S/PV.6630 Security Council

It is with great pleasure that I shall make the following observations on behalf of the Secretary-General, who is currently travelling. First, I should like to thank the Government of Nigeria and you, Sir, its Minister for Foreign Affairs, for having taken the initiative of convening this debate on the maintenance of international peace and security, moving forward with security sector reform, and prospects and challenges in Africa. A poorly managed and ineffective security sector can be a source of significant challenge to stability, poverty reduction, the achievement of sustainable development and peacebuilding. In the broader framework of upholding the rule of law, the United Nations has undertaken to support countries facing conflict in their efforts to build disciplined, effective and economically viable security sectors. A significant share of United Nations support to the security sector targets African countries, some of which — including Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and a number of others — are becoming important providers of assistance in security sector reform (SSR) to other African States. Many are also active contributors of troops and police to United Nations peacekeeping operations, as well as significant stakeholders in the international security architecture. Opportunities to share experiences in African security sector reform have nevertheless been rare, and that is why I welcome today’s debate. (spoke in English) The Security Council hosted its first open debate on SSR in 2007 under the presidency of the Slovak Republic (see S/PV.5632). That debate concluded that, although the United Nations has been providing SSR support for many years, our engagement was ad hoc and inconsistent. The Security Council requested the Secretary-General to produce a report on this issue. The Secretary-General’s 2008 report on security sector reform (S/2008/39) drew on decades of experience of the Organization and its membership, and defined a United Nations framework for security sector management based on a number of core principles. It recognizes national ownership not only as a moral imperative but also as a pragmatic necessity for legitimacy and sustainability. The report also paved the way for the creation of a dedicated Headquarters- based SSR unit, the modest expansion of relevant field capacities, and the establishment of a special United Nations inter-agency Security Sector Task Force, currently co-chaired by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the United Nations Development Programme. In May of the same year, under the presidency of the United Kingdom, the Security Council hosted another open debate on this issue (see S/PV.5889). I am pleased that today’s discussion will provide us with an opportunity to take stock since the Council last met on this issue. I am particularly encouraged that its focus is on security sector reform in Africa — an issue of paramount importance to the United Nations. Over the past few years, the demand for security sector support has increased exponentially. SSR is now an integral part of the mandate of many new United Nations missions and operations, several of which are in Africa. Our mandates and national requests for support in this vital area have become increasingly complex, ranging from training and infrastructure development in Burundi to capacity-building for management and oversight of security institutions in Liberia; from strategic advice for the articulation of national priorities and the development of national security policies, strategies and plans for Somalia and Côte d’Ivoire to assistance coordinating international partners in support of national priorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea Bissau. These experiences have taught the United Nations that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to security sector development. The Organization and our partners must be adaptable and capable of responding quickly. We have also learned that many security threats can be contained only through a regional approach, as indicated, for instance, by the fact that a number of African countries are working together to end the scourge of the Lord’s Resistance Army. Critically, the African Union, supported by a number of its regional economic communities, is at the forefront of developing a specific SSR framework. I am pleased that the African Union Commission is receiving active support from our SSR unit. Other regions should be encouraged to draw on this rich experience to develop SSR frameworks that aim to build professional, well-governed security sectors, which could contribute to sustainable development, peace and security. As we refine our expertise and enter a new phase, today’s debate provides a unique opportunity to reflect on a number of strategic issues. Many Member States, in Africa and elsewhere, have recognized that security sector governance is necessary for early recovery from conflict, economic development and sustainable peacebuilding, as well as regional stability and international peacekeeping. In addition, experience has shown that SSR is a crucial preventive tool, as previously underscored by the Security Council. In Liberia, for instance, unresolved security sector governance and management issues in the mid-1990s contributed to the re-emergence of conflict and a dramatic 80 per cent downturn in its economy. At the same time, security sectors can also play a vital transformative role. In South Africa, the consultative, nationally driven and carefully sequenced management of the security sector was essential to building a new, post-apartheid country. In Guinea, a key challenge has been the establishment of an accountable security sector that better reflects the aspirations of the population. In Somalia, strengthening the capacities of the security sector will be essential for good governance and the extension of State authority. Close to 20 per cent of the Peacebuilding Fund has been allocated to security sector activities in a range of countries. It is imperative that the entire United Nations system work together as one so as to ensure that international resources and energies produce their desired results. For that reason, I appreciate the joint efforts of the United Nations inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force, and the SSR Unit, which provides its secretariat. Both the Unit and the Task Force have become major providers of field support. They bring together a broad range of expertise to provide diverse, specialized and “One United Nations” support. They have also established a roster of experts who are available for deployment and have initiated system- wide training of specialists. The Task Force is also producing a number of strategic guidance notes, among other tools. I am also glad to report that the Organization recently adopted a defence sector reform policy. I am therefore encouraged that in the presidential statement to be issued today the Council is requesting a report on how to further strengthen our existing activities and the approach of the entire Organization in the area of security sector development. I trust that Member States will find this to be a good opportunity to strengthen the Organization’s capacities to meet increasing requests for support. (spoke in French) I am firmly convinced that the experience and the diverse perspectives of African countries can contribute to establishing better practices in order to improve security sector reform in Africa and around the world.

I thank Mr. Ladsous for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I am delighted to be part of this important discussion on moving forward with the challenges of and opportunities for support by the United Nations for security sector reform (SSR), particularly from an African perspective. Nigeria is a country whose history exemplifies the challenges and benefits of transforming security arrangements to reflect and respond to a country’s post-conflict reality. Before the term SSR was coined, the Nigerian civil war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970, had made it imperative for my country to deal with the aftermath of conflict, including the issues of demobilization, reintegration and reforms. One of the lessons learned from our experience is that reforming the security sector is a lengthy process and must be part of a broader national agenda. We also learned not only that such a reform exercise is highly political, but also that the security of citizens and the State are intrinsically linked. We have since learned that the governance, reform and transformation of the security sector are vital not only for societies emerging from war, but also for those experiencing peace. In order to consolidate the gains of our democracy and avoid recourse to conflict, it is important that our security institutions function effectively under the rule of law. I would therefore emphasize the importance of SSR moving beyond peacekeeping and extending to the entire peacebuilding continuum. In that regard, I congratulate the Secretary- General and his team on the commendable achievements made since this Council first debated the issue in 2007, under the presidency of Slovakia (see S/PV.5632). Nigeria notes with appreciation the establishment of the United Nations inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force, which has rapidly emerged as a mechanism for promoting coherence in United Nations support for SSR. It is encouraging that a roster of SSR experts has been established and that guidance is being developed. I acknowledge the commitment of those Member States benefiting from United Nations support for SSR and the generosity of the broader international community, which has worked hard to support those national reform processes. Nigeria supports the major principles of the United Nations approach to SSR, as contained in the 2008 report of the Secretary-General (S/2008/39), particularly its emphasis on national ownership. I strongly encourage the Secretary-General to continue to ensure that United Nations support for SSR is based on national requests and Security Council mandates. Without national ownership, deficits in legitimacy and sustainability will persist. We are concerned that, although Africa is the main theatre of SSR, the voices and perspectives of African States in defining and setting the SSR agenda have typically been faint or, in some cases, mute. Thus, “lessons learned” become “lessons lost”, and opportunities to learn from the perspectives of those at the receiving end of SSR support are missed. Under the circumstances, the need to accentuate African and recipient perspectives on SSR cannot be overemphasized. In that regard, I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations for jointly organizing, with the Nigerian Mission, the High-level Forum on African Perspectives on Security Sector Reform, held in May 2010. We are grateful to the Government of the Netherlands for supporting that event. We encourage similar initiatives that promote national ownership and sustainability. The rapid emergence of African States as providers of SSR support is one development that, thus far, has remained outside the scope of the prevailing SSR discourse. In that connection, there is growing recognition that African States are both recipients and donors of SSR support. In line with the recent report on civilian capacity in the aftermath of conflict (see S/2011/85), we encourage further initiatives to support South-South exchanges in SSR. While SSR is recognized as an essential element of multidimensional peacekeeping, it must form part of a broader national reform agenda to ensure national peace and security. Thus, while SSR is often a core element in a peacekeeping exit strategy, it can also contribute to conflict prevention by helping to build effective and accountable security institutions. SSR is also part of the long-term process of regular institutional renewal for all States, regardless of their level of development. The lesson we learn from the indivisibility of security is that national efforts to ensure security can fall short if not tied to regional and global threats to security. Let me therefore emphasize the intrinsic interconnection between national SSR reform processes and various regional and global initiatives. The national SSR processes of several Member States and the global framework being propagated by the United Nations are interrelated. Indeed, regional security frameworks not only help to address transborder security challenges but also represent the bridge between national and global levels of security sector governance. It is encouraging to note the excellent collaboration between the African Union and the United Nations in the area of SSR. We are confident that the African Union SSR policy framework being drafted at the request of the African Union Heads of State and Government will form a critical building block of the United Nations global SSR framework. Once the African Union SSR policy framework has been formally endorsed, the African Union will continue to require the assistance of the United Nations in ensuring an effective implementation of the policy. Beyond Africa, I wish to strongly encourage the Secretary-General to further explore general approaches and frameworks for supporting the reform and governance of the security sector. Nigeria is willing to collaborate with States Members of the United Nations and will explore with stakeholders, including the SSR Group of Friends, possible ways of enriching that agenda. We will work within the African Union to ensure that a continental SSR policy framework is expeditiously finalized with a plan of action for its implementation. In this regard, I am pleased to inform the Council that the Nigerian Defence College will be collaborating with an international foundation to organize an international expert conference with the theme “Promoting democratic security sector governance: National experiences and best practices from international actors”, to be held in Abuja from 2 to 3 November. Let me conclude by calling on the Secretary- General to consider reviewing the United Nations current engagement in this area since the release of his report in 2008. His views on the current challenges encountered in delivering on this important area of work will support the creation of an enabling environment and the generation of the requisite resources for the United Nations to support Member States more effectively and coherently in this area. I now resume my functions as President of the Security Council. I now give the floor to members of the Council.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Sir, and your delegation on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October and for chairing this debate. I would also like to thank the Under-Secretary-General for his briefing. Security sector reform (SSR) in post-conflict countries is an important issue, and I thank the Nigerian presidency for having organized today’s debate and for its useful concept note on this subject (S/2011/627). Successful security sector reform is vital for establishing enduring peace and stability in countries that are in conflict or in a post-conflict peacebuilding phase. On the other hand, it is usually failure in SSR that causes some countries to remain mired in conflict for extended periods. The Security Council’s presidential statement of 20 February 2007 (S/PRST/2007/3) and the Secretary- General’s report on security sector reform (S/2008/39), submitted in January 2008 pursuant to that statement, have comprehensively dealt with the complexity of this issue. They have also identified a number of concrete action points for implementation of security sector reforms in conflict and post-conflict situations. If the implementation of security sector reform is to be successful, it is imperative to clearly recognize at the outset that it is an internal affair of a country. As such, the process must be led and owned by the nation State concerned. The process must be driven by national requirements and not by donor priorities. The capacity-driven approach that is being adopted needs to become an exercise in understanding and providing what the country concerned requires rather than an exercise in collating what donors can give. Normative principles of security sector reform should remain within the framework of national consent under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter and should not seek to obfuscate the difference between the provisions of Chapters VI and VII. This will ensure that the involvement of the Council and of the United Nations system more widely in security sector reform remains country-specific and forms part of a comprehensive strategy for establishment of peace and stability. Security sector reform will fail to consolidate the hard-earned gains of peacekeeping unless it is based on organic growth and related to the political, socio-economic and cultural realities of the country concerned. Operational issues concerning security sector reform should take into account the fact that security is a very broad term encompassing not just defence, police and other law enforcement agencies but also institutions responsible for border management, customs, civil emergencies, the judiciary and others. Given such a broad scope, it is necessary that the United Nations operational plans for security sector reform in every situation remain focused on the most critical sectors instead of being frittered away in peripherals. The broad scope of this issue also calls for a long-term strategy, integrated efforts and coordination among different United Nations and other international agencies involved. Country-specific configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission should have an important role to play in assisting the concerned country in developing such a long-term strategy and integrating and coordinating the international efforts. The international community should clearly demonstrate its staying power and its commitment to making available required resources for the full implementation of operational plans for security sector reform. Operational plans should also comprehensively take into account the political, socio-economic and cultural moorings of the country concerned, based on the interests of the national stakeholders. In this connection, I must underline that we have noticed a tendency in this Council in recent months to authorize less than optimal manpower and other resources while expanding mandates. There have also been calls for reviews of a mission even before that mission is established. This tendency to ask United Nations missions to do more with less does not augur well for the successful implementation of operational plans to reform the security sector on an enduring basis in conflict and post-conflict countries on the agenda of the Council. We also hear arguments in favour of shortening the mandates of United Nations missions even when host countries favour the continued presence of the concerned United Nations missions. The premature drawdown or withdrawal of United Nations missions against the wishes of the host countries before domestic institutions are fully capable of assuming their role risks relapse into conflict, which would require more resources in the future. In conclusion, I would like to say that the role of the United Nations in security sector reform must be based on its biggest strengths: impartiality, equity and non-interference. Following these principles, the United Nations system and the missions authorized by this Council will command the respect and confidence of all stakeholders, who in turn will cooperate with the United Nations, leading to successful and enduring security sector reforms. In this connection, it is also important to recognize that there are countries that possess wide experience in implementing security sector capacity development in multi-ethnic, multireligious and multilingual societies, giving primacy to human rights and the rule of law. In addition to uniformed services, the United Nations should also tap the Governments of such countries for secondment of human resources in all areas of SSR, since their experiences are very similar and relevant to the challenges facing the countries on the agenda of the Security Council.

