Security sector reform presented in Armenia with OSCE support

The concept and evolution of security sector reform are key themes of an OSCE-supported training course launched on 11 June 2013 in Yerevan.

The four-day seminar, a first on this subject, is a joint initiative of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Austria’s Defence and Sports Ministry, and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF).

“The traditional concept of security is being redefined now to include not only the security of states but also the safety and well-being of their people,” said Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “The rationale behind this is the idea of indivisibility of security, which is well enshrined in the core principles of the OSCE.”

Ashot Hovakimyan, the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister, added: “Armenia has already undertaken a several large-scale reforms in a number of fields, including the armed forces, police and other security sector structures, with the goal to improve their efficiency. These are important steps forward to help deal with current and new challenges, and I am confident that the training and the knowledge obtained by the participants will contribute to the overall success of this process”.

Some 30 participants from various state agencies are expected to take part in the event that will also focus on the  political nature of the security sector reform, the challenges it faces, its relation to gender aspects and the notion of governance, as well as the roles and inclusion of state and non-state actors in security sector activities. The training is delivered by four experts from the DCAF International Security Sector Advisory Team.

Reforming the security sector is a political and technical challenge that requires the participation of a wide range of state and non-state actors working together across traditional institutional boundaries.