SST overview

The Common African Defence and Security Policy (CADSP) provides a continental framework for peace and security underpinned by the notion of human security. While this has been adopted at continental level, for the most part it has not been cascaded down to national level security sectors. While the AU Policy on PCRD emphasises the importance of security sector transformation in countries emerging from conflict, such transformation is required across the continent, in order to enhance the capacity of the security sector to participate in implementation of the APSA (particularly the African Standby Force and PCRD) and to promote human security. This requires an analysis of current and future threats to peace and human security, an understanding of the capacities required to respond to those threats, and a collaborative framework for developing those capacities across the continent.

Gender mainstreaming of the security sector, both in terms of increasing the participation of women at all levels and improving the responsiveness of the security sector to gender issues, is another critical component of this area. Also critical is the need to align the ongoing UN process toward the development of a UN approach to SSR, with the African vision of security sector transformation.