Let me start by thanking the Government of Nigeria for its leadership in bringing us together today to discuss security sector reform (SSR) in Africa. Let me also thank you personally, Minister Ashiru, for presiding over our debate. This Council discussion on SSR is long overdue. A State’s ability to police its territory, protect its citizens and uphold its laws is central to its ability to exercise its sovereignty and promote regional peace and stability. However, in all too many instances, local security forces lack capacity, or worse, they threaten the very citizens they are meant to serve. All too often, we have had to rely on international peacekeepers to fill temporarily a gap that a nation’s people would have preferred to address permanently on their own. From Liberia to Haiti to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the drawdown of international peacekeepers is now linked to the build-up of indigenous security institutions. At least 11 United Nations peacekeeping operations, peacebuilding offices and special political missions are now mandated to conduct SSR activities, and 10 of them are in Africa. The United Nations and many other actors are making important contributions to SSR in those countries, and that includes the United States. Over the past several years, for instance, my Government has invested more than $300 million to support defence and police reform in South Sudan, more than $280 million for defence, police and justice sector reform in Liberia and some $110 million for defence and police reform in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United States also supports SSR programmes in several other African countries emerging from conflict. Today’s Security Council debate on security sector reform and the draft presidential statement we will adopt should spur action, we hope, on four fronts. First, we should take a more long-term, comprehensive approach to SSR. As the Secretary- General pointed out in his 2008 report on the subject (S/2008/39), the security sector is not only uniformed personnel — it involves the entire defence establishment, civilian law enforcement and corrections personnel, intelligence services, institutions dealing with border management, customs agencies and organizations that handle civil emergencies and elements of the criminal justice sector. As the Secretary-General also pointed out, reform of the security sector is not just about providing basic training and equipment for a battalion or formed police unit. It is about establishing a legal and constitutional framework for the legitimate, accountable use of force, via security personnel, in accordance with universally accepted human rights norms and standards. True security sector reform does not mean merely recruiting more security personnel, it means thinking through their overall numbers, determining what is fiscally sustainable and creating mechanisms for their direction and oversight. Secondly, our approach to SSR has been too narrow. We must broaden it to take into account what host populations time and again demand, namely, a clear recognition that human rights, good governance and gender equality are inextricably linked with security sector reform. Integrating a gender perspective into the daily work of armed forces, defence ministries and peace makers makes these institutions more inclusive and democratic and improves the overall effectiveness of security sector reform. A defence or law enforcement agency that shuns corruption, advances equality and protects the rights of all, rather than trampling them, is far more likely to command the support and confidence of its citizens. The Secretary- General rightly highlighted these issues in his most recent report on SSR. We hope that his next one will suggest concrete benchmarks for measuring progress. Thirdly, the United Nations needs to strengthen its expertise and enhance the coordination among all actors that play a role in SSR, especially human rights defenders, development agencies, international financial institutions such as the World Bank and regional and subregional organizations. The United States appreciates the work now being undertaken by the Security Sector Reform Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force and other United Nations entities such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. We look forward to having them do even more to spread lessons learned and best practices on SSR, inside the United Nations system and beyond. Fourthly, we must all do more to help build up expertise outside the United Nations system, particularly by regional and subregional organizations working to address the challenges around them. For example, the Economic Community of West African States has helped make important SSR gains throughout West Africa. Regional bodies are increasingly important players when it comes to SSR in Africa, and we support their efforts. We will also need to work at both the national and regional levels to address a range of twenty-first century challenges in the waters off Africa, including piracy, armed robbery at sea, trafficking in persons, illegal or unregulated fishing and environmental degradation. As such, maritime security sector reform will increasingly become critical to overall SSR. The United States looks forward to working with our fellow Council members to sustain and increase our focus on SSR within the Chamber and beyond. Especially in Africa and in other lands that have known too much suffering, we seek an international approach to SSR that heeds the voices of citizens calling out for a better future and bolsters the capacity of host Governments and regional organizations to help make those hopes real.

China appreciates Nigeria’s initiative to hold this debate on the maintenance of international peace and security and security sector reform (SSR). I welcome His Excellency Mr. Olugbenga Ashiru, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, to our meeting today to lead our debate. I also welcome the statement made by Under-Secretary-General Ladsous. SSR is a part of the United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts. Over the years, the United Nations has made positive efforts to assist post-conflict countries in SSR, in particular African countries, producing good results. As United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations evolve, how to assist the countries concerned in conducting SSR more effectively and viably is an important topic facing the international community. I would like to focus on the following points. First, SSR should be based on the leadership of the countries concerned and fully take into account their national circumstances and special needs. The efforts of the international community should focus on providing assistance and advice and helping those countries enhance their capacity-building efforts. Such efforts should also respect their will. Secondly, SSR should serve the purpose of the long-term stability and security of the countries concerned and their sustainable development. It should focus on restoring law and order through reforms and ensuring stability and security for the people. Moreover, SSR should enable armed forces and the police and other sectors to participate in national institution-building to maintain social order and to promote economic development. Thirdly, SSR should support a comprehensive peacekeeping and peacebuilding strategy. SSR should be well-coordinated with, and complement the efforts to promote, reconciliation, rehabilitate the economy, promote the rule of law and protect human rights. Fourthly, SSR should benefit from the mediation efforts of the international community. The United Nations should draw on years of successful peacekeeping and peacebuilding experience to formulate a comprehensive strategy to help the countries concerned in conducting SSR and act as a good coordinator. The General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the Secretariat should pull together and build synergies. The United Nations should also strengthen its coordination and communications with the relevant regional and subregional organizations. China supports the draft presidential statement submitted by Nigeria.

At the outset, let me join others in thanking the Nigerian presidency for having organized today’s debate. I warmly welcome your presence and your leadership of this meeting, Sir, as well as the presence of Her Excellency Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs of India. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General Ladsous for his stimulating briefing. In recent years, the importance of security sector reform (SSR) has been increasingly recognized. Such reforms are not only a key requirement for peace, the protection of human rights and sustainable development; they also play a pivotal role in crisis prevention. I would like to emphasize three points today. First, local leadership is crucial to successful security sector reform, as is national ownership. Only national actors can ensure that the process is completed and that key issues are addressed. If the political will needed to tackle those issues is lacking, all efforts by outside actors are futile. Security sector reform remains a long- term, country-specific endeavour that very much depends on the political commitment of national authorities. United Nations involvement in national security sector reform efforts should be based on a clearly defined strategy with priorities, timelines and partnerships. Such a division of labour is also vital in the context of defining exit strategies for peacekeeping missions. In many conflict and post-conflict situations on our agenda, reform of the security sector is an essential prerequisite for achieving sustainable peace. It is a long-term transformation process that should aim at creating security institutions that are efficient, transparent and democratic. Any such transformation of security sector structures must be based on respect for human rights and the rule of law. This is of special importance in the field of corrections. SSR also has a crucial role to play when it comes to the prevention of violence, including sexual violence. In this regard, it is also indispensable to address impunity, inter alia, through training national security forces and strengthening the capacity of the rule of law and justice institutions. SSR needs to be approached strategically and holistically. Secondly, the various elements of reform — the establishment of civilian control over security forces and the improvement of operational capabilities and institutional structures — are interdependent. Only coordinated security sector reform can be sustainable and efficient. Delivering as one is key. We therefore welcome the close coordination on security sector reform between the Secretariat and its various units, the United Nations Development Programme and other United Nations actors. The Peacebuilding Commission also has a critical role to play. SSR has become an integral part of peacebuilding strategies for countries on its agenda. My third and last point refers to the efforts of the various international actors who work in support of security sector reform, especially the European Union (EU). The United Nations is rarely the sole partner supporting SSR. The European Security Strategy of 2003 identified security sector reform as an area for joint EU efforts. European Union support for security sector reform has been provided within the Common Security and Defence Policy framework as well as by the European Commission. In Africa in particular, there are numerous examples of close cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, such as the African Union and the European Union. We encourage such organizations to further broaden their interaction and exchange of views. SSR is a complex process in which best practices should be widely shared in order to enhance efficiency. The specific needs of women, children, the disadvantaged and victims of discrimination should always be included in the design and delivery of security.

We are pleased to welcome you today to the Council, Sir. The best guarantee of ensuring the successful execution of reforms in the areas of security and the rule of law in post-conflict countries is achieving solid peace, a broad national consensus and sustainable development. There can be no question that the conduct of security sector reform (SSR) is the sovereign right of national Governments. They have primary responsibility for the results. In this regard, Governments must define their priorities themselves, and their executive bodies must be in charge of their practical implementation. In addition, the international community’s help with security sector reform is clearly essential. However, the countries receiving such assistance must be in charge of defining the strategy and coordinating action. There can be no ready-made solutions, which often do not take into account the specifics and needs of post-conflict States. Any assistance on the part of the international community, whatever form it takes, must be provided with the agreement of the national Governments and with respect for the principles of sovereignty and political independence. The United Nations plays a central role in providing SSR assistance to post-conflict countries. Today, many preliminary tasks in the area of SSR, such as peacebuilding efforts, fall to United Nations peacekeeping operations. In accomplishing their main tasks — establishing peace and creating the conditions needed for general national dialogue and sustainable post-crisis development — United Nations peacekeepers play a critical role by establishing a climate conducive to the provision of peacebuilding assistance on a larger scale, and in particular by contributing significantly to setting up law enforcement and security institutions in countries emerging from conflict. We support the work of the Peacebuilding Commission in making recommendations for the provision of consistent international support for a number of countries emerging from conflict. The complexity of the tasks confronting States that have come through the “hot” stages of a crisis demands the formulation of a balanced strategy to resolve them, based on the interrelated issues of security, social and economic development and the protection of human rights. This requires a comprehensive approach based on unified objectives and predictable material, technical and financial support. In the area of security sector reform, regional capacities have demonstrated great effectiveness. Neighbouring countries and subregional organizations have a better understanding of sore points and can propose effective remedies. Africa, which is represented at the head of today’s Council meeting, is a clear example of such regional cooperation. In this context, we support the activity of African States in the area of SSR. We believe that, first and foremost through the frameworks of the African Union and their subregional organizations, they bear primary responsibility for directing the settlement of conflicts and post-conflict peacebuilding, and that the international community should support these efforts, which aim not only to resolve regional crises but also to address problems related to social and economic development and humanitarian issues. Russia is an active participant in such efforts, including those involving international financial institutions, United Nations specialized agencies and other initiatives. We are grateful to the Nigerian delegation for coordinating the drafting of the presidential statement, and we support its adoption.

