The project produced a handbook on security sector transformation in Africa to facilitate good governance. Workshops were held across Africa to review drafts of the handbook. The final handbook provides a framework for security sector governance and has impacted policies in Africa and among international organizations. The project succeeded in its objectives of initiating dialogue on security sector reform and establishing governance procedures. It has increased understanding of these issues and remains an important reference.

1. FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT ON THE PROJECT ON GOOD
GOVERNANCE AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE
SECURITY SECTOR IN AFRICA
PROJECT REFERENCE: 100692
INSTITUTION: CENTRE FOR DEMOCRACY &
DEVELOPMENT (CDD)
FUNDING AGENCY: INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
RESEARCH CENTRE (IDRC)
PROJECT LEADER: ‘KAYODE FAYEMI
CORE TEAM MEMBERS:
NICOLE BALL
FUNMI OLONISAKIN
ROCKLYN WILLIAMS
MARTINS RUPIYA
DATE OF PRESENTATION TO IDRC: APRIL 13, 2004
1

2. Introduction
This is the final technical report for the project on Good Governance and the
Transformation of the Security Sector (Centre File: 100692). The report provides a full
account of the project from inception to completion, with a careful assessment of the
project outcomes measured against the original objectives outlined, drawing on lessons
learned.
Synthesis
The project team set out to facilitate the creation of an enabling environment for
good governance in African security sectors, and to initiate a comprehensive approach to
security sector transformation in which local ownership is central. In addition to this
central objective, the general objectives of the project focussed on the evolution and
consolidation of stable, secure and accountable governments through the building of the
capacity in the security sector.
In addition to the above, and towards the accomplishment of the project outputs
which included the production of a handbook on security sector transformation in Africa
and a series of workshops in Africa to field test the handbook, other specific objectives
pursued included 1) the establishment of procedures and processes for greater democratic
accountability, transparency and control over the armed forces and security bureaucracies
– government, parliament, political society, and civil society – through the development
of an operational tool; 2) Assistance to the defence and security sector review process in
African countries on the basis of national consensus developed from the bottom up; 3)
Development of strategies to guide the activities of external actors, particularly the
bilateral and multilateral development cooperation agencies, in transforming the security
2

3. sector; 4) Encouragement of a dialogue between African civil society, governments and
the security forces on security sector reform.
At its completion, the project had not only helped to register security sector
reform permanently on the agenda of African governments and inter-governmental
organisations, it had firmly placed it on the OECD-DAC agenda and also successfully
ensured that the dialogue process among civil society, governments and the security
sector had commenced through the various workshops that brought together practitioners,
civil society workers and academics who worked on producing the Handbook. Bringing
all the relevant stakeholders together enhances the efforts to strengthen security sector
governance and a Handbook with inputs from the diverse stakeholders is a critical output
of the exercise.
Although it was not anticipated at commencement of project that the Handbook
will provide definitive guidance on how best to approach security sector transformation
in sub-Saharan Africa, it is our expectation that by documenting critical processes and
institutional relationships such as we have done, the Handbook can become a tool for
dialogue promotion and a text in training institutions and academies focusing on concrete
ways for security sector governance – nationally, regionally and cross regionally – as
well as among external actors, African governments and civil society.
Research Problem: The departure point of the research and Handbook
production was that unreformed security sectors have a direct and negative impact on
development. Excessive or inefficient spending on security pre-empts resources that
could be used for development purposes and weakens the capacity of the security forces
to undertake assigned tasks. The above called for a development of both a
3

