Profound changes are required at the regional and national levels for the reform of security sector in West Africa to strengthen democratic governance and human security, which are vital elements for the achievement of sustainable development, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman has said.
Opening a two-day Consultative Workshop in Lagos on Thursday 3rd October 2013 for the Review of the Draft ECOWAS Regional Framework on Security Sector Reform and Governance (SSR/G), the Commissioner said the reform had become imperative to enable ECOWAS fulfill its role of assisting Member States “to prevent, anticipate, prepare and respond better and faster to issues that could challenge security and stability of the region.”
Developing the Policy framework, she said “is timely given that the our region is facing many political, security and humanitarian challenges resulting from internal conflicts as exemplified in Mali and Guinea Bissau.”
ECOWAS, working in collaboration with the international community was able to restore relative stability in Mali in the aftermath of the 2012 military coup and separatist rebellion in the north of the country. The Organization also positively intervened in Guinea Bissau where it currently has a peace keeping Mission, ECOMIB and is funding the country’s defence and security sector reform following the military takeover in that country in 2012.
Commissioner Suleiman listed ECOWAS’ key regional security instruments to include the 1999 Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peace keeping and Security, the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the Supplementary Act and the Code of Conduct for the Armed Forces and Security Services.
She noted that these instruments seek to “underscore security as a subject that is not the exclusive preserve of the military and the political class, but also involves the participation of the civil society and other stakeholders as important partners in the process.”
According to the Commissioner, the policy framework being developed “seeks to clarify what security means in the West African context; the required reforms to overcome the various challenges as well as how security objectives can be translated into effective outcomes that will benefit our societies.”
In his welcome address, the Chief of Staff, ECOWAS Standby Force, Brig. Gen. Hassan Lai said the primary objective of the workshop is to get the buy-in from the relevant ECOWAS Directorates and invited experts on the draft Guide Policy Framework of Security Reform and Governance (SSR/G).
He explained that the document, which is an appendage to various ECOWAS governance and security instruments including the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework (ECPF) 2008, “is in broader terms the concept of Human Security in the ECOWAS space.”
Col. Abdourahmane Dieng, Head of Regional Security Division, ECOWAS Commission set the tone of discussion, by providing technical details and background on the document which has been under development from 2009.
The process is led by the Regional Security Division under the Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department of the ECOWAS Commission with the support of partners including the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF).
The Regional Office of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and experts from the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and the West African Network for Security and Democratic Governance (WANSED) have also provided support.
The first meeting on the document was held in Abuja on the implementation of the provisions of the ECPF, which recommended the development of guidance on Democratic Governance and Security Sector Reform (DGRSS), based on studies to be conducted by a committee made up of experts from ECOWAS Departments, Civil Society Organizations, technical partner organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations.
The outcome of that brainstorming formed the basis for consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The first draft of the regional concept was presented to a meeting of Directors of ECOWAS Commission, which recommended the fine-tuning of the document and a change to the policy document format.
A subsequent consultation between officials of the ECOWAS Regional Security Division and technical partners such as DCAF produced the current version of the document under consideration by the Lagos workshop, which is charged with developing a document that will serve as a guide to better shape and harmonize Security Sector Reform and Governance initiatives in the West African region.
Its work will be presented to National Experts of Member States for consideration and then to ECOWAS authorities for adoption and approval.