I welcome your presence in the Chamber, Sir, as well as that of Her Excellency Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs of India. I would also like to thank the Under-Secretary-General for his briefing. Allow me to emphasize that security sector reform is one of the essential elements of any stabilization and reconstruction effort in a post-conflict situation. Strengthening security sector reform and security forces requires strong commitment and cooperation among the Government and international stakeholders. However, national ownership and leadership in that process is essential. The role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Peacebuilding Fund in security sector reform is important, and providing assistance to national authorities to define a credible security reform strategy contributes to the accountability of the security sector and enhances the professionalism of national security structures. Security sector reform must be included within a broader nationally led peacebuilding framework and strategy. The lessons learned, the specificities of each country and the conditions on the ground must be taken into account. Cooperation with regional and subregional organizations is necessary. It is also important to emphasize sector-wide and context-driven approaches in governance, economic policy and efforts to enhance rule of law and strengthen the security sector. Security sector reform is also an integral part of multidimensional peacekeeping operations and special political missions. Very often, it is a crucial component of the exit strategy of United Nations peacekeeping operations. The regular reports of Council-mandated missions must better reflect the assessments of institution-building processes. That will contribute to determining existing capacity gaps that require streamlining of immediate or long-term support from the United Nations and the international community as a whole. Rebuilding and strengthening State institutions in the area of rule of law is a basic precondition for a stable and secure environment, development and better protection of human rights and individual freedoms. Therefore, security sector reform must be carefully implemented as part of a broader framework for conflict prevention and development. A common framework and a coherent system-wide approach are necessary to reinforce the ability to provide consistent, well-coordinated and relevant advice for security sector reform in peacekeeping or peacebuilding. The role of the United Nations is to assist countries in building capacity to deliver enduring security through effective and resilient institutions. The countries concerned must determine the approach and priorities for security sector reform. Factors that greatly contribute to the success of that process are, first and foremost, political will and consensus of domestic stakeholders, as well as extensive consultations, involvement of relevant domestic and international stakeholders, proper and well-executed strategies, coherence, good timing and long-term, predictable and sustained support. Moreover, the success of security sector reform relies on national ownership, the quality of dialogue with recipient countries, the adaptability of tools for security sector reform, good coordination among relevant national and international partners, sensitivity to gender issues and involvement of civil society. None of these factors can be neglected, because only a combination of those elements can lead to the success and sustainability of security sector reform.

Let me acknowledge your presence here today, Mr. President, as you chair our meeting. I wish to congratulate Nigeria for taking the initiative to promote a debate on such an important element of post-conflict peacebuilding. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous for his presentation. Allow me to make some comments on Portugal’s perspective concerning security sector reform (SSR), based on our own experience in cooperating in peacebuilding efforts in several countries. First, we see the reform of security institutions as part of a broader process of reconstruction, and in the framework of national dialogue. That broader scope must also involve social and economic development, protection of human rights and consolidation of Government structures, aimed in the end at promoting human security in a broad perspective and through effective citizenship. Ignoring the interlinkage among those various aspects usually undermines the reconstruction efforts of national and international actors and increases the risk of relapse into conflict. In that respect, the work of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in linking the different elements of peacebuilding, including SSR, is a good practice that should be recognized and encouraged. Secondly, the number of international actors involved in SSR support initiatives has grown considerably in recent years. The involvement of African regional and subregional organizations, as well as of individual African countries, in initiatives aimed at supporting SSR — for instance, the training of police in Somalia by the African Union Mission in Somalia — is a very positive example of such a trend. Likewise, I would underline the role of the European Union in providing support to security sector reform in several African countries, as well as initiatives of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries in support of SSR in some of its member countries. As the number of actors providing international assistance to SSR increases, we should guarantee that there is effective coordination among them, mainly to avoid duplication. Also in that respect, the PBC has contributed to ensuring a degree of articulation and identifying and promoting synergies among various initiatives. It is also important that the United Nations maintain a leading role in the coordination of international efforts. A third aspect that I wish to underline is that security sector reform is a long-term process based on national strategies and on the political will of the authorities to sustain the new institutions over the long run. But implementation of reform cannot be achieved without the necessary resources. We should be very clear about that point. In many situations, SSR strategies will stall if they are not properly matched by the active engagement of the international community. In those situations, it will prove very hard for countries to individually undertake what is necessarily a difficult process. We could mention here the case of Guinea- Bissau, where the authorities have committed themselves to an SSR strategy that requires the commitment of international partners in the implementation of key aspects of the strategy. Fourthly, let me refer to the great importance of the promotion of justice as a cornerstone of SSR. While the military and the police are crucial for peace consolidation, one should not overlook the decisive importance of a functional and effective judicial system as a central element for ensuring respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, the fight against impunity and the development of a functioning economy. Investment in SSR is also a fundamental measure to tackle organized crime, in particular trafficking in arms and drugs, which is a great challenge in some of the countries emerging from conflict in Africa. As Portugal has repeatedly stated, fighting organized crime requires strong national security intuitions. But it also requires enhanced regional cooperation, mainly to ensure that success in one individual country does not create additional risks for neighbouring States. Finally, we should bear in mind that security sector reform is usually part of a reconciliation process in societies divided by recent conflict dynamics. Often it involves searching for national consensus on the foundations of the State, including on constitutional reform. International support to SSR should, to the extent possible, promote an inclusive approach to the creation of new institutions by bringing to the fore perspectives of the various groups and communities that may contribute to the process, including women. Such an effort will certainly enhance the legitimacy of institutions as well as the resilience of post-conflict societies.

You honour us, Mr. President, with your presence in the Council today. I congratulate your delegation for convening this debate and express our appreciation for the useful concept note on security sector reform (SSR) (S/2011/627, annex). I am grateful to Under-Secretary- General Ladsous for his briefing. I wish to acknowledge the presence among us today of a high-level delegation of members of the Brazilian Congress. Brazil has supported security sector reform in countries in many different regions, such as Haiti, Guinea-Bissau and Timor-Leste, both bilaterally and through organizations such as the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries. Those experiences have made clear that for security sector reform to be successful, it must be nationally owned and tailored to the specific circumstances of each country. Focusing on the technical aspects of security sector reform is not enough. It requires nurturing political will for SSR in the Government, in civil society and in the security forces. Ensuring that security sector reform is an integral part of broader peacekeeping efforts is also crucial, especially bearing in mind the importance of reintegrating former combatants into civilian life. Brazil believes that security sector reform must be firmly integrated into the wider rule of law framework. We must focus on improving the coordination and integration of system-wide efforts on rule of law, both on the ground and at Headquarters. We welcome the steps taken to strengthen support for SSR by United Nations field missions. With regard to the roster of SSR experts, we reiterate the importance of its adequately representing the capacities existent in all regions. Given the focus of today’s debate on SSR in Africa, I would like to briefly discuss the case of Guinea-Bissau, in which Brazil is involved as Chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, through the Community of Portuguese- speaking Countries (CPLP) and bilateral cooperation. Security sector reform has received particular attention from the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. It is one of the priority areas of the strategic framework for peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau. Support to security sector reform in Guinea-Bissau has galvanized a number of bilateral and regional partners. Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, for instance, supported by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and CPLP, held an SSR roundtable in Praia in April 2009. More recently, the ECOWAS/CPLP road map on SSR has provided a platform to support governmental efforts within a wider cooperation framework. The Government of Guinea-Bissau has consistently underlined that reforming the security sector is one its highest priorities, given its potential contribution to sustainable peace and development in that country. It has demonstrated its concrete commitment to SSR by depositing an initial contribution to the pension fund for the armed forces and security forces personnel to be demobilized and by taking administrative measures to make the fund operational. The immediate implementation of the fund, which now depends on the disbursement of resources pledged by the international partners, could boost the efforts to transform the security sector in Guinea- Bissau and turn it into a professional institution, supportive of the consolidation of peace and long-term stability of the country. Guinea-Bissau and the international community must seize this opportunity. Losing momentum could delay the entire SSR effort. In Guinea-Bissau, we are working to ensure that national ownership, international cooperation and United Nations assistance can come together to support security sector reform. Political will, adequate and predictable funding, and the integration of security and development efforts are indispensable to moving the process forward. In Guinea-Bissau, as in many other countries, we hope that these elements will allow for the emergence of effective and accountable security sectors dedicated to safeguarding peace, development and human rights.

I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this debate and I welcome this momentum, begun in West Africa and beneficial to the entire continent. Security issues are among the major challenges to the building or rebuilding of a State if it is to be sustainable and respect the rule of law. Security sector reform (SSR) is therefore a useful tool both for peacebuilding and for conflict prevention in Africa. It promotes governance that respects democratic values and human rights. It also makes possible an environment conducive to reconstruction and development. SSR is particularly necessary for countries emerging from crisis. It involves the guaranteed payment of wages, return to barracks, setting up an effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programme, and helping demobilized combatants through reintegration or retirement plans. It also entails establishing a judicial system that holds security forces accountable for violations of human rights or international humanitarian law. The Security Council has integrated SSR into many of the mandates it has given to peacekeeping operation in Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, support for SSR is one of the highest priorities of the mandate of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire, reconfigured by resolution 2000 (2011) in July. The challenge is considerable there, because we must help two armies to merge and to train and equip itself. Success in that endeavour will be a critical factor for long-term peace in Côte d’Ivoire. To be successful, SSR absolutely requires national ownership and strong political will. A political reform by its very nature, SSR cannot be imposed from the outside, but rather depends on strong national commitment. It requires an inclusive national dialogue. The international community can facilitate, encourage and provide follow-up to the process, but it cannot replace the partner State, national actors or civil society. The international community has been involved in SSR in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the year 2000. It is crucial that the Congolese Government prioritize its needs, adopt and formulate texts that define reform, and then implement them. The United Nations has a role to play in encouraging national ownership of SSR. The transfer of security responsibilities from a peacekeeping mission to national authorities is a complex process. As Liberia prepares to solidify its democratic roots with the presidential election of 11 October, we must make sure that the Government actively engages in SSR, especially in forming a police force, as the United Nations Mission in Liberia progressively draws down. The international community must continue its support for SSR in Africa. We must place greater emphasis on the intimate link between SSR and DDR programmes. Too often, the failure of SSR is a result of incomplete or poorly managed DDR programmes undermining the implementation of SSR. Bitter social divisions that result from the impunity of security forces or the lack of reconciliation mechanisms are also risk factors. More broadly, SSR programmes must also address the fundamental question of people’s will to live together — an especially acute problem in post-conflict situations. In Libya, the new authorities have grasped this very well and have asked for United Nations assistance with SSR. It is our collective responsibility to support them in restoring order and ensuring respect for the rule of law. Lastly, SSR programmes require funding that is lasting and diversified. Bilateral support, the Peacebuilding Fund and international organizations such as the World Bank must all be solicited for funds. The European Union (EU), for its part, has been a major presence in this sector in Africa for years. In Somalia, in close cooperation with the African Union Mission in Somalia, the European Union has been training the security forces of the Transitional Federal Government. It has also intervened in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through its mission to provide advice and assistance for security reform and its Police Mission In Kinshasa, to promote military and police reform in that country. The European Union is also active throughout the continent through the EURORECAMP programme, which helps the African Union to train its standby forces. In a national capacity, France supports SSR training, mainly through the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces. It has also deployed many experts to various European operations in Africa and on other continents. France calls for a civic service to aid development that, with the support of armed forces, would facilitate the reintegration of young volunteers into civilian life with specific professional training. Such a development assistance service would be a concrete response to problems of demobilization and reintegration in the aftermath of conflicts.

