1. AUC PRESENTATION AT ISSAT GOVERNING BOARD MEETING
Geneva, September 2016

2. Outline Introduction Common African Defense and Security Policy/ PCRD
AU SSR project
Phase One:
Phase two:
Partnership with DCAF/ISSAT
Conclusions and way Forward

3. INTRODUCTION
Security Sector Reform (SSR) is one of the main complements of the Common African Defense and Security Policy (CADSP) of 2004.
The AU Policy Framework on SSR is developed in fulfillment of the decision of the Assembly of January 2008 which “ encourages the commission to develop a comprehensive AU Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform (SSR), within the context of the Policy Framework on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development adopted by the Executive Council in Banjul, the Gambia, in June 2006”.
Contributing to APSA II.
Complementing Silencing the Guns ˃ Agenda 2063.
Aligned with UN SDG16.

4. WORKING DEFINITIONS
In the AU SSR Policy, ‘security’ means all aspects of human security, security of the state and absences of violence (military, criminal, economic, social, and sexual).
The AU defines SSR as “the process by which countries formulate or re-orient the policies, structures, and capacities of institutions and groups engaged in the security sector, in order to make them more effective, efficient, and responsive to the democratic control, and to the security and justice needs of the people”.

5. AU SSR PHASE ONE PROJECT 2009-2015:
Between 2009 – 2015, the AU focused on a number of SSR activities as follows:
Development of the AU Policy Framework on SSR with support from the UN, ASSN and other partners;
Capacity building for the AU funded by the EU, Norway and NL, with technical support from the UN and ASSN;
Training and sensitization for AU RECs and stakeholders, also with technical support from ISSAT;
Joint Needs Assessment missions;
Deployment of AU experts to Member States SSR activities;
Development of guidelines and operational guidance notes.

6. PHASE ONE CONT. ( )
Deployment of SSR Experts to support the MS through the AULOs such as Madagascar and Comoros;
Jointly with AU Peace Support Operations Division, deployed SSR/ DDR officers to support SSR and DDR implementation processes in Somalia, CAR, Mali, MNJTF.
Supported the Republic of Madagascar to develop a national SSR Policy, endorsed by the President, in January This was followed by drafting national SSR strategic plan and a 5 year implementation plan for 8 security pillars in September 2016 (Army, Police and Internal Security, Gendarmerie, Justice, Parliament, Border and Territorial Security and Civil Society Organizations).

7. PHASE ONE CONT. ( )
Assisting SADC engagement in Lesotho for setting-up SSR priorities.
Continued collaboration with partners including the NL discussion on the resumption of the Burundi SSD programme.
Joint PCRD Assessment in CAR and upcoming in Guinea-Bissau.
Upcoming sensitisation on SSR and DDR in Guinea-Bissau.

8. PHASE TWO:
The overall objective of AU Phase II SSR Programme is:
Enable the AUC to provide assistance to RECs/RMs and AU
Member States in their respective SSR processes;
Enhance national ownership of SSR processes in line with
the AU Policy Framework on SSR.
Ensures coordination of SSR support provided by different
partners.

9. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PHASE TWO ARE:
Follow up on the recommendations from the SSR joint assessment missions CAR, Madagascar, Mali and Guinea-Bissau ( );
Conduct more joint SSR assessment missions upon request of AU Member States;
Create fora for discussion of SSR issues on the continent including rule of law and security governance.

10. PRIORITIES
Implement the recommendations from the SSR joint assessment missions CAR, Madagascar, Mali and Guinea-Bissau ( );
Finalize, publish and disseminate the OGNs initiated in the first phase of the programme;
Implement the AU SSR Communication Strategy to widen SSR outreach awareness and knowledge;
Promote gender best practices in SSR activities of MS, RECs/ RMs;
Deploy AU SSR Officers as well as short term SSR experts to AU Liaison Offices and PSOs;
Create an AU SSR Programme Steering Committee composed of the AUC and RECs/RMs with partners participating as observers.

11. PARTNERSHIP WITH DCAF:
Joint Declaration Of Intent (JDI):
The AUC/ DCAF JDI signed on18 August 2015;
Based on partnership between the AUC and ISSAT since 2009:
Aims to reinforce long term and comprehensive partnership to enhance the capacity of the AU PSD to support AU Member States, RECs/RMs in their respective SSR processes.

12. PRIORITY AREAS FOR COLLABORATION WITH ISSAT:
Deploy reinforcement of SSR advisory capacity of the AU in Madagascar and Somalia;
Support for training and capacity building on SSR in Madagascar and Lesotho;
Assistance to the AU in providing support for design of national SSR policies, strategies and action plans;
Support to joint assessments missions with PCRD;
Collaboration in the organisation of the 2nd Africa Forum on SSR 2018.

13. CONCLUSIONS AND WAY FORWARD:
Continue collaboration with REC/ RMs and all SSR stakeholders to ensure coordination of efforts and resource optimisation;
Continue fundraising for SSR programme activities to ensure better preparedness to tackle continuous challenges faced by the Member States;
Continue dialogue and collaboration with international partners.

14. THANK YOU Dr. Tarek A. Sharif
Head of the Defense and Security Division
Peace and Security Department
Tel: