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International Workshop co-hosted by South Africa and the Slovak Republic

“Enhancing United Nations Support for Security Sector Reform in Africa: Towards an African Perspective”. International Workshop co-hosted by South Africa and the Slovak Republic Cape Town, 7-8 November 2007 Contribution by Shola Omoregie

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International Workshop co-hosted by South Africa and the Slovak Republic

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  1. “Enhancing United Nations Support for Security Sector Reform in Africa: Towards an African Perspective” International Workshop co-hosted by South Africa and the Slovak Republic Cape Town, 7-8 November 2007 Contribution by Shola Omoregie Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau and Head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS): also representing the Department of Political Affairs, United Nations Headquarters, New York

  2. “Enhancing UN support for SSR in Guinea-Bissau; UNOGBIS in partnership” International Workshop co-hosted by South Africa and the Slovak Republic Cape Town, 7-8 November 2007 Contribution by Shola Omoregie Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Guinea-Bissau and Head of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS): also representing the Department of Political Affairs, United Nations Headquarters, New York

  3. Since its foundation over 60 years ago, the United Nations • has been dedicated to supporting Member States to maintain international peace and build security and the rule of law at national, regional and international levels; • Over the past two decades, the Organization has been progressively engaged in assisting Member States’ efforts to strengthen and develop national capacities in this broad area and thereby contribute to the enhancement of international security; and • 5 features define a functioning security sector: a legal and/or constitutional framework; an institutionalized system of governance and management; mechanisms for interaction among security actors; capacities; and a culture of service.

  4. The recent focus on the UN’s role in security sector reform (SSR) is shaped by: • the evolution of the UN’s comprehensive approach to security over the past 15 years; • the experience of UN field operations (e.g. UNOBGBIS), particularly in peacekeeping, but also in prevention, peacebuilding and long-term development contexts; and • the experience of Member States in national SSR and in supporting other States in this area, as well as efforts by regional and multilateral organizations and other partners (AU, ECOWAS, EU, OAS, NATO, among others).

  5. Background: UNOGBIS Mandate since 2005 – Assisting with SSR • The 2007 mandate of UNOGBIS includes providing assistance for SSR in Guinea-Bissau, carried out through: • Good offices role of the RSG; and • Programmes and activities of UNOGBIS Political, Human Rights, Military, Police and Public Information

  6. The UN Security Council first included SSR as a part of UNOGBIS’ mandate in 2005. This revised mandate, under Resolution 1580 of 22 December 2004, was a proactive response from the Council in order to address the evolving political exigencies which surfaced towards the end of 2004, particularly the destabilizing effect of the military mutiny of 6 October.

  7. Original intention focused on SSR as an exercise aimed at the military, but concept expanded to take account of democratic governance and development. • SSR is first and foremost a political undertaking, requiring the political will and commitment of the Government and institutions involved.

  8. For this reason, political facilitation and support for SSR in Guinea-Bissau became a key priority in the mandates of UNOGBIS for 2005, 3006 and currently 2007. • The overriding priority of SSR in the mandate of UNOGBIS has become more pronounced in 2007 for two reasons; • as a consequence of the streamlining of the Office’s activities for 2007, and partnerships with national and international actors, and • particularly with the current momentum of focus on SSR at the level of the UN Security Council, aimed at enhancing United Nations support for SSR processes (cf PRST/2007/3).

  9. “The Security Council acknowledges that strong support and assistance of the international community are important to building national capacities, thereby reinforcing national ownership, which is crucial for the sustainability of the whole process. The Security Council also underlines that the United Nations has a crucial role to play in promoting comprehensive, coherent and coordinated international support to nationally-owned security sector reform programmes, implemented with the consent of the country concerned” (S/PRST/2007/3).

  10. UNOGBIS has been assisting the SSR process in Guinea-Bissau at three levels: • Providing linkages, support and facilitation – SSR International Partners Group on Guinea-Bissau • RSG offices with partners for advocacy and resource mobilization • Projects with partners to tackle needy areas

  11. Encouraging and supporting national ownership of SSR; moving Guinea-Bissau from SSR Strategy document to SSR Plan of Action • Formal engagement by UNOGBIS in the provision of support for Guinea-Bissau SSR started in October 2005 • UNOGBIS facilitated work of UK SSDAT to October 2006 – 3 missions, consultations and evaluations • UNOGBIS follow-up to facilitate work of UK SSDAT • UK SSDAT produced GB SSR Strategy Document