At the outset, we would like to welcome you, Mr. President, and to express our appreciation to your country for organizing this important debate. We would also like to extend our thanks to Under-Secretary-General Mr. Hervé Ladsous for his important introductory remarks. Lebanon aligns itself with the statement to be made by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In many post-conflict countries, including the majority of countries on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, all of which are in Africa, security sector reform is a foremost priority for peacebuilding. Today, the international community perceives security sector reform within the broader framework of peace consolidation and institution- building for countries emerging from conflict, as the link between security sector reform and socio- economic development is clearer than ever. In that regard, security sector reform should be considered within the broad framework of the rule of law and as part of a political process that is linked to other peacebuilding objectives and anchored in national ownership. At the same time, international assistance for security sector reform must be conceived and implemented within a long-term and sustainable effort. All those notions are at the heart of the draft presidential statement that we will adopt today, which Lebanon fully supports. To that end, we see the need for more integrated planning and implementation of United Nations mandates across the entire peacebuilding continuum, starting with mediation, passing through disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, and moving towards rule of law assistance, the empowerment of youth and women and socio-economic recovery. Security sector reform is influenced by the progress in all such processes over time. Its success will be largely determined by the ability to respond to context-specific demands and critical political hurdles and to address resource gaps. The role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund is critical, not least to encourage a more coherent and coordinated approach to those mutually reinforcing processes in the countries concerned. Also, the role of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations is important in further strengthening a comprehensive United Nations approach to security sector reform. We need to recognize that security sector reform is a national process that is likely to see gradual transformation in the capacity of the State and in the perception of security institutions in the societies concerned. Thus, the notion of national ownership is not simply a slogan, but also a crucial element in countries emerging from conflict. Security sector reform assistance, whether undertaken bilaterally or within United Nations missions and regional frameworks, must be envisaged in close coordination with the Government and the widest possible segments of society, including women and national civil society actors. In that context, the specific needs of girls and women in all security sector reform processes must be taken into account by supporting gender-sensitive police, army and justice reform and training, and by including women in those processes. The outcome of a capacity and needs assessment of national actors should guide the planning and implementation of security sector reform assistance, with emphasis on capacity development. The ability of the country concerned to own its own security sector reform must become a priority for the Council’s mandates. In that regard, the Nigerian presidency rightly emphasizes South-South cooperation and the evolving capacity of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States in support of security sector reform in Africa (see S/2011/627, annex).

I would like to begin this statement by congratulating you, Mr. President, and your delegation on having convened and on presiding over this important debate on the prospects and challenges that security sector reform faces in Africa. I would also like to express my gratitude for the briefing given by Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary- General for Peacekeeping Operations. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome him and to wish him every success in his duties. Security sector reform is one of the crucial aspects of peacebuilding and the stability of countries emerging from a conflict. We are called on to analyse the many dimensions determining the success of any strategy to achieve an institutional framework that provides security and guarantees the enjoyment of citizens’ rights. My delegation believes that we should begin by recognizing a fundamental principle — that initiatives to reform the security sector are part of broader objectives, such as strengthening the rule of law, respect and promotion of human rights, and the establishment of conditions conducive to a country’s economic development. The scope of such tasks certainly requires long- term work and commitment, in which all relevant actors assume their responsibilities and activities with a view to gradually achieving viable and realistic goals. The political leadership of the national authorities and the sustained and predictable support of the international community are also needed in order to implement the reforms. Security Council activities in security sector reform are limited to the specific cases on its agenda. Such experiences have taught us various lessons, among which I wish to mention the following. The first lesson is the important role played by peacekeeping operations and special missions in supporting the achievement of national objectives leading to security sector reform. The second lesson is the need to provide adequate tools and resources in order to achieve the outcomes established in the mandates. Thirdly, activities of the peacekeeping operations must include sustainable and long-term goals; and fourthly, dialogue, consultation and coordination with the national authorities on the development and implementation of the priorities set by the national authorities must be improved in order to achieve effective and appropriate security sector reform. Given that there are clear links between security sector reform, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, the rule of law and economic development, this debate should aim to move forward the ongoing dialogue and coordinated work of the bodies and agencies of the United Nations system connected with the topic, within the context of their respective responsibilities and mandates. The General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission are bodies called on to play a central role in defining the conceptual and legal frameworks, under which the Organization can work comprehensively on all aspects of security sector reform and in harnessing resources and strengthening ongoing and constructive dialogue with the national authorities in order to define common proposals and objectives. National ownership is certainly the linchpin and guiding principle on which all activities that the Organization, in general, and the Security Council in particular, undertake on security sector reform must be based. As the Council has said on many occasions, security sector reform is a sovereign right and the primary responsibility to determine the modality and national priorities in that regard falls to the State concerned. In implementing the principle of national ownership, there must be a social dialogue, channelled through the national legal and institutional machinery, which provides the overall framework and sets the priorities and objectives on which State authorities can base the reforms that they believe relevant. It must be underscored that democratic values, principles and methods are part of the tools on which the legitimacy and viability of any reform is built. Likewise, for successful security sector reform processes, it must be acknowledged that respect for the law, monopoly of the use of force by the legitimate authorities, and subordination of the security apparatus to the civil authorities are decisive factors in States achieving stability and a sustainable peace. No formulas can be applied to every case. The institutional and legal security arrangements must be in line with the conditions and particularities of each situation. That is one of the reasons that explains the importance of the principle of national ownership, given the fact that historical, cultural, social and economic contexts determine the forms and the scope of the institutions in charge of providing security in States that are emerging from conflict. They also justify national ownership of the process. It is up to every national authority, as a legitimate representative of its society, to determine the scope, the means, the forms and the sectors upon which the support of the international community will be required. Furthermore, national efforts will fall short if the international community does not have sufficient tools to help in this effort through measures that promote transparency in decision-making and strengthening the fight against terrorism, transnational organized crime and illicit arms trafficking. In the final analysis, assistance must be provided with a view to improving the capabilities of national institutions in each of the stages of security sector reform, helping to find the mechanisms and approaches that are adapted to the special conditions of every situation, without imposing areas or conditions that would be counter-productive for the national leadership of the process to establish and build peace in the long term.

I welcome you to the Security Council, Mr. President, and thank you for convening this timely debate and giving it added significance by presiding over in person. The United Kingdom welcomes the opportunity to discuss security sector reform (SSR) in Africa. History has taught us that we cannot build stable and prosperous societies without functioning security and justice systems. Effective and accountable security systems and access to justice make people feel safe in their daily lives. When people feel safe, local entrepreneurs will start businesses, children will go to school and socio-economic development can take root. I would like to focus my intervention on two themes — first, on the need to ensure national ownership and citizen engagement in SSR processes, and secondly, on the importance of linking SSR to the broader peacebuilding and rule of law agenda. First, with regard to the importance of national ownership, the international community has learned that the most effective approach to SSR is to ensure that national authorities lead, own and drive reform efforts. International partners have a role to play in supporting the process, providing advice and often resources, but political leadership must come from the recipient country. The political leadership must be accompanied by the will to advance the necessary and sometimes difficult reforms in the security sector. That is particularly important when, as is often the case, reforms are inextricably linked to wider political or peace processes. While Governments have the central role to play, SSR activities must be extended to include the broader population. An effective approach to SSR will ensure that the needs of ordinary citizens, including women and girls, are at the forefront. In some countries, the army or the police are the main face of the State for many citizens. Their behaviour and responsiveness to citizens’ needs can therefore have a disproportionate impact on perceptions of State legitimacy. It is essential that international partners support reform in ways that focus on those aspects of security and justice that matter most to ordinary people, and which promote, rather than undermine, human rights. That is the only way to ensure that legitimate and accountable security systems are developed. Secondly, SSR cannot be considered in isolation. We must situate this debate on SSR in the context of international efforts to help countries build peace and strengthen the rule of law. Security, justice and economic issues are all linked. SSR efforts must be embedded in broader peacebuilding strategies that include expertise from the military, political and development communities. Evidence shows that we have not yet gotten the balance right. It is often difficult for countries to obtain assistance to develop their police forces or their judiciaries. When international support is provided for police training, it is often not sufficiently linked to the improvement of justice systems. We must all strive for a more coherent and better coordinated international response. United Nations peacekeeping operations are a part, but just one part, of a better coordinated international response. We of course agree with Her Excellency the Indian Minister of State that peacekeeping operations should not be drawn down prematurely in a way that jeopardizes stability, nor should they be given tasks for which they are not qualified or resourced. That principle includes not allocating to peacekeeping operations tasks that are more effectively and sustainably performed by others. The United Nations has a critical role to play alongside other multilateral partners, such as the European Union and regional and subregional organizations, such as the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. We know that coordinated action can undermine both national ownership and holistic approaches. We must continue to support the efforts of the United Nations to respond in the immediate aftermath of conflict, and in particular to ensure that SSR activities are linked to justice, rule of law and broader peacebuilding activities. The United Nations has made some progress on delivering a more joined-up approach to peacebuilding, but more needs to be done to bring together the political, humanitarian, development and security systems of the United Nations to enable effective support to national reform efforts.

My delegation wishes to commend Nigeria for organizing this important open debate. We align ourselves with the statement to be delivered later today by the Permanent Representative of Egypt, who will speak on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We are particularly pleased, Mr. President, that this debate is being presided over by your good self, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, whom we welcome to the Council. Nigeria, together with South Africa, co-hosted the High-level Forum on African Perspectives on Security Sector Reform, held on 14 May 2010, the outcome of which was submitted to the Secretary-General. We thank the Under-Secretary-General Ladsous for his briefing to the Council and for apprising us on the work being done by the Secretariat on security sector reform (SSR). Given our own history, South Africa attaches great importance to SSR, as the reform and transformation of our security sector was both a constitutional and political objective. South Africa’s approach to security sector reform is a holistic one aimed at creating effective and accountable security institutions, which are absolutely essential for the building of sustainable peace, development, reconciliation and the culture of human rights. South Africa believes that building accountable and democratic security institutions is important in countering the potential destabilizing effect that unregulated security forces might play in the political life of any country. The role of the United Nations in working with national Governments in strengthening SSR is therefore crucial in the area of conflict prevention. The legitimacy and global character of the United Nations gives it a particular responsibility to facilitate a coordinated approach to SSR. The assumptions and principles on the role of the United Nations in SSR contained in the Secretary- General’s 2008 report (S/2008/39) remain valid today. We also recognize the important role United Nations peacekeeping missions play in SSR where peacekeeping missions have become increasingly multidimensional. The importance of SSR has also been recognized as an important element for peacebuilding. We have seen the increasing involvement of the Peacebuilding Commission in this regard. South Africa recognizes the importance of close partnerships between the United Nations in particular and regional, subregional organizations and other intergovernmental organizations, including the international financial institutions, in the area of SSR. The multiplicity of actors involved requires greater coordination among donors to facilitate synergy and avoid duplication. At the regional level, the African Union (AU) is in the process of developing a policy framework document for SSR that refocuses emphasis from military security to human security by defending and protecting all citizens from all forms of violence and insecurity, including gender-based violence. The rationale and scope of this policy framework stresses the importance of African ownership in the SSR process. The many externally generated narratives on SSR do not fully address African approaches, as it is preferable to refer to African-originated references. The policy framework has been adopted in principle and will be presented to the AU Assembly during the AU summit in 2012. The experience of SSR on the African continent indicates that SSR is not an event but a process that requires continuous attention and political will. Throughout our involvement in security sector reform in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and in our own experiences in South Africa, it has become clear that each country faces its own unique challenges, and therefore, whatever approach is adopted has to be context- specific. We have also learned from those experiences that SSR can only be sustainable if the principle of local ownership is upheld. There can therefore be no one- size-fits-all solution to security sector reform. The international community should therefore work in close collaboration with countries emerging from conflict, including in recognizing the important role that women and vulnerable groups can play as agents of change. In conclusion, as we have said, the legitimacy and global character of the United Nations gives it a particular responsibility to facilitate a coordinated approach to SSR based on the principle of national ownership. Fundamental in the assistance and expertise that the United Nations can provide is the cooperation and consent of the States involved. Additionally, the strategic partnership developed between the United Nations and the African Union on SSR is an illustration of an important role that the United Nations can play in advancing SSR on the African continent. We hope that the discussion here today will move us a step closer towards further enhancing and coordinating our approaches to SSR. South Africa supports the draft presidential statement that will be adopted later today.

