“This paper presented the findings of a survey of security system reform (SSR) in African countries. The survey suggests that
changing political, economic and security circumstances have obliged virtually all African governments to consider some degree of reform in their security institutions. Nevertheless, there have been few SSR programmes in Africa conforming to the OECD-DAC definition; even SSR terminology has
yet to become fully familiar to African policy makers and securocrats. Instances of SSR have been largely limited to countries that are coming out of conflict and are often — though not always — conducted under donor guidance. This is not to say that ‘reforms’ are not occurring in the security system of African states — on the contrary — but that these are often piecemeal, narrowly focused and short-term in
character. Nevertheless, they do form essential entry points and building blocks for more ambitious SSR programmes.”
