18. Local ownership has to be the priority – ultimately this is where SSR
commitment and sustainability derives; international entities must support rather
than preempt local ownership; build capacity for local ownership to succeed;
involve NGOs and civilian think tanks in SSR; develop and empower national and
regional SSR networks; security institutions must be viewed as primary
stakeholders in SSR.
19. Be more even-handed with support for peacekeeping operations and
SSR. Africa is mentioned as a region not treated fairly or provided enough
resources.
20. Planning needs to consider longer-term financial and fiscal sustainability
issues especially after UN missions and operations officially cease; multi-lateral
funding mechanisms, like the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, should be used in
peacekeeping programs to strengthen local ownership.
21. Institute external evaluation of SSR programs and make it a matter of
practice and standard procedure.
22. Link economic development to security through SSR. The fiscal,
macroeconomic, and development framework should support SSR instead of
undermining it. Poverty reduction and managing natural resources are important
issues that should be addressed in SSR.
23. Related recommendations include funding more SSR-related research and
changing the notion that SSR in not for post-conflict situations only. The scope
of SSR can be applied to all transitioning countries and even to advanced
countries where security governance is a problem.
Implications.
1. Security Sector Reform is one of the most, if not the most, important factor in
peace building. It is the linchpin of all the other factors. Planners must give
SSR careful thought and evaluation and extend it out past an envisioned
peacekeeping operation or mission. The UN planners should be a highly
adaptable and creative group who can develop SSR initiatives while depending
on limited and constrained resources.
2. Negotiators and planners alike have to be in synch to implement and sustain
SSR in peace agreements. A good, broad-based SSR plan improves the chance
of success for peace agreements.
3. In the background of the recommendations is the difficulty in resourcing SSR
initiatives and peacekeeping, in general.
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