  12. Outline of the SSR Strategy Document • 4 sectors target of SSR: • Security • Defence • Justice • Veterans • Annexe 1 of SSR Strategy Document: 3-year Investment Plan for SSR • Annexe 2 of SSR Strategy Document: Budget of US$184 million for SSR

  13. Follow-up action on the SSR Strategy Document • SSR Strategy Document presented by Government at RT in Geneva • Progress on SSR Stalled with political instability • New Government & new impetus by UNOGBIS and partners • New Government established Organizational framework of 3 Committees • RSG/UNOGBIS role in SSR Steering Committee

  14. SUMMARY: Guinea-Bissau roadmap of documents to SSR implementation • 3 key documents that inform Guinea-Bissau SSR are: (i) the SSR Strategy Document of October 2006 (outlined above), which defines the security and defence sectors that are the targets of the reform;

  15. (ii) The 2007-2009 Three-Year Investment Plan for SSR (October 2006), which enumerates the SSR objectives that needed to be achieved and the programmes or projects that needed to be carried out to achieve the objectives, at an estimated budget of US$184.3 million; and (iii) the SSR Plan of Action for the Restructuring and Modernization of the Security and Defence Sector (September 2007), which defines the calendar programming of the schedule of activities to be implemented and has the aim of operationalizing the Government’s SSR Strategy Document of October 2006.

  16. Outline of Guinea-Bissau SSR Plan of Action • Short-term objectives: • Security and defence context for future legislative framework • Improved management of human resources • Organization and good conditions for SSR • Regain confidence of population • Adequate solution to dilemman of Veterans • Promote national reconciliation

  17. Outline of Guinea-Bissau SSR Plan of Action • Medium and long-term objectives: • Modernization through legislative framework • Mobilize human and material resources • Transform sector into a guarantor of peace and security • Tailor size of sector to needs of country • Create conditions for socio-economic development

  18. Specific objectives: Create a new Armed Forces structure in line with the economic capacity of the country as follows: • Army component of Armed Forces – 50% of total strength, i.e. 1720 personnel • Navy component of Armed Forces – 35% of total strength, i.e. 1204 personnel • Air Force component of Armed Forces – 15% of total strength, i.e. 516 personnel

  19. Specific objectives: • Of the above Armed Forces components, 30% will be permanent personnel and the rest 70% will be reservists. Based on the above figures, the restructuring and reduction of Guinea-Bissau’s Armed Forces personnel to a total of 3,440 personnel should take place over a period of 5 years.

  20. Specific objectives: Restructure the security forces in order to create an integrated, simple and functional structure as follows: • Public Order Police component of security forces – 38% of total strength, i.e. 1300 personnel • Guinea-Bissau National Guard component – 49% of total strength, i.e. 1700 personnel

  21. Specific objectives: • State Information Services – 9% of total strength, i.e. 300 personnel • Judiciary Police (Criminal Investigation) – 4% of total strength, i.e. 150 personnel • This new restructuring of the security forces is expected to result in the integration into the Guinea-Bissau National Guard of the Border Guards, Rapid Response Unit, Revenue Unit, Coast Guards and Forest Guards.

  22. Financing for Guinea-Bissau SSR Plan of Action • The budget estimate of US$184.3 million is based on the Government’s Three-Year Investment Plan for SSR - 2007-2009; • Of this amount, US$43.2 million, representing 23.4% of the total budget, has already been pledged; • the remaining US$141.1 million (76.6%) is expected to be raised through resource-mobilization from international partners; and • The Government of Guinea-Bissau is expected to contribute US$18.4 million (10%) of the total budget.

  23. Institutional framework for implementation of Guinea-Bissau SSR • The Inter-Ministerial Committee, made up of only Government members; and • The Steering Committee, made up of Government members, representatives of the Armed Forces, civil society and other national stakeholders, and international partners;

  24. The Technical Coordination Committee, made up of representatives of Government ministries and departments, representatives of the Armed Forces, civil society and other national stakeholders, and representatives of international partners; • SSR Support Office, for providing support for the execution, follow-up and assessment of SSR; and • SSR Implementation Structure, for implementing the programmes and projects in the SSR Plan of Action.