Security sector reform (SSR) is crucial in many African countries that are continuing to strengthen a fragile peace. In welcoming its Minister for Foreign Affairs, I would also like to thank the delegation of Nigeria for having organized this debate. We also commend Nigeria’s efforts in presiding over our debate. And we would like to thank Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his briefing. Given the convergence of views around the table, Gabon would like in advance to welcome the draft presidential statement to be adopted briefly. Peacebuilding through security sector reform should help countries emerging from conflict avoid a relapse into conflict. In order to better address SSR challenges, we believe there is a need both to adopt a comprehensive approach and to better integrate the role of host countries in such efforts. Such an approach must of course be based on existing links between conflict prevention, peacebuilding and peacekeeping, and the socio-economic development of a country emerging from conflict. In order to ensure lasting peace and stability, security sector reform must include strengthening the capacities of a country’s security institutions. Security sector reform efforts could help to restore confidence among belligerent parties, rectify negative linkages between armies and political actors and avert a security vacuum that could expose people to violence and abuse by remnants of armed groups. Security sector reform often raises the issue of the role of peacekeeping operations. We are well aware that such operations cannot go on indefinitely in a country in crisis or emerging from one. However, stability cannot be ensured following the end of a peacekeeping operation unless the host country is able to ensure the security of its people. We therefore think that the issue of SSR should be addressed quite soon after the deployment of a mission. Efforts at establishing and strengthening peace could be undermined if this matter is not well taken into account from the beginning, and if SSR implementation is not effectively supported. The hasty withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad and the ensuring security situation in Central Africa corroborates that view. The Central African Republic is today facing the resurgence of violence on the part of armed groups, such as the Convention of Patriots for Justice and Peace and the Lord’s Resistance Army. Central African security forces have little capacity to protect populations from the violence perpetrated by such groups. We welcome the establishment of the Security Institutions Unit within the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic. Our hope is that the Unit will focus on reforming the country’s security institutions. A coherent approach to SSR also means that the various stakeholders active on security sector reform in Africa should work in concert cooperatively. In that regard, we commend the existing cooperation between the United Nations, the African Union and the subregional organizations on the continent. We of course hope that the support provided to the African Union to develop its approach to SSR will continue. An effective approach also involves synergy with other stakeholders, such as the Peacebuilding Commission, the Peacebuilding Support Fund and major international donors. It will be difficult for security sector reform efforts to achieve their goals if programmes are not supported with sufficient financial resources. The role played by the Peacebuilding Support Fund, whether with regard to countries on the Commission’s agenda or those not yet under its consideration, deserves to be commended. The host country has a crucial role in security sector reform, over which it should have ownership. Against that backdrop, reform is above all a political issue. It is through political agreement that a country should set reform priorities and set out a new vision for its security forces. Such a vision should be the outcome of the broadest possible national political dialogue as part of the peacebuilding process. The international community should act solely in support of the efforts of the host Government. In that regard, we would like to commend the exemplary efforts of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo aimed at strengthening strategic coherence in the security sector reform with the Congolese Government and its international partners. In order to be sustainable, SSR must also make it possible to transform relations between political stakeholders, security institutions, civil society and the general population in a manner that a new security culture replaces the one that prevailed during the crisis. This is therefore a question of nurturing a new civilian- military relationship that can help to restore confidence throughout the entire society. It is also important to ensure the participation of all members of society, including women. They should be better represented in security institutions and their rights should be properly respected. In that connection, the efforts by the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea- Bissau to integrate women into that country’s police and military institutions should be continued and supported. The same is the case with human rights and gender training provided to military staff. Lastly, it is important the we pay attention to potential problems, especially the thorny issue of impunity and meting out justice to security forces responsible for violence and abuse against civilians. In conclusion, Gabon continues to be convinced that strengthening the effectiveness of security sector reform is crucial to ensuring a lasting impact by the international community with regard to peacebuilding in a country emerging from conflict.

Following consultations among Council members, I have been authorized to make the following statement on their behalf: “The Security Council recalls the statements by its President of 21 February 2007 (S/PRST/2007/3) and 12 May 2008 (S/PRST/2008/14), and the report of the Secretary-General entitled ‘Securing peace and development: the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform’, of 23 January 2008 (S/2008/39), and emphasizes that the establishment of an effective, professional and accountable security sector is the cornerstone of peace and sustainable development. Equally, security sector reform (SSR) underscores that effectiveness, accountability and good governance are mutually reinforcing elements of security. “The Security Council notes that the bulk of the international community’s assistance in the area of security sector reform takes place in and is directed to countries in Africa. At the same time, a number of African countries are becoming important providers of such assistance. The Security Council welcomes this intra-African collaboration and emphasizes that there is a need to expand the consideration given to African perspectives on security sector reform. This includes enhancing cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, as well as sharing knowledge and experience with women and members of civil society. Focusing security sector reform efforts on the needs and priorities of populations in post-conflict countries will considerably enhance the legitimacy, viability and sustainability of such support. “The Security Council recognizes that security sector reform is a long-term process and reiterates the sovereign right and primary responsibility of the country concerned to determine its national approach and priorities for security sector reform. It should be a nationally owned process that is rooted in the particular needs and conditions of the country in question. The successful coordination of security sector reform efforts must be based on national consensus and driven by political leadership and political will to progress reform. In this regard, the Security Council underlines the responsibility of States to coordinate security sector reform support, including, but not limited to, establishing a strategic vision and the parameters for reform, identifying gaps and needs, prioritizing areas for technical support, and avoiding duplication of donor efforts. “The Security Council encourages reforming States, while taking into account their capacity constraints, to strive to allocate national resources to security sector reform efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability and viability of such reform. In this context, the Security Council emphasizes the importance of improving women’s participation in discussions pertinent to prevention and resolution of conflict, the maintenance of peace and security and encourages women to participate in the national armed and security forces in accordance with relevant international law. In this regard, the Security Council encourages the development of a security sector that is accessible and responsive to all, including women and other vulnerable groups. “The Security Council recognizes the importance of regional frameworks as a foundation for multilateral security sector reform efforts. In this regard, the Security Council welcomes the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union in developing a continental security sector reform policy framework for its implementation. The Security Council encourages other regions to consider establishing such partnerships in order to better facilitate the exchange of lessons learned and best practices, as well as develop regional frameworks for security sector reform support, reflecting the participation of regional and subregional organizations. The Security Council also recognizes the support provided by bilateral actors, as well as regional actors, including the European Union, to security sector reform efforts in Africa and other initiatives in the area of security sector reform in Africa carried out by organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries. “The Security Council recalls its previous presidential statements concerning the need for early and adequate support in priority areas of peacebuilding, including reform of the security sector, as well as the importance of security sector reform programmes for conflict prevention. In light of ongoing conflict in Africa, the Security Council reiterates the link between security sector reform and socio-economic development, and underlines that such reform efforts should be situated within the broader and more comprehensive spectrum of peacebuilding. In this regard, the Security Council emphasizes the important role of the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund in supporting SSR, including in African countries. The Security Council encourages the Peacebuilding Commission to continue to promote coordination among and between the national and external actors involved in security sector reform in the countries on its agenda. “The Security Council underlines that United Nations support to security sector reform must take place within a broad framework of the rule of law and should contribute to the overall strengthening of the United Nations rule of law activities as well as wider reconstruction and development efforts. This will require continued coordination with relevant United Nations actors to ensure an increasingly coherent approach. In this context, the Security Council stresses the need for security sector reform efforts to be cognizant of the issue of impunity. “The Security Council notes that peacekeeping has evolved significantly over the past decades from primarily monitoring ceasefires to complex multidimensional operations which seek to undertake peacebuilding tasks and underlying causes of conflict. In this regard, the Security Council notes that an increasing number of peacekeeping and special political missions are mandated to support national security sector reform programmes, including those in Africa, through strategic assistance to develop security sector frameworks and capacity-building of the security and law enforcement institutions in key areas, including training in human rights, child protection and protection from sexual and gender-based violence. The Security Council stresses the need to continue to include, as appropriate, security sector reform aspects as an integral part of planning of United Nations operations. “The Security Council recognizes the important role that the United Nations has played in supporting national efforts to build sustainable security institutions, and commends the efforts of the United Nations, in particular the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, including the Security Sector Reform Unit and the United Nations inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force, in further strengthening a comprehensive United Nations approach to security sector reform, through the development of guidance and civilian capacities, coordination mechanisms and collaboration with regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African Union. “The Security Council requests the Secretary-General to submit, by early 2013, an assessment of the United Nations support for SSR, including those efforts in Africa, and make recommendations on how best to strengthen the United Nations comprehensive approach to SSR, taking into account the linkages between United Nations assistance and conflict prevention and peacebuilding, and also taking into consideration the views of relevant United Nations organs and actors.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2011/19. I now give the floor to Mr. António. Mr. António: We fully appreciate the participation of Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Minister of State for External Affairs of India. We also recognize the presence within the Brazilian delegation of high-level parliamentarians from Brazil. Let me start by congratulating you, Sir, on your country’s accession to the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. The history of your country bears eloquent testimony to its sustained support and commitment to the search for peace and security on the African continent, in particular in questions regarding peacekeeping operations. I also thank Mr. Hervé Ladsous for his very useful briefing, and reiterate the readiness of the African Union (AU) to continue to collaborate with him in his endeavours. Our participation in this timely and important debate should first be viewed in the context of the African Union’s evolving role in addressing the challenges of peace and security on the continent, consistent with the principles and objectives of the AU Constitutive Act and the Protocol relating to the Establishment of the AU Peace and Security Council. Secondly, I wish to announce that — as you have already mentioned, Sir — the African Union has embarked on steps to institutionalize an African continental policy framework on security sector reform (SSR), which will be considered with a view to adoption by the AU Assembly of Heads of State at the next Summit, scheduled to be held in Addis Ababa in January 2012. Obviously, the AU would be happy to share the content of this framework once it is adopted by the Assembly. The framework document is a major milestone in implementation of the mandate given by the January 2008 decision of the AU Assembly for the development of a continental policy framework on security sector reform. The 2008 Assembly decision was informed by the outcome of a United Nations international workshop on security sector reform held in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 2007 and sponsored by the Government of South Africa, in collaboration with the Government of Slovakia. The adoption in 2006 of the AU post-conflict reconstruction and development policy was a turning point in the African Union’s involvement in security sector reform. Among other things, the post-conflict reconstruction and development policy calls for the re-establishment and strengthening of the capacity of African security institutions to pursue the transformation of the organs of State, especially those relating to security and justice. Another important breakthrough in the development of the draft AU policy framework on security sector reform was the convening of a workshop in Addis Ababa from 23 to 25 March 2009, co-hosted by the African Union and the United Nations, which brought together SSR experts from the AU, the United Nations, regional economic communities, the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and representatives of partners, making it possible for the draft AU policy framework on SSR to be endorsed by experts from AU member States in May 2011. Significant outcomes of the workshop held in March 2009 were, inter alia, the development of a road map for the AU SSR policy process and an agreement on strategic partnership on security sector reform entered into by the AU and the United Nations. This partnership is essential to a coherent and coordinated global approach, drawing inspiration from existing AU-United Nations partnerships in the areas of conflict prevention and peacebuilding. I wish to mention at this juncture that the AU SSR policy formulation process would not have reached this stage without the strong support of AU partners, particularly the role played by the United Nations at the very inception through its Office of the Rule of Law and Security Institutions, as well as the SSR unit within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. The range of assistance includes fundraising for various SSR activities, for which we remain grateful to the United Nations as we look forward to its continued support, especially now that the African Union is moving from policy formulation to implementation of SSR activities by AU member States, with a primary focus on the principle of national ownership and leadership. The African Union has also developed a strong SSR working relationship with the African Security Sector Network. Both the AU and the United Nations continue to rely on the expertise of the African Security Sector Network in the implementation of the AU-United Nations strategic partnership on SSR — a role which the ASSN has performed extremely well. The African Union wishes to also express its gratitude to the European Union for providing the initial funding for the AU SSR activities and for the anticipated broader funding. Our gratitude is equally extended to the Government of Norway for SSR training and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in support of Member States meetings on SSR. In closing, I wish to underscore that the AU continues to consider peace and security to be necessary preconditions for sustainable development through regional integration. We therefore invite the United Nations and all partners to ensure that a regional perspective is brought to bear in strategic partnerships on security sector reform with Africa’s regional economic communities playing a key role, as many speakers have already mentioned. We therefore support the regional arrangements that are the focus of the presidential statement adopted at this meeting (S/PRST/2011/19), whose contents the African Union welcomes with high appreciation.

