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Capacity building in support of security & development (CBSD) in third countries

Objective of the Consultation

Following the European Council conclusions of 19/20 December 2013 (EUCO 217/13) which emphasised “the importance of supporting partner countries and regional organisations, through providing training, advice, equipment and resources where appropriate, so that they can increasingly prevent or manage crises by themselves”, work progressed during 2014 and intensified during 2015, when technical meetings and targeted consultations with Member States, the European Parliament and other stakeholders took place. In the Joint Communication “Capacity building in support of security and development – Enabling partners to prevent and manage crises” (28 April 2015), the Commission and the High Representative underlined their commitment to enhance coherence and coordination between EU security and development actions, as well as to improve the delivery of capacity building in support of security and development. The Council conclusions on CSDP of 18 May 2015 called to explore options in this regard, notably in terms of financial instruments.

A public consultation to gather additional views of stakeholders is now taking place. In view of the extensive consultations with experts which have already taken place, this public consultation is launched with an 8-week long timespan, with a view to delivering concrete proposals.

Potentially interested stakeholders would be: security and development actors in the EU Member States, EU defence agencies, and international actors (UN, NATO, World Bank), civil society (specialised policy analysis organisations, such as think tanks), advocacy organisations and NGOs.

Period of consultation

From 31.03.2016 to 26.05.2016

Background

The economic gap between countries affected by conflict and others is increasing [1].  The 2006 European Consensus on Development [2] recognises the security-development nexus [3].  Moreover, the EU is a major supporter of the ‘New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States’ [4] and the emphasis it places on this nexus particularly in fragile and conflict-affected states. The European Parliament’s resolution on the global development framework after 2015 [5] also stressed the importance of the ‘New Deal’ and insisted upon a long-term commitment that prioritises “security sector reform and the establishment of the rule of law and democratic institutions”. The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [6] underlines the importance of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies both as a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 16 [7]) and in order to achieve other development policy outcomes.

Traditionally, the focus of development cooperation has been on supporting economic development and social systems, infrastructure or the rural sector, as well helping institutional good governance. As a consequence, donors do not always finance actions related to peace and security.

On 19 February 2016, an agreement was reached at the OECD-DAC updating and clarifying the reporting directives for official development assistance (ODA) on peace and security [8].  Among others, programmes focusing on security expenditure management, the role of civil society in the security sector, legislation on child soldiers, security sector reform, civilian peacebuilding, conflict prevention and conflict resolution, and control of small arms and light weapons are ODA eligible. Security sector reform that improves democratic governance and civilian control is ODA‐eligible.

The Union already finances a multitude of actions in the field of capacity building in support of security and development. Yet today’s challenges show that additional efforts are needed to better link development cooperation with peace and security interventions. The narrative of both the EU’s security cooperation (which increasingly recognises the importance of bringing in best practice from development cooperation to do so) and development cooperation (which increasingly recognises the need to address security issues) has changed.

The present initiative (‘capacity building in support of security and development in third countries’) takes place in the context of an increasing involvement of the EU, both in political and financial terms, to help partner countries and regional organisations build capacities in support of security and development, and in particular to enhance their ability to manage crises by themselves.

The Joint Communication of 28 April 2015 from the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on ‘Capacity building in support of security and development’ [9] (CBSD) analysed the current policy context and concluded that there are gaps in the way the EU builds the capacities of partners in the security sector. This concerns, in particular, systematic and longer-term EU support to defence and military security sector capacity building of third countries and regional organisations. In the globally deteriorating security environment, the limitations of the current EU toolbox hamper its ability to comprehensively address the issue and improve cooperation, in particular with third country armed forces. In order to do this effectively, as set out in the Joint Communication of 28 April 2015, the EU needs to consider using or developing appropriate instruments.

The gaps in the EU’s ability to provide capacity building support of security and development to military actors of partner countries include complementing the provision of training and reform of Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operations with short- and longer-term financing and provision of non-lethal equipment. This is currently only done partially through ad hoc arrangements. [10] In a number of cases, the effectiveness and sustainability of CSDP military training is undermined by the lack of equipment to complement the training. The lack of funding opportunities and immediate reaction capacity has negatively affected the overall effectiveness of EU support efforts. [11]

The military can play a key role in creating an enabling environment for sustainable development, ensuring human security, and in peace enforcement and peace-keeping. They can also be a threat to the population if they are not accountable, or if they lack training, equipment or experience to cope with situations in a way that is compatible with human rights and international humanitarian law. The EU should be able to engage with such actors, to fully tackle the linkages between peace, security and development.

This initiative would focus on providing the missing element in the EU toolbox, i.e. the ability to engage also with the defence sector and militaries of third countries and organisations. Whilst the Union already possesses a range of instruments to deal with the improvement of police and border forces, enhanced cooperation with third country defence sectors and militaries is lacking, except in the particular case of African countries under the ACP Partnership Agreement [12], within the wider framework of African-led peace support operations and the African Peace and Security Architecture. These countries are able to benefit from the African Peace Facility financed through the extra-budgetary European Development Fund. [13]  In development terms, more effective and professional armies would not only contribute to civilian control over the military and better governance of the latter, but they would also improve human security. This in turn would have positive impacts on medium-term economic and social development and contribute to more peaceful societies, including the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the UN Agenda 2030 mentioned above.

How to submit your contribution

  • We welcome contributions from citizens, organisations and public authorities.
  • Submit your contribution online by answering the dedicated questionnaire via this link :https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/CBSD
  • You may submit your contribution in any of the EU official languages.
  • Only contributions received through this online questionnaire will be considered.
  • If you wish you may provide additional information (position papers, reports, etc.) in support of your answers to this public consultation. You can upload a maximum of three files.
  • You will be able to save your contribution in .pdf format once you have submitted it.

Reference documents

Contact details

email : EC-CBSD-PUBLIC-CONSULTATION@ec.europa.eu

Transparency

In the interest of transparency, organisations have been invited to provide the public with relevant information about themselves by registering in the Transparency Register and subscribing to its Code of Conduct.

Protection of personal data & privacy statement

  1. World Bank’s World Development Report (Conflict, Security, and Development), 2011
  2. Joint declaration by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on the development policy of the European Union entitled “The European Consensus”, Official Journal C 46 of 24.2.2006.
  3. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/policies/fragility-and-crisis-management/links-between-security-and-development_en 
  4. The EU endorsed the New Deal for engagement in fragile states, one of the main Building Blocks of the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan in November 2011 (seehttp://www.pbsbdialogue.org/en/)
  5. 2014/2143 (INI)
  6. http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/development-agenda/
  7. Sustainable Development Goal 16: promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
  8. http://www.oecd.org/DAC-HLMCommunique-2016.pdf  
  9. JOIN(2015) 17 final of 28 April 2015
  10. See JOIN (2015) 17 final
  11. JOIN (2015) 17 final, point 2.2, pages 5 and 6
  12. The Partnership Agreement between the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and the EU is financed under an extra-budgetary instrument, the European Development Fund (EDF).
  13. The European Development Fund is financed by Member States contributions and is not part of heading IV of the general budget of the Union, which finances most other EU external financing instruments

 

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