  25. Timeframe for implementation • The various projects and activities envisaged under the SSR Plan of Action are expected to run from late 2007 until 2009. Projects and activities to be carried include: • the establishment of a legal framework for SSR; • the conduct of a census of the Armed Forces and Veterans,; • Awareness-raising campaigns; • DDR; • recruitment of new cadres and training,;

  26. Projects and activities under SSR (cont.) • acquisition of working gear, office equipment and laboratory equipment; • construction of training academies barracks; and • tribunals and prisons; • These projects and activities are for the benefit of the four sectors envisaged in the SSR Plan of Action (Security, Defence, Justice and Veterans)

  27. Endorsement of support by UNOGBIS to Guinea-Bissau SSR • Secretary-General’s Report on Guinea-Bissau of July 2007 (S/2007/401) • Secretary-General’s Report on Guinea-Bissau of September 2007 (S/2007/576) • UN Security Council members concluded that the lack of SSR was the Achilles heel of the Government of Guinea-Bissau; • Council members recommended an intensification of UNOGBIS and partner efforts and assistance for SSR, which it welcomed as the long-term framework for combating drug trafficking and organized crime in Guinea-Bissau.

  28. UN Security Council Presidential Statement of 19 October 2007 (S/PRST/2007/38): • The Security Council expressed grave concern about • drug trafficking and threat to political stability; • the safety of public officials involved in combat against drug trafficking; • welcomed the holding of the Lisbon international conference and the ECOWAS regional conference on drug trafficking; and • reiterated assistance for and encouragement from UNOGBIS and partners for the Government to pursue SSR.

  29. BEST PRACTICES IN SSR – Involvement of UNOGBIS and partners for an enhancement of UN support • Best practices in SSR by UNOGBIS and partners is characterized by a step-by-step, sector-by-sector approach that will constitute the groundwork for a fuller implementation of SSR. • SSR is a costly, time-consuming and long-standing process that cannot be carried out in one giant operation. • UNOGBIS and partners recognize that enhancing support for SSR would have to be by means of setting examples and carrying out small, quick-impact projects that will serve to illustrate the value of SSR and the benefits that can be obtained.

  30. Brazil training project • A product of the good offices role of the RSG in partnership with ECOWAS; • Has the support of President Vieira; • Conceived essentially as a project to pave the way for a future SSR in the Armed Forces; • Aimed at improving skills training in Brazil for excess senior officers of the Armed Forces; • Designed to provide a productive post-military life to selected generals of Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces who would otherwise not see the reason for going into a difficult retirement; and • The project will be implemented as a partnership between ECOWAS, UNOGBIS and UNDP, with a financing package of US$2 million, facilitated by President Obasanjo, through ECOWAS.

  31. UNODC Drug Control Officer / Law Enforcement Officer project • Arrangements being finalized between UNODC, UNDP and UNOGBIS; • Officer to be placed in Bissau to, to provide support to law-enforcement institutions; • Funded initially by UNODC, Officer would start duty in early November, for an initial period of two months until early January 2008, • Following this, a UNODC Senior Law Enforcement Advisor would be recruited for a longer term; and • UNODC Drug Control Officer is expected to work closely with UNOGBIS Police Unit and UNDP, and will report to UNOGBIS.

  32. Conferences on Drug trafficking • UN Security Council has endorsed • Guinea-Bissau and Portugal’s plan to organize an international conference on drug trafficking in Lisbon in December (cf. Guinea-Bissau Emergency Plan / MOU between both • ECOWAS regional conference in February 2008 (in West Africa) • Objective: Plan of Action for resource-mobilization and the combat against drug trafficking not only in Guinea-Bissau but also in the sub-region; • RSG has been requested by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal to serve as link and facilitator between the Lisbon international conference and the ECOWAS regional conference; and • UNOGBIS is liaising with UNODC, who have agreed to provide a costing plan for the Lisbon conference, and is currently facilitating preparations for the conference through the organizing of meetings of international partners in Guinea-Bissau.

  33. Guinea-Bissau’s application to be on agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission • Through the good offices of the RSG, UNOGBIS, UNDP and partners facilitated arrangements for the Government’s application to be placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, and have continued to mobilize international support for this application. • In its Presidential Statement of 19 October, the Security Council expressed its will to consider Guinea-Bissau’s application. • If Guinea-Bissau is placed on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission, this will enhance a coordinated United Nations Support for SSR activities.

  34. Small Arms and Light Weapons • Taking account of the background of the weapons used during the liberation war and subsequent civil conflicts, SALW are unfortunately, still in circulation; • Combat against proliferation of SALW requires an approach within the wider framework of SSR; • UNOGBIS continues to play the role of facilitator and continues to engage international partners in resource-mobilization; • In 2005 UNOGBIS facilitated the activities in Guinea-Bissau of a team from the United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA); • UNODA undertook a survey on SALW in Guinea-Bissau, identified the main sources of the weapons and prepared a project document, with a number of recommendations, including the setting up of the National Commission against the Proliferation of SALW. The National Commission was established in 2006 and launched in March 2007.