4. comprehensive security sector transformation framework for Africa and the tools
necessary to implement this framework. Doing this created additional scope for linking
the work with on-going efforts to incorporate security sector reform into broader
programs of governance and public sector management. The basic research problems
remained the same in the course of research, but the growing interest in the area in the
course of completing the study underscored the need for a path-breaking work through
rigorous research.
Research findings: From a policy and scientific perspective, this research product
represents the first study of its kind anywhere in the world on security sector
transformation and governance. Although it has since become more mainstream that it
was when we started the research, a lot of its rising profile in development and
government circles can be traced to the work done mostly by the researchers involved in
this primary product. The main work provides for the first time a comprehensive
framework for security sector governance in Africa. Since the work finished, the main
researchers have since gone ahead to help the United Nations Development Programme
with its work on security sector governance and also led the OECD-DAC study on
security sector in 2004. The work of the institutions and individuals involved in the
production of the Handbook is largely recognised world wide as the critical to knowledge
production on issues of security sector governance. This contribution to knowledge is
exemplified by their involvement in the establishment of the Global Facilitation Network
for Security Sector Reform and now, the establishment of the Africa wide Security Sector
Network of academics, civil society actors and government officials.
4

5. Fulfilment of Objectives: The project team set out to facilitate the creation of an
enabling environment for good governance in African security sectors, and to initiate a
comprehensive approach to security sector transformation in which local ownership is
central. In addition to this central objective, the general objectives of the project focussed
on the evolution and consolidation of stable, secure and accountable governments
through the building of the capacity in the security sector.
On these central and general objectives, we succeeded in initiating and facilitating
an enabling environment for security sector governance in Africa, and the dialogues that
we started in Southern Africa and West Africa, have since become a permanent feature
among the security actors, civil society actors, government officials and the academics
we engaged in the production of the Handbook. Additionally, we have gone ahead to
champion and help establish the African Network for Security Sector dedicated to
promoting the values of good governance in the security sector, and linked to the Global
Network on Security Sector Governance, thus increasing the commitment to accountable
and secure governments through capacity building in the sector.
On the Specific objectives pursued, our assessment is as follows:
1) the establishment of procedures and processes for greater democratic accountability,
transparency and control over the armed forces and security bureaucracies – government,
parliament, political society, and civil society – through the development of an
operational tool - (framework paper produced, operational handbook developed and
series of review workshops organised and lessons learned identified)
2) Assistance to the defence and security sector review process in African countries on
the basis of national consensus developed from the bottom up (Through collaboration
5

6. with existing initiatives, the operational tool has been utilised to help the defence
and security sector review processes specifically in Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique,
Uganda, and Rwanda as well as at the sub-regional levels)
3) Development of strategies to guide the activities of external actors, particularly the
bilateral and multilateral development cooperation agencies, in transforming the security
sector (Through the original research conducted by the researchers, OECD-DAC
had commissioned the project leader(Kayode Fayemi – to develop a survey on good
and bad practice in the African security sector and the Technical Leader(Nicole
Ball) to develop best practise for bi-lateral and multilateral development agencies.
These studies have now been incorporated into the work of OECD on security sector
governance);
4) Encouragement of a dialogue between African civil society, governments and the
security forces on security sector reform.(In addition to the Nigeria-South Africa
Roundtables and the Ghana, Nigeria-South Africa Roundtables, the main grantee
institution – CDD and its partner – ISS – had been active in the promotion of
dialogue amongst the participants who attended the five workshops subsequently
and also at the regional levels by promoting the establishment of civil society for a
for the security sector and at the continental level where we have now established an
African Security Network)
Project Design & Implementation: Two key activities were supported under this
project. The first was the production of the Handbook by core authors (identified in the
original proposal) and contributors with expert knowledge in diverse areas. The second
6

7. was the series of review workshops – five of which took place in Senegal, South Africa,
Nigeria, Seychelles and Mozambique, who reviewed the draft of the Handbook as
prospective users and ultimate beneficiaries of the Handbook.
The research project did not have any partnership with a Canadian institution.
Although, we had a Northern partner – the Centre for International Policy in USA (where
Nicole Ball is based), the project had a primary focus that is locally owned and locally
directed, and the role of IDRC in ensuring this is commendable.
The research methods utilised were inter-disciplinary, and it combined desk-based
research with empirical and interview based surveys with security sector practitioners,
civil society actors, and representatives of inter-governmental agencies. The products
included the Framework paper, and the initial draft of the handbook which was reviewed
at the workshops and then subjected to further reviews by renowned experts in security
sector issues.
The project had incorporated gender issues both into the methodology as well as
the contents of the framework document and the Handbook. The Handbook outlined the
barriers to equal participation for women in the security sector and identified potential
remedies. It will also demonstrate the advantages of more equal participation for women
in civilian bureaucracy and in decision making positions in the executive and legislative
branches.
Project outputs and Dissemination:
Information sharing & dissemination: Dissemination is treated as an on-going issue and
the framework paper has already been published and put on the CDD website. Copies of
the operational tool, the Handbook, will be available to each country’s Ministries of
7

