Swiss scoping visit for international community support to security sector development in Sri Lanka
Switzerland requested DCAF support for a scoping visit to identify the current needs and priorities of the Sri Lankan security and justice sector with a view to contributing to the initiation of a broader strategic process for development of the Sri Lankan security sector. The scoping study met with key staff in the security sector and related institutions/ departments, as well as some civil society representatives, and key members of the international community as determined by the team, in conjunction with the Swiss Embassy in Colombo and national counterparts.
The aim of the visit is to provide a deeper and more unified understanding by both national and international stakeholders of the current situation in relation to: the role and scope of the security sector; the level of interest in security sector development (SSD); an overview of key gaps and needs related to the security sector; and, identification and consideration of initial areas for support by members of the international community, as invited by Sri Lanka. The visit took place 18-27 September 2017, when staff from ISSAT and the Asia Pacific Unit joined Swiss Embassy staff to conduct relevant meetings.
Support to EU in The Gambia
In October 2017, the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs mandated DCAF-ISSAT to support multilateral organisations in launching international support to SSR in The Gambia. Consequently, a DCAF-ISSAT Senior Advisor was deployed to the Gambia for a 2-week mission to backstop the EU Delegation in supporting the drafting of the SSR General Assessment by the Gambian Technical Working Group, in coordination with the UN and ECOWAS. This Assessment was finalised in December 2017 as a first output of the national SSR process. In the course of this deployment, DCAF-ISSAT liaised with the WB team conducting a PER of the Security Sector. As a follow-up, the Swiss authorised DCAF-ISSAT to deploy for a second mission in February 2018 to assist the EU and the WB on how to increase international donors’ leverage and effectiveness in promoting a sustainable Security Sector.
Sudan Police Scoping Mission
In May 2018, the former Foreign Minister of the Republic of Sudan, Prof. Ibrahim Ghandour, asked Switzerland for assistance in the field of SSR. Following an exploratory mission by the Human Security Division (HSD) in March 2018, it was decided that Switzerland should assess potential support to the Sudanese Police Forces (SPF) within the context of existing Swiss migration assistance frameworks. The support would focus on fostering Sudan’s willingness to tackle some systemic challenges with regard to respect for international human rights and humanitarian law within its police and security forces. At the same time, it would represent a further step towards building up a constructive and enduring relationship between Switzerland and the Sudanese government.
As a result, ISSAT was requested to undertake an initial scoping mission to gauge potential challenges and opportunities for support to reform of the SPF. This would include the subsequent development and delivery of a two-day sensitisation on SSR for selected Sudanese Police and Ministry of Interior personnel should the context be conducive.
SSR Input to the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs Course on Dealing with the Past
The Dealing with the Past Course is designed to train professionals from governmental and multilateral institutions as well as from national and international non-governmental organizations, working in countries or regions which are confronted with a legacy of massive human rights abuse.
Presentation at “Integrated Programme on Mainstreaming Gender in UN Peacekeeping to end Conflict Related Sexual Violence”
DCAF-ISSAT has been requested to present at a training course in Delhi organised by UN Women in partnership with the United Services Institute of India. DCAF-ISSAT’s contribution will consist of two presentations on:
- Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV); and,
- Early Warning Signs and Threat Analysis.
The course is designed to improve UN peacekeepers’ ability to address CRSV by familiarising peacekeepers with the concept and policy of CRSV, clarify roles and responsibilities for peacekeepers and the international community as well as host nation forces, and equip them with tools and mechanisms to proactively address and prevent CRSV in their operational environment.
The training is part of building security capacity in peacekeeping, as well as looking at skills and sustainable structure transfer to host forces. The visit also opens up a first opportunity for DCAF-ISSAT to engage with the India UN Peacekeeping Centre as part of its Peacekeeping Training Centre outreach.
Zimbabwe Peace and Security Programme (ZPSP) - Lesson Learning - Assessing and documenting
Notwithstanding the fragile political environment, the Zimbabwe Peace and Security Programme (ZPSP) was designed and implemented on behalf of the Zimbabwe Peace and Security Trust (ZPST), a legally constituted and Zimbabwean owned and driven organisation. It aimed to contribute, through impartial and professional technical assistance, to the effective and sustainable modernisation and transformation of the security sector in Zimbabwe. Its ability to engage in dialogue a wide variety of SSR stakeholders, and the thus far political sustainability of the programme deserve being understood, given the extremely adverse environment in which this took place. Such an exercise would imply documenting the trajectory of the ZPSP with a view to identifying lessons and mapping potential good practice, which is still greatly absent from the growing academic and policy production on SSR experiences in Africa.
Presentation at “Integrated Programme on Mainstreaming Gender in UN Peacekeeping to end Conflict Related Sexual Violence”
DCAF-ISSAT presented at a training course in Delhi organised by UN Women in partnership with the United Services Institute of India. DCAF-ISSAT’s contribution consisted of two presentations on:
- Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV); and,
- Early Warning Signs and Threat Analysis.
The course is designed to improve UN peacekeepers’ ability to address CRSV by familiarising peacekeepers with the concept and policy of CRSV, clarify roles and responsibilities for peacekeepers and the international community as well as host nation forces, and equip them with tools and mechanisms to proactively address and prevent CRSV in their operational environment.
The training is part of building security capacity in peacekeeping, as well as looking at skills and sustainable structure transfer to host forces. The visit also opens up a first opportunity for DCAF-ISSAT to engage with the India UN Peacekeeping Centre as part of its Peacekeeping Training Centre outreach.