How to build confidence through strengthened governance and reforms in the security sector discussed at regional conference in Sarajevo
SARAJEVO, 27 October 2017 - An effective, accountable, transparent and democratically controlled security sector is a prerequisite for dealing with different security challenges and can build trust and confidence between states as well as between a state and its citizens, said participants of a regional conference on Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R) in Sarajevo today.
The conference, which was organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, Austria’s 2017 OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought together more than 60 senior officials from government ministries and parliaments of South-Eastern Europe, practitioners, representatives of OSCE Institutions and field operations, international and regional organizations, civil society and academia.
“National ownership, or the feeling that the reforms are our own, possible and necessary, for the benefit of all of us, should be the main motives in implementing and persisting on reform processes,” said Sead Jusić, Deputy Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ”The exchange of knowledge, experiences and lessons learned, as well as a good understanding of common regional security threats, risks and challenges are important not only for defining the efficient response, but also as a platform for efficient and concrete forms of regional security co-operation.”
On behalf of the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship, Colonel Dr. Michael Pesendorfer, Defence Attaché at the Austrian Embassy in Sarajevo said: “An effective and accountable security sector, with full respect for human rights and the rule of law, is both a cornerstone for peace and for the provision of security for everyone. In today’s security environment, marked by increasingly complex and often transnational challenges, we need a comprehensive response from the entire security sector. The concept of SSG/R offers a way forward in this regard.”
During the conference, participants discussed opportunities and challenges to sustaining reform efforts in the security sector, including in the areas of police reform, border management and security, counter-terrorism, anti-corruption and justice sector reform that build trust and confidence in the region.
“SSG/R affects all citizens. It would be a mistake to only confine our efforts to those personnel and institutions which are directly involved in the security sector,” said Alexander Chuplygin, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “With this in mind the OSCE Mission takes a comprehensive approach to its SSG/R programmes, working with media outlets, NGOs, youth organizations, educational institutions, religious organizations and other partners from around the region.”
In an effort to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of its support to national reform processes in the security sector, the OSCE has embarked on a process to develop a more coherent and co-ordinated approach to SSG/R. The new OSCE Guidelines on SSG/R, which represent a major milestone in this regard, provide staff with practical guidance on supporting national SSG/R processes.
Leading up to this conference, a three-day regional workshop in Sarajevo brought together a selected number of security sector professionals, including representatives from the Defence, Justice, Foreign and Interior Ministries, and national parliaments in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Skopje and Zagreb to discuss security sector governance and reform, drawing on practical examples from the region. Specific recommendations were presented at the conference.
The conference and workshop were organized as part of an extra-budgetary project that aims to support, build capacity and raise awareness of SSR/G within the OSCE. In addition to the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship, this project is supported by Germany, Serbia, Slovakia and Switzerland.