I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Allow me at the outset to congratulate you, Sir, on your choice of security sector reform as the topic of today’s thematic debate and for your stress on prospects and challenges in Africa. We trust that today’s discussion will give us a better understanding of that complex process and of the important support role played by the United Nations in post-conflict countries. I thank Mr. Hervé Ladsous for his very clear and enlightening briefing, and wish him every success in his difficult and lofty mission. I also endorse the statement to be made by the representative of Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. When mandated by the Council, security sector reform is a critical process in the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. The establishment of a security sector that is professional, effective and responsible is crucial to laying the foundations of peace, sustainable development and economic recovery. The key principle in security sector reform that has been underscored by most if not all of those who have spoken before me is national ownership. Security sector reform is the primary responsibility of the State. The role of the United Nations is to provide support to national authorities in its implementation. Every country should have ownership of the security sector reform process. At the request of the host country, the United Nations should provide security sector reform assistance through a peacekeeping mission. That assistance should be adapted to the particular circumstances and needs of each country. Reforms cannot be effective without the leadership of the authorities of the country hosting a peacekeeping mission. That leadership role first comes into play in evaluating the security situation to ensure that the subsequent reform has a chance of success. It is essential to involve security actors so as to identify dysfunctions and take the corrective action needed for security institutions to once again function normally. That leadership then involves national authorities in the design and implementation of security sector reform programmes. Very often, security sector reforms unfortunately have been unsuccessful owing to the lack of involvement by national authorities. It is regrettable that attempts to set up security sector reform at the national level very often has not come from within a given country, but was instead recommended by external actors. This has discouraged national actors from taking part in the process. Prior to security sector reform, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process plays a crucial role in the development of inclusive security bodies that are subject to effective control by political institutions. In many situations, it has been clearly shown that the success of any such reform is closely linked to the ability to successfully complete the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process. In that respect, it is worth noting that security sector reform cannot succeed without taking into account the gender perspective. By deploying female military and police officials, peacekeeping missions can indirectly encourage host countries to include women in their security institutions. The deployment of female formed police units to peacekeeping missions in Africa has played an important role in guaranteeing women greater access to decision-making in security bodies. In Africa in particular, it has been shown that women’s involvement has proven extremely useful, and even crucial, in peacebuilding efforts. Coherence among donors is one of the key factors for the success of security sector reform. In the past, donor activities in security sector reform led to duplication owing to the lack of consultation and coordination. We are pleased to note that the experience of the country-specific configurations of the Peacebuilding Commission has made it possible to improve coherence. That has been accomplished mainly by establishing legal frameworks, such as statements of mutual commitment, which enable national authorities, donors and the United Nations to better channel aid and avoid duplication. Security sector reform must be part of a larger effort to build the rule of law. It should help to bolster United Nations actions aimed at ensuring the rule of law in peacekeeping operations without duplicating activities or structures. As an African country, Morocco has accumulated numerous years of bilateral experience with many nations, particularly in Africa, in the areas of technical assistance and the training of security forces. We continue to be willing to share our experiences and to enhance them with best practices. One of the lessons we have drawn from our own experience is not to content oneself with enhancing the operational effectiveness of security providers, but to also include justice administration system reform and, beyond that, to strengthen national capacity to handle the reform process in a framework of democratic control and monitoring in which human rights are respected. It is only by stressing effectiveness, sound management and open governance, as well as by ensuring that all of these elements are mutually reinforcing, that we will together be able to take up the challenge of security sector reform.

I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

Canada would like to thank the Nigerian presidency of the Security Council for providing this opportunity to discuss security sector reform (SSR) in the context of the African continent. For Canada, SSR is a process through which a country seeks to establish effective, accountable and representative security institutions that carry out their legitimate functions in a manner consistent with democratic norms and sound governance principles. A number of countries on the African continent continue to face forms of insecurity that damage the lives of their people. SSR is an important lens through which African States can develop strategies to transform their security sectors. On this note, allow me to make a few brief comments. Canada actively contributes to initiatives within the United Nations and has extensive experience in assisting States in their efforts to reform their security systems. Our assistance is a multifaceted, whole-of- government effort. We have engaged in activities through project financing, policy development and the deployment of personnel, including experts and advisers, working in such areas as governance, justice, policing, border management, corrections and the military. We currently contribute to related fields in several of the United Nations African missions, including the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Additionally, Canada supports strengthening the ability of the United Nations to coherently implement SSR activities across different programmes and funds. We support an in-house capacity-building initiative through the United Nations SSR Inter-Agency Task Force. That initiative is meant to assist members of the Task Force in such areas as training and technical support in the field and through the development of technical guidance notes. As a donor, Canada supports better whole-of-system coherence, in particular by working through and coordinating with the United Nations SSR Task Force. (spoke in French) Canada concurs that the Security Council should emphasize ongoing inclusion, wherever appropriate, of security sector reform in the future planning of United Nations operations in Africa. For example, as a member and Chair of a Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) configuration, Canada notes that security and related justice reform is a priority in all six of the countries on the Commission’s agenda. The PBC is developing valuable experience on the ground that can be drawn upon to help inform Security Council mandate development and United Nations system transition planning. Canada therefore concurs that assistance from international donors must be anchored by national ownership and the commitment of all involved parties. In particular, it is imperative that the political will of the reforming State buttress those initiatives. A State’s political environment must be considered when planning SSR initiatives to ensure that the milieu is conducive to reform and that efforts to support the Government and civil society will have an opportunity to succeed. (spoke in English) Finally, Canada welcomes the call for an assessment of United Nations SSR support, including the efforts being made in Africa. The assessment should specifically examine opportunities to strengthen United Nations inter-agency coordination, including the donor coordination role of the various agencies. In addition, we believe that it should examine ways to increase United Nations SSR capacity, both at Headquarters and in regional offices. In conclusion, we strongly encourage ongoing Security Council discussions concerning security sector reform capabilities. Ultimately, we are convinced that sounds SSR policies and practices will assist in promoting regional and continental peace and security for all Africa.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovakia.

I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for inviting my country to participate in today’s debate. It creates another useful opportunity to take stock of essential developments in the area of security sector reform (SSR) within the United Nations system and to discuss what more needs to be done in addressing this issue in a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated way, with special focus on African experience and needs. I would like to commend Nigeria for organizing this debate and to welcome the presidential statement adopted (S/PRST/2011/19), which we see as a highly useful contribution to the ongoing security sector work in the United Nations system. Slovakia is proud that the Security Council’s open debate organized under our presidency in February 2007 (see S/PV.5632) set the tone for advancing the security sector reform agenda, including for the milestone report of the Secretary-General in 2008 (S/2008/39), and for the creation of the institutional framework for security sector reform. Capacity-building for security sector reform within the United Nations system has come a long way since 2007. Much has been done in raising awareness about security sector reform, building the expertise and knowledge of United Nations staff both at Headquarters and in the field, advancing United Nations conceptual work on SSR, promoting integrated approaches, strengthening civilian capacities and, most importantly, providing more systematic and better- targeted assistance to national authorities in the whole array of activities related to security sector reform. Nevertheless, I would like to highlight the challenges that Member States face in preparing their personnel, whether police serving in United Nations missions, military contingents or civilian personnel who have a role to play, directly or indirectly, in supporting the reform, restructuring or transformation of justice and security institutions. There is both a guidance gap on how to transform SSR principles into practice and a capacity gap in preparing personnel for peacekeeping and peacebuilding deployments. This is a challenge that police- and troop- contributing countries need to tackle. National ownership remains the key principle of the United Nations approach to security sector reform. It is not only a moral imperative but also a pragmatic consideration, because if the design and implementation of security sector reform policies and programmes are not led by national actors, they are unlikely to be successful. That is acknowledged across the board, including by concerned donors. Right next to national ownership is the essential role of regional and subregional actors, who, with their legitimacy, expertise and capacities, can significantly contribute to achieving sustainable progress in security sector-related work on the ground. Many positive results have been achieved recently in the work that the United Nations system has done in conjunction with its regional and subregional partners in areas such as developing concepts, joint training, joint assessment missions and other areas. The United Nations has worked particularly closely in this regard with the African Union and the European Union. We strongly believe in the importance of regional and subregional approaches in the related capacity- building and coordination mechanisms. We equally believe in the need to promote bottom-up and demand- driven approaches. It is in this very context that Slovakia, together with its close partner countries in the regions and with the assistance of DCAF — the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces — organized three regional workshops with the aim of galvanizing discussions and tangible efforts on security sector reform in the most relevant regions, facilitating partnerships and enhancing coordination mechanisms. The first such regional workshop, which we organized together with South Africa in Cape Town in 2007, contributed a great deal to the process of defining the African Union’s approaches to security sector reform, as well as to enhancing the African Union-United Nations cooperation in the area of SSR. The two subsequent workshops were equally useful, one for the Latin American and the Caribbean region in Buenos Aires in 2009, and one for South East Asia in Jakarta in 2010. In fact, we have recently approached another regional partner and are considering the possibility of organizing the fourth regional workshop in another important region. Slovakia is keen to continue contributing as an honest broker to building trust, further strengthening United Nations capacities for security sector reform, enhancing coherence and coordination within the United Nations system as well as with regional and subregional actors, and promoting positive synergies, while at the same time trying to avoid duplicities. That is exactly the context that led us to initiate the creation of the United Nations Group of Friends of SSR back in 2008. That Group has since served mainly as an interface between the Member States and the United Nations system, especially the co-chairs of the inter-agency Task Force, and as such has proven to be useful. As Chair of the Group of Friends, we would like to take this opportunity to invite all interested Member States, especially the recipients of assistance in the area of security sector reform, to use this tool as a platform for sharing their lessons learned, articulating their needs and identifying the best ways to address them in a timely and efficient manner. We are ready to continue enabling such interactions and promoting enhanced cooperation. Last but not least, I would like to highlight the fact that we have recently been witnessing increased demand for assistance in the area of security sector reform, both from countries emerging from conflict and from countries undergoing democratic transitions. This presents us with new challenges and requires additional capacities. We believe it is our joint obligation to address the challenges in a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated way. I would like to invite all Member States to approach the tasks at hand in that spirit. In the same spirit, and in the context of the community of democracies, Slovakia, together with the Netherlands, is now exploring how we can best assist Tunisia to address the challenges that country has identified in the area of security sector reform. At the same time, as the current Chair of the governing board of the Geneva-based International Security Sector Advisory Team, we are committed to enabling timely and efficient reinforcement of the capacities for security sector reform of the United Nations system, both in training and in advisory work conducted in the field, especially in Africa. In conclusion, I would like to assure you, Mr. President, of our full cooperation with you and with other Council members in the area of security sector reform. It is a crucial component of the work of the United Nations in promoting peace, stability, development, the rule of law and justice in the aftermath of conflict or in periods of transition.

I now give the floor to the representative of Finland.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. I would like to begin by thanking the Nigerian presidency for organizing this debate. The last time the Council held a debate on security sector reform was in 2008 (see S/PV.5889). Now it is due time to take stock of the progress made. In order to save everybody’s valuable time, I will deliver an abbreviated version of our statement circulated in the room. We need a balanced and holistic approach to security sector reform (SSR) for it to serve the broader aim of achieving sustainable peace and development and full respect for human rights and the rule of law. There is a clear link between SSR, conflict prevention and socio-economic development. This needs to be fully understood and taken into account in international support measures and actions. The linkages between security, justice and development were highlighted in the recent United Nations and World Bank reports. Instability and political and criminal violence reoccur in circumstances where governance is weak and the rule of law and mechanisms to control corruption are neglected. Violence leads to an increased risk of conflict, not to mention its negative effects on development. All security sector reform efforts should be carried out within the overarching framework of the rule of law and good governance. We would like to commend the efforts of the Security Sector Reform Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and of the inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force. We encourage the Task Force to continue its efforts to enhance coherence. It is clear that more must be done. The United Nations recently conducted a review of international civilian capacities in which the Senior Advisory Group for the Review of International Civilian Capacities identified several capacity gaps. Security sector reform and justice sector reform ranked as the most critical ones. Security sector support encompasses complex technical challenges, in which specialized external expertise may be required to complement national capacities. Moreover, SSR goes beyond critical yet narrow exercises such as right-sizing the security services or training and equipping uniformed personnel. SSR can also mean the development of national security sector strategies and legislation or enhancing the oversight and governance of security institutions. These are inherently political processes, where the main responsibility and ownership can only lie with national Governments. National Governments have the sovereign right and primary responsibility to manage and coordinate national reform efforts and international support. A truly demand-driven approach on both sides would solve many of the coordination problems. The Senior Advisory Group for the Review of International Civilian Capacities gave concrete recommendations here too. National ownership can be fostered also through areas such as procurement, policy framework and mechanisms to manage partnerships. National ownership should not be reduced to Government ownership. Security and justice institutions are there to serve people, including those who are marginalized. Special attention should be paid to the participation of women in planning, leading and implementing security sector reforms. Women are actors and stakeholders in upholding and promoting security and the rule of law. In this regard, we would like to recall the action plan of the Secretary-General on women’s participation in peacebuilding. It offers practical suggestions, which should now be taken forward into concrete implementation in the United Nations system and be supported by Member States, regional organizations and international financial institutions. We also encourage all actors to make full use of the gender and security sector toolkit, which offers practical guidance. African countries are increasingly important providers of security sector reform assistance. It would therefore be pertinent to consider a regional approach not only to capacity-building, but also to assessments and the design and implementation of reforms. African perspectives on SSR can help in better adapting SSR tools to a particular country context, and thus contribute to the legitimacy, viability and sustainability of SSR support. The Nordic countries fully support the African Peace and Security Architecture initiative, which is aimed at enhancing the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in Africa. We also warmly welcome the ongoing efforts of the African Union to develop a policy framework on SSR in consultation with diverse stakeholders, including regional economic communities and regional mechanisms, African and international SSR experts and African civil society organizations. In conclusion, we believe that the report requested by the Council today on the United Nations approach to SSR will contribute to a more effective and coherent United Nations response to SSR. For the United Nations to continue to provide comprehensive support in this vital area, we must all ensure it receives adequate support.