  35. SALW continued • Progress stalled from March 2007 (change of Government) • From 14-18 May, UNOGBIS facilitated a second visit to Guinea-Bissau by UNODA and DESA, UNODC and ECOSAP; • UNODA prepared a new project document with recommendations for implementing SALW eradication for the period August 2007 until July 2010.; • Project will be implemented by DESA and executed by UNODA in partnership with other UN Departments and Agencies, the Government of Guinea-Bissau, interested donor partners and international organizations; • The SALW project document also recommended that the UN engage international partners in further resource mobilization for Guinea-Bissau’s combat against SALW; and • A National Commission against the Proliferation of SALW was recently sworn in by the Government (3 October).

  36. Enhancing UNOGBIS support for SSR through the programmes and activities of UNOGBIS military and Police Units • Working in partnerships to support the security and defence forces of Guinea-Bissau has been central to the activities of UNOGBIS Military and Police Units in 2007; • Mindful that the process of SSR has to be nationally-owned, to include of key sectors and be well presented to key national stakeholders such as the Armed Forces and the Police forces, UNOGBIS Military and Police Advisors have provided support through training programmes, workshops and induction seminars over the period through 2007.

  37. Such activities have included the following: • Meeting on disarmament in May; • 4 workshops in August on Security Sector Reform for 120 national stakeholders (30 Public Order Police under Ministry of Interior, 30 Judiciary Police from Ministry of Justice, 30 Armed Forces personnel and 30 Veterans); • a workshop in September for the 20 members of the National Commission on SALW; • 5 workshops through February to August, in various regions of Guinea-Bissau, involving for police and security forces on the use of firearms, rule of law, human rights ethics and a best practices code of conduct; • a training seminar in October for 26 personnel of Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces on awareness-raising regarding peacekeeping operations in general and their relevance in the context of ongoing preparations to establish a battalion of Armed Forces personnel as Guinea-Bissau’s contribution to a future ECOWAS Standby Force. • It is important to emphasize that UNOGBIS has engaged in partnerships for the above activities, for example, the training seminar on the ECOWAS Standby force was organized with input also from ECOWAS and Portugal military attachés in Guinea-Bissau.

  38. CHALLENGES FACING SSR IN GUINEA-BISSAU • The historical challenge – the overriding role of Guinea-Bissau Armed Forces • A challenge facing SSR remains a restructuring of Armed Forces, considered vital not only for political stabilization but also for overall peace and security in Guinea-Bissau. The political history of the country has been dominated by the military apparatus, with two coups d’etat, a military mutiny and similar upheavals. The involvement of the armed forces in politics in Guinea-Bissau is a direct result of their own nature – being an intrinsic element of the peoples and the national unity movement organized to fight the liberation war. The PAIGC, which led the liberation war, metamorphosed into a political party after independence, but kept its military origins and structures. Though over the years it has sought to divest itself of this character, the military has never been effectively subordinate to the political class, the majority of who, in any event, originate from or have direct connections with the military hierarchy.

  39. The present Armed Forces is composed of veterans and freedom fighters from the liberation era, as well as regular recruits who joined after independence in 1974. Account must also be taken of militias and other paramilitary elements. If no reforms are undertaken, for example within the military, it will be difficult to eradicate the culture by which a military career is still being perceived as a birthright to participation in politics. All of these components have to be trained to accept that there is a life after military service or a life outside of military or politics.

  40. The Veterans question • Veterans of the liberation war for independence, as well as the veterans of the Portuguese colonial army. • Agreement has been difficult to reach between the national stakeholders on issues related to a census exercise, entitlements, pensions and social re-integration. • The dilemma of the veterans is also being politicized. • If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, it could delay certain aspects of SSR implementation.

  41. The question of a census of the Armed Forces – precondition for international financial engagement • The main issue raised by the international partners of the Steering Committee during the discussions with Government counterparts was the census of military, paramilitary, veterans and police forces in Guinea-Bissau. The UNDP has agreed to support the Government financially with the conduct a new census of the Armed Forces, following a mismanaged census exercise in 2006. The overall objective of this new census is to determine the number and status of current active Armed Forces personnel, with the purpose of creating adequate conditions for SSR including but not limited to elements such as DDR, pension reform and Armed Forces restructuring.

