Reform in the DRC: Post Transition Period

  • 12 Jun 2008: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Secrecy: Exploring the Tensions Between Security and Democracy

  • 06 Jun 2008: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: The Constitution and the Security Sector: Enhancement of Democratic Values and Peace

  • 22 May 2008: ISS Today: Military Least Suited to Curb Urban Unrest

  • 22 May 2008: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: The Prohibition of Mercenary Activities and Regulation of Certain Activities in Country of Armed Conflict Act 27 of 2007

  • 01 Apr 2008: ISS Today: Africa’s Security Forces United in Diversity

  • 05 Mar 2008: ISS Conference, Addis Ababa: The Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa, 5-6 March 2008

  • 25 Feb 2008: Conference: SANDF Army Vision 2020, Pretoria, 25-27 February 2008

  • 20 Feb 2008: Regional Conference on the Role of National Parliaments and the SADC Parliamentary Forum in Enhancing Security in Southern Africa, Luanda, 20-21 February 2008

  • 01 Jan 2008: Protection of Information Bill  (PDF 135kb)

  • Commentary:  01 Dec 2007: Filling the Void: Contractors as Peacemakers in Africa, Derek Wright and Jennifer C Brooke  (ASR vol 16 no 4)

  • 17 Oct 2007: ISS Today: South African Army Restructuring a Critical Step

  • 07 Oct 2007: African Security Sector Network Conference on Security Sector Reform in Africa, Addis Ababa, 7-11 October 2007

  • 19 Sep 2007: ISS/AMANI Forum Seminar, Kigali: Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Sector in Rwanda, 19-20 September 2007

  • 18 Sep 2007: ISS Today: Moves Afoot to Rejuvenate South African Army

  • 05 Sep 2007: ISS Today: Robot Warriors Pose Ethical Challenges

  • 04 Sep 2007: ISS Today: Darfur Reveals SANDF Need for a Reserve Capability

  • Essay:  01 Sep 2007: Pursuing Sustainable Peace Through Post-conflict Peacebuilding: The Case of Sierra Leone, Theo Neethling

  • 30 Aug 2007: ISS Today: DynCorp International - Africa’s Security Sector Reform Champion?

  • 16 Aug 2007: ISS Today: The Americans are Already Here

  • 02 Aug 2007: Africa Command: Opportunity for Enhanced Engagement or the Militarization of US-Africa Relations?, Wafula Okumu, Testimony given to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health  (PDF 66kb)

  • 26 Jul 2007: ISS Today: South Africa: Some Perspectives On The National Key Points And Strategic Installations Bill, 2007

  • 13 Jul 2007: ISS Today: South Africa: Intrepid Guardians of the State?

  • By Invitation:  22 May 2007: ISS Roundtable, Pretoria: Dialogue on Intelligence Oversight in South Africa

  • 11 May 2007: ISS Submission on Intelligence Governance and Oversight in South Africa: Ministerial Review Commission on Intelligence  (PDF 146kb)

  • 06 May 2007: The African Military in the 21st Century: Report of the Sixth Tswalu Dialogue, 3‐6 May 2007  (PDF 759kb)

  • 02 May 2007: Monograph No 135: Challenges to Security Sector Reform in the Horn of Africa, Edited by Len le Roux and Yemane Kidane

  • 20 Apr 2007: Report: ISS Conference on the Regulation of the Private Security Sector in Africa, Pretoria, 19-20 April 2007  (PDF 1.04MB)

  • 18 Apr 2007: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: The Nordic Battle Group

  • 17 Apr 2007: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: United States - Africa Command Concept and Discussions

  • 22 Mar 2007: ISS Today: DRC: Militia Opts for Integration in Troubled East 

  • 19 Mar 2007: ISS Today: Côte d'Ivoire Leader Creates Joint Army Command Post

  • 13 Mar 2007: Reserves, Peacekeeping and the One Force Concept: The Challenges in Creating and Maintaining a Viable Reserve Force for the SANDF, Jakkie Cilliers, Paper Presented at the SANDF Reserve Forces Conference, Midrand, 13 March 2007  (PDF 95KB)

  • 30 Jan 2007: Report: Regional Workshop on Promoting SSR in the Horn of Africa, Addis Ababa, 13-14 July 2006

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: Parliamentary Oversight of Public Expenditure Management: A Focus on the Security Services, Len Le Roux  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 84kb)

