The European Union As An Actor In Security Sector Reform

This book critically analyzes the European Union’s role in Security Sector Reform (SSR), a topical issue with regards to European security. While the literature on SSR has increased significantly in the past decade, too little remain in the way of comparative analyses of SSR case studies that are geared toward theory development. This collection strives to push the SSR literature in that direction. One key question it focuses on is whether the EU pursues a holistic approach vis-à-vis SSR. Another question the book addresses is why and how the EU activities towards SSR in conflict management, peacebuilding and statebuilding have produced a wide variety of outcomes that range from the failure to reform any or all of the sub-set of security sectors (police, justice, military, etc.) to complete and integrated reform. The volume encompasses all relevant cases of SSR in terms of the financial, human, and political resources involved at the EU level. Cases are drawn from the Balkans (Kosovo; Bosnia-Herzegovina), Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo), the Middle East (Palestinian Territories), Post-Soviet Space (Georgia), and Asia (Aceh, Indonesia). The end product is a welcome contribution to the literature, providing both an empirically and theoretically grounded approach to the study of SSR. This book was originally published as a special issue of European Security.

Security Sector Reform (SSR) is increasingly becoming a cornerstone in international security and development cooperation. Indeed, the concept has often been seen as a panacea for many of the biggest threats to the world such as failed states, terrorism and poverty. In particular, this book focuses on the complexities of implementation of SSR across the globe and the actual and potential role for the European Union (EU) to play in SSR. As suggested in the title of the book, this involves not only opportunities, but challenges to be overcome as well. There are three core themes to this book: Policy, Policies and Practice. By presenting the themes in this particular order a greater appreciation of the influences on the process of SSR, from conception to implementation is relayed to the reader. This volume appeals to audiences interested in the EU as a global actor and the interrelationships between foreign, security, defence and development policies.

For most countries, security today is primarily measured in non-military terms and threats to security are non-military in nature. These threats include incompetent government, corruption, organized crime, insecure borders, smuggling, illegal migration, ethnic and religious conflict, and, of course, terrorism.

Explains the origins of SSR as a concept and the EU's embrace of it, culminating in the adoption of an overall EU framework for SSR in 2006. This book shows how SSR relates to the EU's development, enlargement, justice and home affairs. It looks at the multiplicity of resources, financial and human.

The EU engages in aspects of security sector reform through EUPOL Afghanistan, the police mission launched in 2007, and through the European Commission's contributions to justice reform in the country. Based on an analysis of past efforts at police reform by the EU and other European and international actors, this paper identifies a set of internal and external coordination challenges that hamper mission success.

This Security Sector Reform (SSR) Paper offers a universal and analytical perspective on the linkages between Security Sector Governance (SSG)/SSR (SSG/R) and Sustainable Development Goal-16 (SDG-16), focusing on conflict and post-conflict settings as well as transitional and consolidated democracies. Against the background of development and security literatures traditionally maintaining separate and compartmentalized presence in both academic and policymaking circles, it maintains that the contemporary security- and development-related challenges are inextricably linked, requiring effective measures with an accurate understanding of the nature of these challenges. In that sense, SDG-16 is surely a good step in the right direction. After comparing and contrasting SSG/R and SDG-16, this SSR Paper argues that human security lies at the heart of the nexus between the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN) and SSG/R. To do so, it first provides a brief overview of the scholarly and policymaking literature on the development-security nexus to set the background for the adoption of The Agenda 2030. Next, it reviews the literature on SSG/R and SDGs, and how each concept evolved over time. It then identifies the puzzle this study seeks to address by comparing and contrasting SSG/R with SDG-16. After making a case that human security lies at the heart of the nexus between the UN’s 2030 Agenda and SSG/R, this book analyses the strengths and weaknesses of human security as a bridge between SSG/R and SDG-16 and makes policy recommendations on how SSG/R, bolstered by human security, may help achieve better results on the SDG-16 targets. It specifically emphasizes the importance of transparency, oversight, and accountability on the one hand, and participative approach and local ownership on the other. It concludes by arguing that a simultaneous emphasis on security and development is sorely needed for addressing the issues under the purview of SDG-16.

Multilateral organizations - the United Nations (UN) in particular - have played, and continue to play, an important role in shaping the security sector reform (SSR) agenda, both in terms of policy development and the provision of support to a wide range of national SSR processes. This volume presents a variety of perspectives on UN support to SSR, past and present, with attention to policy and operational practice. Drawing from the experience of UN practitioners combined with external experts on SSR, this volume offers an in-depth exploration of the UN approach to SSR from a global perspective.