  42. A successful conduct of the census is also expected to pave the way for financial support from international partners. The census is expected to determine and confirm the number of Armed Forces personnel in active service and put in place an electronic management database with verified and updated human resources information for all Armed Forces personnel so that ID cards could be issued. A technical committee, made up of an international technical expert and national personnel from all relevant national structures will be set up to perform the census, such as verifying all personnel records and determine their status. The work of the census technical committee will be reviewed and overseen by the SSR Steering Committee, of which RSG/UNOGBIS is a member.

  43. Political challenge – political will and commitment • A sustainable process of SSR in Guinea-Bissau will depend on the political will and commitment from national political stakeholders to carry out reforms, including in particular a commitment from the Armed Forces establishment to carry out a credible census. A great challenge for UNOGBIS and partners is the need to engage national political stakeholders to acknowledge that the construction of enduring institutions of security, defence and justice in order to have sustainable peace and economic development will not be possible unless they show the commitment towards SSR and maintain it. Part of the activities of UNOGBIS consists in workshops and seminars for national stakeholders, organized by the Military and Police Units, aimed at raising awareness of SSR, its exigencies and implications. The RSG has also been actively engaging partners in order to keep national stakeholders focused on maintaining commitment to SSR. Current progress has to be maintained in order for the momentum of commitment to continue.

  44. The Challenge of national ownership of SSR • SSR in Guinea-Bissau could meet with resistance and fail if it is perceived to be an operation imposed on the national political stakeholders. Sovereignty remains a valued concept in international relationship and nation states want to be seen to be masters of their own destiny. However, it is difficult for national actors to assume national ownership in a context of extreme dependence on external assistance, particularly with funding for the process. International partners who will provide financial assistance have to continue working hard to find a balance between letting national stakeholders take major decisions on SSR issues and imposing conditionalities of transparency in disbursements or placements of technical advisors within Guinea-Bissau’s security and defence apparatus for better coordination.

  45. The challenge of policy divergence and institutional fragmentation among Guinea- Bissau’s external actors • A range of national and international actors, including the United Nations system, is involved in enhancing support for SSR in Guinea-Bissau. Sometimes, different actors means conflicting policies and approaches on SSR, including priorities and areas of assistance to Guinea-Bissau. This represents a major challenge to efforts to make progress with SSR.

  46. The challenge of resource-mobilization • Guinea-Bissau has empty State coffers and is unable to confront the challenge of direct financing capacity for SSR. Comprehensive SSR requires an extensive outlay of financial and technical resources, in the absence of which it is difficult to make the irreversible progress necessary for sustainable peace and economic development. Nevertheless, UNOGBIS and international partners have continued with resource-mobilization efforts. An example was the Geneva Round Table in November 2006 when the Government’s SSR Strategy Plan was presented to donors for assistance. Unfortunately, actual disbursements have not materialized or have fallen short of donor pledges made at the round table. This could mean delays and negative impacts on the programming and implementation of the SSR Plan of Action. In addition, resource constraints are affected not by demand but by supply-driven approaches by donors, which are managed within tightly controlled budget restrictions, disbursement regulations, strict timeframes and administrative overheads. An associated problem is the perception by international partners that the current budget estimate of US$184 million in the Government’s SSR Plan of Action is excessive and unrealistic, especially if the figures are not broken down into specifically-costed small projects that could readily be financed on time.

  47. Fitting Guinea-Bissau SSR in a wider context • Designing an integrated African perspective for SSR is a welcome challenge, and this workshop has provided an appropriate forum for discussion on the matter. SSR in Guinea-Bissau needs to be implemented within a framework of sub-regional cooperation, within ECOWAS. In West Africa, the absence of an integrated SSR will not only increase human insecurity but also facilitate cross-border crime, including drug trafficking, illegal trafficking in small arms and light weapons, illegal trafficking in humans, illegal immigration and insurgency activity which could also involve the recruitment of the region’s numerous unemployed and frustrated youth populations.

  48. Creating an all-round African perspective for SSR also demands a regional approach, within the framework of the African Union. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the emerging architecture of the African Union have clearly indicated that peace and security is a pre-requisite for development and prosperity generation in Africa. Among the priorities in the African Peace and Security Agenda are those associated with achieving security sector transformation and those of strengthening governance. Great progress has been achieved in Africa on issues and policies of the African Peace and Security Agenda including the African Common Defence and Security Policy, the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy and the Common African Approach to Small Arms and Light Weapons.

  49. THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

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