  • Africa Watch:  01 Dec 2006: Nigeria and Cameroon: Diplomacy in the Delta, Richard Cornwell  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Military Spending, Socio-Economic Challenges and Foreign Policy Demands: Appraising South Africa’s Predicament, Theo Neethling  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 179kb)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Military Spending, Socio-Economic Challenges and Foreign Policy Demands: Appraising South Africa’s Predicament, Theo Neethling  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Commentary:  01 Dec 2006: How Firm the Handshake? South Africa’s Use of Quiet Diplomacy in Zimbabwe from 1999 to 2006, Victoria Graham  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Defence Transformation in South Africa: Sharing the Experience with the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, Roland de Vries  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 167kb)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Defence Transformation in South Africa: Sharing the Experience with the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, Roland de Vries  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Civil–Military Relations in Africa: Navigating Uncharted Waters, Naison Ngoma  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 129kb)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2006: Civil–Military Relations in Africa: Navigating Uncharted Waters, Naison Ngoma  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Editorial:  01 Dec 2006: Challenges for Defence Planners in Africa: Ensuring Appropriate, Adequate, Accountable and Affordable Armed Forces, Len Le Roux  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 55kb)

  • Editorial:  01 Dec 2006: Challenges for Defence Planners in Africa: Ensuring Appropriate, Adequate, Accountable and Affordable Armed Forces, Len Le Roux  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Editorial:  01 Dec 2006: Challenges for Defence Planners in Africa: Ensuring Appropriate, Adequate, Accountable and Affordable Armed Forces, Len Le Roux  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: African Military Spending: Defence Versus Development? Joseph P Smaldone  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 141kb)

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: African Military Spending: Defence Versus Development? Joseph P Smaldone  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: A Pan-African Army: The Evolution of an Idea and its Eventual Realisation in the African Standby Force, Benedikt Franke  (ASR vol 15 no 4) (PDF 142kb)

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: A Pan-African Army: The Evolution of an Idea and its Eventual Realisation in the African Standby Force, Benedikt Franke  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • Feature:  01 Dec 2006: A Pan-African Army: The Evolution of an Idea and its Eventual Realisation in the African Standby Force, Benedikt Franke  (ASR vol 15 no 4)

  • 07 Nov 2006: ISS Today: Towards a Legacy of Impunity in the Great Lakes Region: Two Militia Leaders Appointed Army Colonels in DRC

  • 01 Nov 2006: The African Strategic Environment 2020: Challenges for the South African Army, Jakkie Cilliers, Paper Presented at the SA Army Vision 2020 Conference, Midrand, 1 November 2006  (PDF 82kb)

  • 01 Nov 2006: SA Army Vision 2020 Seminar, Midrand, 1-2 November 2006  (supported by the ISS)

  • 01 Oct 2006: Monograph No 127: South African Guerrilla Armies: The Impact of Guerrilla Armies on the Creation of South Africa's Armed Forces, Rocky Williams

  • 01 Oct 2006: Delivering on the Responsibility to Protect: Reforming the Security Sector to Protect the Most Vulnerable in Burundi, Willy Nindorera and Kristiana Powell  (PDF 398kb)

  • Situation Report:  10 Jul 2006: The Impact of Slow Military Reform on the Transition Process in the DRC, Stephanie Wolters and Henri Boshoff  (PDF 226kb)

  • Africa Watch:  01 Jun 2006: Slow Military Reform and the Transition Process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Stephanie Wolters and Henri Boshoff  (ASR 15 no 2)

  • 23 Jan 2006: Statement: Launch of ISS/ippr Research Project: Operationalising the Responsibility to Protect in Africa

  • 19 Jan 2006: ISS, Pretoria: Visit to the ISS by a Delegation from the Jordanian Defence College

  • 01 Dec 2005: ISS Paper 119: Post-war Defence integration in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Prof Roger Kibasomba

  • 10 Nov 2005: ISS Book Launch, Pretoria: Evolutions and Revolutions – A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa

  • 20 Oct 2005: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: A San Francisco or an Albert Einstein Moment? The Tortured Efforts to Reform the United Nations

  • 01 Oct 2005: Evolutions and Revolutions. A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa, Martin Rupiya (ed)

  • Essay:  01 Sep 2005: Security Governance in South Africa, Gavin Cawthra  (ASR vol 14 no 3 2005)

