OSCE-wide Conference underlines contribution of security sector governance and reform to peace and security in the region

VIENNA, 19 September 2017 - A holistic and well-co-ordinated approach to security sector governance and reform is fundamental to dealing successfully with today’s security challenges, said participants at the OSCE-wide Conference on Security Sector Governance and Reform (SSG/R), held at the Hofburg in Vienna, organized by the 2017 Austrian OSCE Chairmanship and the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

“An effective and accountable security sector is a cornerstone for peace and the provision of security,” said Florian Raunig, Head of Task Force of the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship. “In today’s security environment, with increasingly complex and often transnational challenges, we need comprehensive responses from the entire security sector. The concept of SSG/R can offer a way forward in this regard. Today’s conference provides an opportunity to share best practices and lessons learned among local, national and international actors, as well as to identify possible ways to strengthen the OSCE’s approach to SSG/R.”

Over 100 government representatives, experts and representatives from international organizations, civil society and academia took part in the event. They discussed the progress made in the field of SSG/R and identified the necessary steps to further strengthen the effectiveness of the support provided by the OSCE, including in the areas of police reform, border management and security, counter-terrorism, anti-corruption, and justice sector reform.

 “Our experiences have revealed that reform and governance efforts have the greatest impact when different components of the security sector work closely together. To this end, we need to make sure that we make best use of the synergies between our three dimensions to provide comprehensive and lasting support,” said Marcel Peško, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

In a joint statement, the OSCE Group of Friends of Security Sector Governance and Reform called on the OSCE to broaden the current discussion by engaging participating States and to ensure that the Organization’s efforts are complimentary to initiatives of other international organizations. They noted in particular United Nations Security Council Resolution 2151, which stresses the importance of security sector reform in achieving peace and security, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Supporting participating States in their efforts to strengthen governance and reforms in the security sector lies at the core of the work of the OSCE. The Organization 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 were launched in April 2016, represent a major milestone in this regard, providing staff with practical guidance for their support to national SSG/R processes.

The conference was organized in the framework 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.