I now give the floor to the representative of Luxembourg.

Luxembourg congratulates the Nigerian presidency of the Security Council for organizing this important debate on security sector reform (SSR) and would like to express its thanks for the invitation to participate in it. Focusing this debate on Africa is a timely step for two reasons. It is on the African continent that the Security Council formulates the majority of peacekeeping mandates, and these mandates increasingly include — and rightfully so — elements of security sector reform. SSR is an essential element on the peacekeeping and peacebuilding agenda. An unreformed security and defence sector or a badly managed reform can have a profoundly destabilizing effect on a country emerging from conflict. In my capacity as Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission’s country-specific configuration for Guinea, I can testify to the fact that an in-depth reform of the security and defence sector is necessary for sustainable peacebuilding and the strengthening of the rule of law. In Guinea as elsewhere, certainly, SSR is intimately linked to the other priority sectors for peacebuilding, in particular national reconciliation. Undertaking an in-depth reform of the security and defence sector requires political will and unwavering support, including financial support, by the international community. We will have to respond to appeals from authorities in this respect. Security sector reform is also intrinsically linked to the reform of the judiciary. Citizens need to have the appropriate means of recourse to have their rights respected. We salute in this context the innovative approach adopted in Liberia with regard to establishing integrated security and justice hubs and to fully involve women in the efforts undertaken. The legitimacy of the State, whether it is emerging from a conflict or not, hinges on the capacity of its civilian authorities to control its military and security authorities and on the capacity of the latter to defend the human rights and dignity of the civilian population. In this vein, in 2010 Luxembourg financed a project implemented by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo aimed at professionalizing the Congolese national police so that it can better discharge its important task of protecting Congolese citizens. A country’s security forces and law enforcement agencies must also be a bulwark against corruption and bad governance. To avoid mishaps, it is therefore indispensable to establish an early link between SSR and the implementation of a transparent financial system, as well as a solid auditing system for public finances. When it comes to security sector reform, as for all reforms, there is no substitute for national ownership. It is in this spirit that Luxembourg has had the honour to support, together with the United Nations Development Programme, the meeting that was organized by the African Union Commission in May to allow its member States’ experts to consider the draft African Union policy framework on security sector reform, which we hope will be adopted by heads of State and Government at the next African Union Summit, to be held in January 2012 in Addis Ababa. It is in the same spirit that my country has contributed for several years to the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in order to support its SSR activities. In particular, we have supported the rapid deployment of experts to advise countries engaged in security sector reform, according to their needs and at the request of their national authorities. Many problems affecting the security sector are by their very nature regional or international. My country is convinced that in a spirit of effective multilateralism, all must bear their share of responsibility — the United Nations, the African Union, African regional economic communities such as the Economic Community of West African States, as well as the European Union and bilateral partners. The Treaty of Lisbon has further reinforced the European Union’s comprehensive approach to SSR by putting the relevant policy instruments under one roof, the European External Action Service. In its national capacity and as a member State of the European Union and the United Nations, Luxembourg is resolved to maintain its commitment to SSR, including through its participation in the work of the Group of Friends in New York.

I now give the floor to the representative of Italy.

I too wish to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important debate and providing a very useful concept note (S/2011/627). I would also like to express my deep appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Hervé Ladsous for his briefing, which gives us a broad picture of the challenges we face in security sector reform (SSR). This debate could not come at a better time, for we need to take stock of the progress made by the United Nations in its approach to security sector reform, and to assess the international and regional support available to countries, which have to uphold the rule of law and the State institutions that protect their citizens and borders. In the past 20 years, our understanding of security has evolved from a militaristic, State-centric perspective to a broader view of the various critical institutions and actors, State and non-State, that are security providers when they function properly and a possible source of instability when they are inefficient or corrupt. Shifting away from an exclusive focus on State security, the international community has developed an approach that emphasizes human security and the institutions that provide security and justice. The current security sector reform concept took shape four years ago during the 2007 debate (see S/PV.5632). Today we continue to build on lessons learned and on a new, consistent and comprehensive approach to SSR that includes the improvement of security institutions, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights, and international cooperation. We all agree that the key to the security sector reform process is country ownership and donor support of every aspect of reform activities in partner countries. Today, we all realize that to foster and grow national ownership, we have to work with Governments and local security institutions from the assessment phase to planning, and from joint implementation of programmes to policy reviews and assessment of lessons learned. No country should buy into donor methods or ideas. It is the reality of people’s immediate needs, and their capacity and commitment, that should influence the pace and trajectory of change and inject security institutions with equal doses of accountability and effectiveness. The United Nations and the Security Council have a leading role to play in defining security sector reform policy. That policy’s goal is nationally led coordination that includes all stakeholders, ranging from regional organizations to donors and local authorities. NATO has traditionally been a prime mover in defence and security sector reform in Europe and in assisting partner countries. Since the Helsinki Final Act, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has accumulated extensive experience in activities as varied as the democratic control of armed forces, border security and management, counter- terrorism, anti-trafficking, police training and reform, anti-corruption, electoral legislation and judicial reform. The European Union has an indisputable security sector reform record, having provided assistance to more than 70 countries in the past five years. It has built on the experience of its member States in lending unprecedented levels of support to partner countries in Africa and elsewhere. Italian women and men have long been involved in a broad international programme supporting SSR processes in south-eastern Europe, Asia and Africa in building and restoring the rule of law and security institutions. In the past two years, Italy has launched several programmes aimed at assisting the federal and regional Governments of Somalia. Security sector reform does indeed matter, particularly in peacetime. Sometimes it is too late and too expensive, politically and financially, to effectively support the security sector in a country or territory where violence has already erupted and a full-scale crisis is under way. SSR is always preferable as a preventive measure for helping to ensure full ownership by the recipient country. Many of the security challenges faced by African countries are also the result of the intersection of economic, social and political factors. This same interconnection of needs in many regions of Africa is clear in a number of fields: preventing and combating terrorism and transnational organized crime; anti-narcotics operations; combating illegal trafficking in weapons and human beings; and preventing money laundering and other illegal financial activities. The common security challenges faced by all African actors indicate the need for an innovative and holistic approach based on international cooperation. The first step is to strengthen regional cooperation, including by involving regional and subregional organizations, especially the African Union and regional economic communities such as the Economic Community of West African States, and enhancing their ownership. We must also broaden our perspective and fully involve the main international actors in cooperating in a comprehensive way on the African continent. Both the United Nations and the Counterterrorism Action Group of the Group of Eight are trying to address these threats comprehensively and ensure coordination with all the relevant actors. The time has come to introduce cooperation mechanisms that will help us identify and prioritize initiatives, while fully respecting the principle of co-ownership. The starting point is to identify clear-cut consultation methods, which could be directed to gather input from countries in the various regions, assess and match that input and outline initiatives that would be eligible for funding by relevant financial instruments. Areas for possible action could include the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime; the fight against illegal immigration, cross-border co-development initiatives; training; the environment; civil protection; the sustainable development of natural resources; and the management of natural disasters. Many other potential areas of intervention require broad-based strategies that take into account the shared needs of countries from different regions in order to better integrate such initiatives as the development of border areas, both economically and socially; training and investing in human resources; and protecting the environment. These, we believe, are just a few examples of areas in which a cross-regional approach is inevitable.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia.

I would like to thank Nigeria for organizing this meeting and for the opportunity to present Slovenia’s views on this subject, which is of paramount importance to the United Nations and its membership. This debate is both timely and needed. Over the years, security sector reform (SSR) has become an integral part of the efforts of the international community to holistically address various post-conflict situations around the world, especially in Africa. I will be short and concise, since previous speakers have already outlined the main challenges that SSR faces in the near future. These challenges must be understood as an opportunity to enhance our common efforts, not just for a better understanding of the reform processes but also to agree on a set of tools and mechanisms that will enable us to deal better with post- conflict situations. Security sector reform does not happen in a void. It always involves other issues, problems and questions that, more often than not, are linked closely together. That is my first point. Security sector reform can be successful only when it is properly integrated into the environment and linked to all the other efforts already taking place in the recipient State. In the light of that, I would like to stress the importance of the link between SSR and development activities. The SSR process involves many issues that can be dealt with efficiently only by development instruments, including employment for youth and securing livelihoods for high-risk populations. Recognition of that link must be properly implemented by ensuring timely and constructive coordination between the two activities. Slovenia understands SSR as a long-term conflict prevention tool. Successful reform of the security sector of any country is a prerequisite for irreversible stability and sustainable development. In that regard, SSR must not be confined within the specific timeframe of the conflict aftermath, but must be carefully place within the entire framework of peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts in the recipient State. SSR can be efficient only when all of the actors in the process actively, transparently and in a coordinated manner strive to achieve the same goal. While international actors have made important strides in ensuring coordination and transparency among themselves, there is still room for improvement, especially on cooperation among State actors and civil society or non-governmental organizations. Slovenia has openly advocated the early involvement of the recipient State in preparations for the SSR process, since that is the only way to ensure a locally owned, locally supported and locally tailored process, which is quintessential to any SSR project. We would also like to point out that a better level of coordination must be achieved with respect to local civil society, which has knowledge and understanding of the local environment and its needs and issues. SSR has become an essential part of almost any peacekeeping operation or crisis management mission of the United Nations. This means that the missions are becoming more complex and more demanding. We should ensure that the training curriculum for staff of the various missions includes SSR-related subjects. It is also important to ensure the continuity of the mission’s know-how in the recruitment processes and institutional memory of peacekeeping operations in the field. The promotion of gender perspectives in SSR is of essential importance to Slovenia. Peacekeeping operations can also play a positive role in promoting gender-sensitive SSR and developing security services that better respond to women’s needs, both through examples of deployed female peacekeepers and police to encourage more women to serve in the reformed security sector of the host Government, and through the provision of gender expertise in support of SSR processes. The reintegration of child soldiers into society is another issue where Slovenia has played an active role over the years. Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and security sector reform offer complementary approaches that can link the reintegration of ex-combatants to enhanced community security. Child-specific reintegration in that regard must enable a child’s access to education, a livelihood, life skills and a meaningful role in society. Last but not least, justice should be served in order to remedy past atrocities. There is no long-lasting peace and reform without justice. Finally, let me reiterate once again that Slovenia will remain fully committed to supporting a profound dialogue among all stakeholders in developing effective SSR guidelines.

I now invite the representative of the Sudan to take the floor.