  • 19 Aug 2005: ISS Book Launch, Pretoria: 'Prospects for a Security Community in Southern Africa'

  • 01 Jun 2005: Prospects for a Security Community in Southern Africa. An Analysis of Regional Security in the Southern African Development Community, Naison Ngoma

  • 30 May 2005: Abuja: SIPRI/ASDR Workshop on Military Budgetary Processes in Africa: Disseminating the Research Findings, 30-31 May 2005  (PDF 49kb)

  • 19 May 2005: Workshop on Parliamentary Oversight of the Security Sector in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam, 19-21 May 2005

  • 05 May 2005: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: United Nations Security Council Reform: Understanding Egypt's Position

  • 01 Apr 2005: ISS Paper 103: An Overview of South African Border Control: 1994-2004, Jonny Steinberg

  • 01 Apr 2005: ISS Paper 102: Towards a Continental Early Warning System for Africa, Jakkie Cilliers

  • 10 Mar 2005: ISS Submission on the Status of the South African National Defence Force's Reserves to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence  (PDF 72kb)

  • Situation Report:  06 Jan 2005: Summary Overview of Security Sector Reform Processes in the DRC, Henri Boshoff  (PDF 447kb)

  • Africa Watch:  01 Dec 2004: Overview of Security Reform Processes in the DRC, Henri Boshoff  (ASR vol 13 no 4 2004)

  • Essay:  01 Dec 2004: Botswana Defence Force. Evolution of a Professional African Military, Dan Henk  (ASR vol 13 no 4 2004)

  • 01 Dec 2004: Achieving Security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cost Effective Alternatives to the Military, Geoff Harris (ed)

  • 18 Nov 2004: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Nature and Prospects of UN Security Council Reform

  • 01 Nov 2004: ISS Non-Paper on the Operationalisation of the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS)  (PDF 98kb)

  • 12 Oct 2004: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: The Concept of Non-Offensive Defence (NOD) and Defence Sector Transformation in Africa

  • 01 Oct 2004: ISS Non-Paper on the Cost and Steps for Establishing and Operationalising the African Standby Force  (PDF 98kb)

  • 20 Sep 2004: Papers Presented at the Sir Pierre van Ryneveld Air Power Symposium, Pretoria

  • 01 Sep 2004: Statement: Defence Sector Programme Book Launch

  • 01 Sep 2004: ISS Paper 91: South Africa: Strengthening Civilian Oversight Over the Police in South Africa: The National and Provincial Secretariats for Safety and Security, Duxita Mistry and Judy Kiplin

  • 22 Jul 2004: ISS Seminar, Pretoria: Update on the DRC: Is the Transition in Trouble?

  • 19 May 2004: Report: Solidarity of Defence Officers from Southern African Countries and Members of the DRC Defence Force: ISS Workshop, Kinshasa, 17-19 May 2004

  • Situation Report:  08 Apr 2004: The South Sudan Defence Force (SSDF): A Challenge to the Sudan Peace Process  (PDF 93kb)

  • 01 Mar 2004: ISS Non-Paper on the Operationalisation of the African Standby Force  (PDF 98kb)

  • 27 Nov 2003: ISS/FfP Workshop: Building Regional Capacity to Protect: The Role of Civil Society Pretoria (27-28 Nov)  (PDF)

  • 28 Oct 2003: From self-defence to intervention: Policy on force role needs updating, Len le Roux Article Published in Business Day

  • 01 Sep 2003: ISS Paper 78: South Africa’s Defence Industry Charting a New Course? David Botha

  • 22 Jul 2003: Seminar: Offsetting the Costs of South Africa's Strategic Defence Package

  • 01 Jul 2003: ISS Paper 75: Offsetting the Costs of SA's Strategic Defence Package, David Botha

  • 01 Sep 2002: Ourselves to Know. Civil-Military Relations and Defence Transformation in Southern Africa, R Williams, G Cawthra, D Abrahams (eds)

  • 01 Dec 2001: ISS Paper 54A: Completing the Defence Transformation Process: the Transformation of the South African Reserve force System, Rocklyn Williams

  • 01 Aug 2001: Monograph No 61: Demobilisation and its Aftermath II, Economic Reinsertion of South Africa's Demobilised Military Personnel, Ian Libenberg and Marlene Roefs

