The European Union and the Security system reform (Dr. Niagale Bagayoko)

The concept of « Security System Reform » (SSR) has developed since the end of the 1990's as a strategy aimed at preventing conflicts and consolidating peace in unstable countries. Like other international players, the EU developed its own strategies to support the SSR both within the framework of its external policy and inside the ESDP (European Security and Development Policy). The author examines the European approach towards the SSR, its guiding principles as well as its institutional framework and its constraints in terms of operation. He notably highlights the importance of improving the consistency between the various EU instruments in the matter of support towards the SSR and to strengthening the coordination between the EU actors involved in this field, including those from the Member States.

The Security Systems Reform in Africa : what’s at stake ? (Pamphile Sebahara)

The SSR is today one of the axes of intervention for the bilateral and multilateral donors in the post-conflict African countries. The analysis of the strategic approaches as well as interventions carried out in Burundi and in RD Congo shows a shift between the objectives and the practices on the ground. Thus, contrary to the holistic approach preached in the official documents, the SSR programmes which are implemented are restricted to the support to the reform of the army and the police force. However, the main challenge is the development of operational approaches which would allow for the SSR to become part of coherent programmes of (re)construction of the public institutions and an effective democratic governance.