Publications /
Policy Brief

Back
Towards People-Centered Security Sectors In Africa: A Tale Of Missed Opportunities?
Authors
Marta Martinelli
September 22, 2016

Most of the international security agenda is determined in the loosely defined “Global North” and is implemented in the “Global South.” This trend needs to be inverted with more voices from the “South” included in debates that shape international security policies and practices. In the case of Africa, it is important to consider questions of security governance on the continent and the role that civilian actors can play in promoting it. The role that civil society, media, and parliaments can play is essential in ensuring security forces have a positive role in strengthening the overall governance environment in Africa. While it is hard to single out one factor responsible for the unsustainability of many SSR initiatives in Africa, the exclusion of civil society voices from policy and professional debates on security provision results in little buy-in and support for donor-driven initiatives and a permanent hiatus between the population and a key part of the state apparatus.

RELATED CONTENT

  • March 29, 2024
    Interview with Sara Mokaddem, Manager of the Monitoring and Strategic Analysis Unit at the Policy Center for the New South, conducted by our columnist Helmut Sorge.   Oil tankers, mega cruise ships, and giant container vessels that once moved through secure waterways—the lifelines of global trade—are now menaced by missile and drone attacks, carried out by Houthi forces in Yemen. Meanwhile, pirates are active off the shores of Somalia, and Singapore or Hong Kong flagged vessels, a ...
  • March 27, 2024
    In this episode of Bridging the Gender Gap with Silindile Mlilo, the Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader alumna shines a spotlight on Gender Youth and Migration. As a migration scholar and ...
  • Authors
    Miguel Vazquez
    March 26, 2024
    Low-carbon hydrogen is a potential contributor to the goals defined in the Paris Agreement, i.e. limiting the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The transformation of hydrogen production is a part of this effort, as current production methods in the hydrogen industry are carbon-intensive. To achieve net-zero scenarios, hydrogen production and consumption will need to change. Creating a pipeline of projects plays a central role in drivin ...
  • March 25, 2024
    La publication, le 13 mars 2024, d’un projet de décret portant expropriation de trois propriétés inscrites au nom de la République algérienne à Rabat, a été considérée comme une provocation et une violation du droit diplomatique par le gouvernement de ce pays qui a menacé d’y répondre par tous les moyens. Le 17 mars, la presse a publié des copies de notes du Consulat algérien a Casablanca, apportant la preuve que ce gouvernement était le premier à annoncer l’expropri ...
  • March 22, 2024
    Water stands as a pivotal factor in either fostering peace or sparking conflict, with scarcity, pollution, and unequal access to this vital resource capable of escalating tensions within and between communities and nations. As we approach World Water Day, it is crucial to recognize that...
  • March 22, 2024
    Le Maroc traverse l'une de ses pires périodes de sécheresse. Au cours des 43 dernières années, le Royaume a traversé 7 périodes de sécheresse, présentant des niveaux de sévérité variables. La plus faible pluviométrie a été enregistrée, en 2017, avec seulement 103 mm de précipitations annuelles. Ce qui caractérise la présente sécheresse, c'est sa durée exceptionnelle de six années consécutives, marquant ainsi la période de sécheresse la plus longue de l'histoire du pays. En effet, su ...
  • Authors
    March 22, 2024
    L’Alliance des États du Sahel (AES), créée le 16 septembre 2023, rassemble dans un accord de défense mutuelle le Mali, le Niger et le Burkina Faso. La signature de la charte afférente à cette alliance qui porte le nom du Liptako-Gourma a été suivie de rencontre et de projets d’initiatives qui poussent plus loin la nouvelle structure vers des statuts de l’alliance pour la transformer en confédération. Comme mesure intermédiaire, les trois États ont d’ores et déjà envisa ...
  • March 21, 2024
    The profound impacts of natural disasters on lives, economies, and communities underscore the need for comprehensive understanding and proactive measures. These disasters disrupt livelihoods, displace populations, and strain resources, exacerbating vulnerabilities in both urban and rura...