  • 01 Aug 2001: Monograph No 59: Demobilisation and its Aftermath I, A Profile of South Africa's Demobilised Military Personnel, Garth Shelton, David Monyue, Ann Pullinger, Mathew Simmonds and Rocky Williams

  • 01 Jul 2001: ISS Paper 51: Defence Conversion of South Africa: A Faded Ideal? Diane Abrahams, André Standing

  • 01 Aug 2000: Monograph No 49: Defence Transformation, A Short Guide to the Issues, By David Chuter

  • 01 Jul 2000: ISS Paper 45: Security Sector Reform in Lesotho: Observations from a Three-Day Dialogue Series, Diane Philander

  • 01 Feb 2000: Peace Support Operations: A working Draft Manual for African Military Practitioners, DWM 1-200

  • 01 Nov 1999: Monograph 43: Building Security in Southern Africa. An Update on the Evolving Architecture, By Jakkie Cilliers

  • 26 Aug 1999: Integrated Principles for Peace Support Operations, Regional Workshop 24 - 26 August 1999, Harare, Compiled by Mark Malan

  • 01 Aug 1998: Monograph 26: Continuity in Change: The SA Army in Transition, Edited by Jakkie Cilliers

  • 01 Mar 1998: ISS Paper 29: Defence Acquisitions - Unpacking the Package Deals, Jakkie Cilliers

  • 01 Feb 1998: Monograph No 20: 'Caring' Security in Africa: Theoretical and Practical Considerations in New Security Thinking, Hussein Solomon and Maxi Van Aardt (Eds.)

  • 01 Apr 1997: ISS Paper 21: Facing the Future. The South African Army and Transformation, Selected Conference Papers, held on 26 March 1997

  • 01 Mar 1997: ISS Paper 19: SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security: Future Development, Mark Malan and Jakkie Cilliers

  • 01 Feb 1997: Monograph No 9: Diplomats and Defenders: South Africa and the Utility of Naval Power, Edited by Jakkie Cilliers

  • 01 Nov 1996: ISS Paper 13: The Impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the SANDF, Ian Liebenberg and Rocklyn Williams

  • 01 Nov 1996: ISS Paper 12: SA Navy Response to an Alternative to the SA Navy's Corvettes

  • 01 Oct 1996: ISS Paper 11: An Alternative to the SA Navy's Corvettes, Theo Honiball

  • 01 Jun 1996: ISS Paper 6: Towards the 21st Century: A New Global Security Agenda? Hussein Solomon

  • 01 May 1996: ISS Paper 5: Part-Time Forces and the Future of the SANDF, Papers from the Conference on the Future of the Part-Time Forces, Pretoria, 28 March 1996

  • 01 Feb 1996: Monograph No 1: Get on Parade: Restructuring South Africa's Part-Time Military Force for the 21st Century, Edited by Jakkie Cilliers & Bill Sass

  • 01 Nov 1995: About Turn. The Transformation of the South African Military and Intelligence, J Cilliers, M Reichardt (eds)  (out of print)

  • 23 Nov 1994: National Strategic Intelligence Act 39 of 1994  (PDF 35kb)

  • 23 Nov 1994: Intelligence Services Oversight Act 40 of 1994  (PDF 45kb)

  • 01 Sep 1994: Compilation of Articles Relating to the Revision of South African Defence Legislation, Institute for Defence Policy

  • 01 Apr 1978: Secret Services Act 56 of 1978  (PDF 17kb)


    • 2006


  • Volume 15 No 4 2006: Security Sector Reform

    •   

    Challenges for defence planners in Africa: Ensuring appropriate, adequate, accountable and affordable armed forces, A Pan-African army: The evolution of an idea and its eventual realisation in the African Standby Force, African military spending: Defence versus development? Parliamentary oversight of public expenditure management: A focus on the security services, Africa Watch, Zimbabwe: Confusion worse confounded, Nigeria and Cameroon: Diplomacy in the Delta, Military spending, socio-economic challenges and foreign policy demands: Appraising South Africa’s predicament, Defence transformation in South Africa: Sharing the experience with the Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo, Civil–military relations in Africa: Navigating uncharted waters, How firm the handshake? South Africa’s use of quiet diplomacy in Zimbabwe from 1999 to 2006, What we know about HIV and AIDS in the armed forces in Southern Africa, Books: What’s wrong with terrorism? Private security in Kenya

     

  • Gender and Security Sector Reform Toolkit



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