I wish to congratulate you, Sir, on convening this important meeting to address the issue of security sector reform (SSR). The historic reference point of that subject has been linked to Africa since the very beginning. The earliest United Nations security SSR were implemented in African countries during the post-independence era, when a number of ad hoc programmes were implemented in order to reform police, prisons and security sectors, among others, in many African and Asian countries. At that time, SSR enjoyed broad and generous support, including among specialized United Nations funds, international financial institutions and bilateral donors, as a result of full commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations that underline national ownership and respect for the sovereignty and independence of States. My delegation emphasizes adherence to the presidential statement issued by this Council in its first deliberations on SSR in 2007 (S/PV.5632), in which the Council underlined “that it is the sovereign right and the primary responsibility of the country concerned to determine the national approach and priorities of security sector reform”. (S/PRST/2007/3, p. 1) We therefore endorse the objectives of United Nations initiatives aimed at building SSR capacities, especially in post-conflict countries, by providing various forms of technical, information, training and support to bolster security and stability following the withdrawal of peacekeeping missions from the concerned country or after its transition from conflict to peacebuilding. However, we draw attention to the need for caution to avoid the use of that term to define paths that run counter to the national sovereignty of a concerned State, in particular in the context of interference in legislative and executive activities and with respect to the police, security, penal and military sectors of those States. The laws concerning such institutions are part and parcel of the legal system of the State concerned and of its Constitution. We note the international workshop held in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2007 on coordinating United Nations SSR support in African countries. The workshop offered a good opportunity to shed light on the African experience in that respect, particularly the effective role of regional partners, in particular the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the Southern African Development Community. Regional and subregional organizations, given their direct links to the political, social and cultural situations in African countries, are best able to understand all of the dimensions of SSR in their regions. They are thus most capable of appropriately defining the needs or programmes to be implemented by the United Nations in the concerned State, pursuant to that country’s request and within the framework of understanding and coordination between that country and the United Nations, based on the principle of national ownership as an inalienable and non-negotiable right and the fact that the police, security and judicial sectors are sovereign departments. We also wish to draw attention to the importance of providing specific guidelines as a starting point when formulating and setting up United Nations SSR initiatives. We pay tribute to the Secretary-General for his initiatives and efforts to invigorate the role of the United Nations and the Security Council in SSR in post-conflict countries. In this respect, we wish to commend him for his comprehensive report (S/2008/39), presented to the Council in February 2008. We stress the importance of the integrated security and development axes of sustainable peace. The United Nations Millennium Declaration, adopted at the Millennium Summit (General Assembly resolution 55/2), underscored that concept as the main guarantee of success in achieving the MDGs and in preventing relapsing from peace back into war in post- conflict countries. In closing, we hope that our deliberations today on this topic will lead to an integrated approach that meets the goals of SSR, while respecting the sovereignty of States.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

I have the pleasure to address the Security Council today on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. Allow me to start by expressing the Movement’s appreciation to the Nigerian presidency for organizing this important debate, and to you, Mr. Minister, for chairing the meeting personally, to focus on the issue of security sector reform (SSR), which is of major importance to all countries emerging from conflicts, particularly in Africa. The Movement believes that today’s debate comes at a very timely moment, as it provides a valuable addition to our debate in the General Assembly yesterday on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa (see A/66/PVs.32 and 33). The Movement also expresses its appreciation to Mr. Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, for his briefing today. Today’s debate constitutes an integral part of a broader discussion about the interlinkages among peace, security and development as mutually reinforcing factors, as well as the complementarity between conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities, and their respective roles at the different stages of conflict resolution in helping to build institutional capacities in States emerging from conflict as well as those in transition. Overall, the members of the Non-Aligned Movement contribute more than 80 per cent of the personnel working in United Nations peacekeeping operations — the majority of which currently contain SSR mandates. Members are proponents of every effort by the United Nations that can contribute to enhancing peace and security in the flashpoints across the globe, including activities related to security sector reform and promotion of the rule of law. The leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement underlined in the outcome document of their summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, the importance of security sector reform in the context of United Nations peacekeeping and in post-conflict situations. They stressed that security sector reform should be integrated into the broad framework of United Nations rule of law activities in order to ensure that SSR activities and structures are not duplicating the work carried out in the rule of law area. As for the development of a United Nations approach to SSR, the Non-Aligned Movement believes that such development must take place in the General Assembly to ensure that the formulation of strategies for SSR, including its scope and mandate, is carried out through the intergovernmental process, taking into account the primary responsibility and the sovereign right of the country concerned in determining its national priorities in this regard. The Non-Aligned Movement concurs with the Secretary-General that national ownership should be the cornerstone of the United Nations SSR approach. National ownership and adaptability of SSR tools in particular country contexts must be the key principles that guide the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform. From a national perspective, Egypt believes that security sector reform is not a goal to be pursued in isolation from addressing other societal challenges to peace and security in countries emerging from conflicts. These include youth unemployment, organized crime, extreme poverty and the lack of adequate education and health services. According to the World Development Report of the World Bank, no low-income, fragile or conflict- affected country has achieved a single Millennium Development Goal. Therefore, Egypt underlines that international support to security sector reform must be anchored in broader capacity-building efforts, aiming to contribute to addressing the social and economic causes of conflicts and the complex security environment in countries emerging from conflict and to respond to their particular needs and conditions. Accordingly, we believe that the formulation of a United Nations approach to security sector reform requires thorough discussion in the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, in order to allow for full participation of the United Nations membership at large in such an important debate. We also believe that the Peacebuilding Commission is in a better position to coordinate the activities of the different organs and agencies of the United Nations in this regard, particularly in light of the experience that the Commission has gained through its engagement with the countries on its agenda. Furthermore, in order to ensure leadership and ownership on the part of the recipient country of the reform process, the recipient country must be fully in charge of formulating the reform strategy, identifying gaps, needs and areas of priority as well as coordinating the international support to avoid duplication of efforts.

I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Mr. President, the Pakistan delegation warmly felicitates the delegation of Nigeria, for ably steering the work of the Security Council this month and for convening this important debate. We are happy to see the Foreign Minister of Nigeria presiding today. Your participation, Sir, in today’s debate is propitious for realigning our collective focus on this important subject. The presidential statement adopted today (S/PRST/2011/19) has flagged relevant issues. Before proceeding, I would like to align Pakistan with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement by the representative of Egypt. Security sector reform (SSR) is critical in laying the foundation for durable peace and preventing relapse into conflict. As a leading troop contributor, Pakistan is cognizant of the criticality of establishing an effective security sector for the successful and timely withdrawal of all peacekeeping missions. A viable security sector, enjoying the confidence of the local population, is key to a sustainable transition from peacekeeping to long-term peacebuilding, economic recovery and development. In this brief intervention, we will highlight four points pertinent to further streamlining our collective approach to SSR. First, we acknowledge the important work done in the United Nations since the Secretary-General’s report on the subject (S/2008/39) to evolve a rich discourse on SSR and to build the requisite support structures in Headquarters as well as in the field. In this context, the United Nations Inter-Agency SSR Support Unit, established in 2009, and the Secretary- General’s inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force have made positive contributions. The role of SSR practitioners in Headquarters, however, needs to be recalibrated to increase their responsiveness to the field missions. For this, capacity- building in the SSR Unit is as essential as utilizing other structures in the United Nations and regional organizations, with a view to building cohesion and avoiding duplication. Secondly, United Nations peacekeeping missions are essential for implementing SSR, which forms part of many current mandates. Pakistani contingents in various United Nations peacekeeping missions have supported activities relating to security sector reform with distinction. An ongoing example is our contingent in the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Our troops will continue to support security sector reform programmes. However, it is important to underscore that security sector reform cannot be left to military and police components alone. Diverse fields, such as judicial reform, border management, Customs and civil emergencies, warrant a steady civilian contribution to security sector reform. Those are areas where the Peacebuilding Commission, and its various configurations, can play a role through the financial resources catalysed by the Peacebuilding Fund. Most important, a regional organization plays a central role in articulating a framework for multilateral security sector reform efforts. I will take this opportunity to highlight the very commendable role played by the African Union in developing a security sector reform policy framework for implementation. The African Union’s engagement with security sector reform augurs well for the maintenance of peace and security on the continent. For that, the efforts undertaken by the African leadership must be supported wholeheartedly by the United Nations. For our part, Pakistan supports Africa in that very important initiative. Finally, our collective approach to security sector reform must resonate with established international principles, consistent with the United Nations Charter. Security sector reform can be neither imposed nor seen to be imposed on a reluctant host Government. Successful and sustainable security sector reform rests on the principle of national ownership. The inclusive participation of the host authorities and capacity- building on professional grounds are vital ingredients for national ownership. The engagement of civil society and key stakeholders, however nascent those may be in a post-conflict zone, will help consolidate the gains made in security sector reform programmes. I will conclude by referring to the latest report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (A/65/19). I remind the Secretariat to continue its briefings to Member States on developments relating to security sector reform, particularly regarding the support provided to field missions. We can all stand to benefit from such briefings.

I now give the floor to the representative of Australia.

I would like to thank Nigeria for having convened this debate. Your own personal presence as President today, Sir, emphasizes how important this debate is. I am acutely conscious of the pressures of being the last speaker so I will abbreviate my written statement to save time. The primary focus of today’s debate, of course, is Africa. However, Australia has learned a number of lessons from our own cooperation on security sector reform with the countries of our region, Asia-Pacific, that may be useful to share. I will briefly mention three of those. First is the importance of national ownership and leadership. Member States are the central providers of security, of course, in their own countries. That is both their sovereign right and, naturally, their responsibility. National ownership is critical to ensuring legitimacy and sustainability. The role of the international community is to enhance the ability of States to fulfil that responsibility. With regard to national leadership, effective security sector reform requires national authorities to generate and drive forward a strategic vision for their security sectors. That requires political commitment and a strong buy-in from all those involved, including civil society. The participation of women is of course central. Security sector reform cannot be a short-term project. Long-term horizons are required to foster a culture of transparency and accountability and to build confidence and the necessary constituency for change. The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which is an Australia-led regional peacekeeping, or peacebuilding, mission, has taught us lessons about national ownership. Mechanisms for such ownership have evolved over time. Today, cooperation between RAMSI and Solomon Islands is governed by a partnership arrangement that very carefully sets out mutually agreed milestones and time frames. By way of example, the police component of RAMSI has progressively stepped back from front-line policing to its current focus on capacity-building, such as leadership development and review of the policing and security legislative framework. The second lesson is the importance of taking a comprehensive and integrated approach. As we know, many security sector reform initiatives fail because of their narrow technical focus and inadequate understanding of the social and political contexts. Security sector reform requires a comprehensive approach, beyond the simple train-and-equip programmes. Security sector reform should ideally take place as part of a wider public sector reform and focus not only on the military, but also civil society, the police and the justice sector. The most effective reform is matched and complemented by the development of strong democratic institutions, including parliamentary oversight of security forces. Again, RAMSI provides a strong model for an integrated approach. From the outset, it has worked to support reform in all aspects of the security sector, from the police, Customs, border control, prisons and the judicial system to public financial management institutions. The third lesson is the key role that can be played by regional organizations and South-South and triangular cooperation. Regional and subregional organizations can have a unique legitimacy and a very important role in fostering regional cooperation. As we know, regional organizations and neighbouring States can have very distinct comparative advantages, not least in terms of cultural awareness and language skills. Again, RAMSI, which operates under the auspices of the Pacific Islands Forum, provides a strong example. Over the past eight years, thousands of police, military and civilian personnel from across the Pacific region have served with the Mission, bringing important experience, cultural perspectives and language skills to RAMSI’s work. In Africa, we note the impressive work that the African Union (AU) is taking forward, particularly the development of the continental security sector reform policy framework. Australia remains ready to assist in that work, particularly in the area of the protection of civilians. My final comments are on the role of the United Nations but, to save time, I will leave those to be read in my circulated statement. I would emphasize only that United Nations actors must be integrated. The inter-agency Security Sector Reform Task Force, the Department of Political Affairs and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations have an essential role. Secondly, close collaboration with the World Bank and other development partners is essential. Thirdly, the United Nations needs to support the security sector reform work of regional organizations. The United Nations-AU cooperation is an excellent example. Fourthly, the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund do important work, particularly on lessons learned, which must be highlighted. To conclude, I thank you again, Mr. President, for having convened this debate. In its essence, security sector reform is about reshaping the institutions that serve and protect a country’s citizens. Obviously, there are very few subjects more important to the Council’s work.

There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.