Yesterday, South Africa hosted a thematic debate during its last presidency month at the UN Security Council, focusing on Security Sector Reform. The discussion was a great initiative for reaffirming not only the Council’s but also South Africa’s commitment to SSR #SAInTheWorld

The last single focused resolution on SSR had been in 2014, despite an increasing role that reforming security institutions play in peace operations mandates, peacebuilding processes and conflict prevention

At @issafrica, and particularly via @SamanthaChido, that SSR receives the right attention and focus in regional and global fora. It is particularly welcoming that the resolution that @DIRCO_ZA presented, co-signed with another 30 countries, was unanimously approved.

Thematic resolutions are often tricky, as they often struggle to say anything new or advance the agenda. But I'm glad that the resolution approved, brings back attention to the council to the matter. A few issues raised my interest in the resolution:

1- There is (like in most speeches in the Council) a reflection on the importance of ownership. However, it always seem to me very unclear on what the Council really mean by it, and how it wants to advance the ownership of security sector reform.

2- It's good to see a lot of focus on the resolution on strengthening planning capacity of the UN, to advance missions on the ground, and to ensure that in situations of transition, there is a close coordination with the UN Country Team

3- The role of the UN police is an important aspect, as I think increasingly they will be part of the future of peacekeeping. This is not just about those with executive mandates, but also those individual officers that are engaging on a capacity building and community engagement

4 -It is an important resolution as it requests the UN Secretary General and the UN Secretariat to strengthen cooperation and coherence; to develop additional guidance on gender issues;

As an M&E nerd, I hope the request for increased country-specific benchmarks and more regular reporting will have an impact on the running of SSR processes, particularly when the UN is in situations of transition

And also, that the call to strengthen the capacity of senior leadership of the UN Country Teams to absorb relevant peacebuilding function as a KEY way in which the UN can ensure its own sustainability and utility to countries in the long-run.

If you got this far, maybe you can also join us this afternoon (or morning, depending where you are), to reflect a bit how we can untangle Security Sector Reform in Africa. We have three great speakers joining, and I'm sure much more will be highlighted https://issafrica.org/events/untangling-security-sector-reform