8. Defence, Interior, and Justice, leading defence and security related institutions in Africa.
Additionally, copies will also be sent to Universities on the continent, development
agencies and research organisations.
In addition to the above, the Handbook will be available under a separate section
on the CDD website. As well, our partner institutions – ISS in South Africa and the
Centre for International Policy in the USA will be encouraged to give the Handbook
prominent display on their websites as well.
Knowledge creation: This is the first initiative, not just in Africa but in the world that has
produced knowledge that has impacted governments, inter-governmental institutions,
security practitioners and civil society actors in security sector governance. It has given
rise to the rethinking of curricula in military academies and security institutions as well as
generated further interest in the development cooperation community on ideas for best
practices in linking security to development.
Training: The Handbook’s ultimate aim in this respect is for it to become a standard text
in training institutions dealing with the security sector, especially CDD’s new Regional
Institute for Peace & Security Studies. Towards this end, we have sought and received the
feedback of leaders of training institutions and the endorsement of the African Union.
The foreword to the Handbook has been written by the African Union President and a
formal launch at the Summit of Heads of State is planned for July 2004.
Capacity Building
The project had a range of capacity building impact for CDD and its partner
institutions. The original interest shown by IDRC in the work enabled us to convince
other funders to look at complementary aspect of the research project – especially with
8

9. respect to training and institutional development. It also assisted in strengthening the
administrative capacity of the lead researchers in managing a multiple authored, highly
specialised and complex research project. With a mixed team of women and men in the
core project team, we were able to ensure sensitivity to marginalised social groups, and
there has been an increase within the institution and amongst the beneficiary groups of
CDD, in women’s involvement in security sector training and work.
Project Management:
Administration by the research organisation: The research organisation focused on the
two critical outputs of the project – Handbook production and review workshops. There
were however delays in adhering to the timeline due to a number of reasons. The lesson
here is that multiple authored research project with authors scattered across the continent
could be tricky, and required the full time of the project leader, which was not the case
here. Nonetheless, the delay has not affected, in our view, the quality of the project nor
its capacity to impact on the target audience.
Scientific Management of project: This went according to the outlined plan, except for
the delays referred to above. The substantive work on the hypothesis, the writing and the
review workshops were effectively handled.
Technical and other support /administration of IDRC: Generally appropriate. IDRC
however ought to be more sensitive to problems that might not have been envisaged, but
which might constitute hiccups on the way.
Impact
References have been made in various sections of the report to the impact of the research
project, both in terms of reach and the influence of the new knowledge that we have
9

10. produced. In terms of influence, the initiative has captured the interest of policy makers
in several African countries, inter-governmental agencies – especially African Union,
ECOWAS and SADC, civil society actors and international development agencies. In
terms of reach, the dissemination strategy is focusing on institutions that can ensure a
multiplier effect and ensure that traditionally marginalised groups received additional
attention through the training at CDD’s Regional Institute for Peace and Security Studies.
Overall assessment
Project is bound to have a greater impact on the nature and function of the security sector
in Africa, and in the understanding of the security sector by international actors relative
to the investment of time, effort and funding involved. Already, the impact is being felt
by the increasing attention paid to these issues in governmental and non-governmental
circles.
Recommendations
Given IDRC’s pioneering role in this project, our main recommendation to IDRC is to
ensure that the impact of the initiative is not lost, by assisting the institutions responsible
in their training and policy influencing work with potential beneficiaries in government
and civil society, as well as within the international community. Specifically, we have
held discussions with IDRC on support to the Regional Institute for Peace and Security
Studies, which is dedicated to utilising the operational tool for the purpose of spreading
the word about security sector governance and through support to the Africa Network on
the Security Sector.
10