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Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa: Realities and Opportunities

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Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa: Realities and Opportunities Alan Bryden and Boubacar N’Diaye (Eds) Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa: Realities and Opportunities Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) LIT Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa: Realities and Opportunities edited by Alan Bryden and Boubacar N’Diaye LIT (Bibliographic information here) Contents Preface vii Foreword ix Abbreviations xi 1 Mapping Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa 1 Alan Bryden and Boubacar N’Diaye 2 Benin 17 Théodore C. Loko 3 Burkina Faso 45 Jean-Pierre Bayala 4 Côte d’Ivoire 73 Raphaël Ouattara 5 Guinea 95 Dominique Bangoura 6 Mali 125 Mahamadou Nimaga 7 Mauritania 151 Boubacar N’Diaye 8 Niger 177 Anonymous 9 Senegal 205 Niagale Bagayoko-Penone 10 Togo 229 Comi M. Toulabor 11 Entry Points for Security Sector Reform in Francophone 255 West Africa Alan Bryden and Boubacar N’Diaye List of Contributors 275 About DCAF 279 Preface These are defining moments for Africa. The ‘Arab spring’ in North Africa has in some cases overturned regimes that have held power for decades. In other cases, authorities have been impelled to embrace more participative modes of governance. Yet conflicts have also been unleashed that are causing widespread bloodshed and suffering. If these dynamics are evident across the continent, West Africa’s politico-security environment certainly seems to defy prediction. Since this research project was launched, Guinea and Niger’s political landscapes have shifted radically from entrenched authoritarian rule to military regimes of exception and now (following successful elections) to fledgling democratic dispensations. By contrast, elections that were meant to heal divisions in Cote d’Ivoire had the opposite effect as Laurent Gbagbo, until forcibly removed, sought illegitimately to hold onto power. Even in apparently ‘stable’ environments such as Burkina Faso, mutineering soldiers and citizens protesting against the rising costs of basic necessities are combining to challenge the authority of the state. This latter event in particular should provide both a warning and a wake up call for other countries in the sub-region and beyond. It certainly seems to vindicate analyses in this volume that highlight the precariousness of security sector governance in francophone West Africa and the need to attend to this serious challenge through proactive, people focused reforms. What does this mean from the perspective of security sector governance? First, these events demonstrate the transformational role that can be played by civil society. Courageous individuals and groups have responded to their marginalisation and through their actions provoked widespread changes in national and regional governance patterns. But second, removing the political and security elites of the ‘old regime’ is insufficient. Experience tells us that if wider political transitions are to be successful, due attention must be paid to the development of effective, well managed and democratically accountable security sectors. For these reasons, we believe that it is critically important to scratch beneath the surface of security sector governance dynamics in countries where security issues have frequently remained a reserved domain. Only by understanding the issues and perceptions that divide the state, security sector and citizens can we hope to develop legitimate, sustainable reform processes at the national level. This viii volume helps fill this gap through analysing security sector governance in each of the nine francophone West African states. We would like to acknowledge the diverse community of committed actors that have supported our work to shed light on security sector governance in francophone West Africa. First and foremost, this volume has been made possible thanks to the dedication and expertise of our nine country case study authors. We would also like to express our gratitude to the Mission for Democratic Governance within the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs for their generous material and substantive support. Valuable input was provided by DCAF colleagues Heiner Hänggi, Fairlie Chappuis, Nicole Schmied, Lynda Chenaf and Maria Lisiakova. Aviva Proville and Sroda Bedarida-Gaveh contributed their excellent translation skills to this project. Our interim findings were discussed at a meeting held in Dakar in February 2010. This event was one of the fruits of the strategic partnership between the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and DCAF. It was organised jointly with the ECOWAS Commission and the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA). We would like to thank all those who contributed for offering their valuable insights and ideas. The views expressed in this volume are those of the authors alone and do not in any way represent the views of the institutions or their representatives involved in this project. The Editors Geneva, September 2011 Foreword Should we look for a common thread across the different events that have shaken Guinea, Niger or Cote d’Ivoire, the issue of security would certainly figure prominently. It has proven to be the cornerstone of their democratic transitions; all are confronted in one manner or another with the same question: how to reform their security sectors? West Africa is confronted by multiple tensions and complex security dynamics. Regional actors are prominent in addressing these challenges. These complexities pose specific challenges to any interpretation of local events. A thorough understanding of West Africa requires a detailed analysis of every country as well as a regional appreciation, taking into account political, cultural, economic, social and security factors. This is the approach applied in this study of Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa: Realities and Opportunities. The analysis in this publication identifies both challenges and entry points for security sector reform (SSR) in each country while setting this analysis in a broader regional context. As a political process located at the intersection of security, governance and development, SSR aims to develop coherent, coordinated approaches from the range of applicable national actors as well as in the support provided by development partners. SSR is not just about reforming the army, police or the justice system. It calls for a reform of the whole security system, understood in a holistic sense, ensuring that all these actors are subject to democratic oversight (exercised by the state, parliament, civil society, media, etc.). The fundamental goal of SSR is also the (re-) establishment of the state’s monopoly of the legitimate use of force with security and defence forces placed under civilian control. France is committed to promoting such an approach that links SSR to other processes of transition or development (for example, programmes of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration or transitional justice). The French policy on SSR which sets out this approach stresses the necessity of local ownership, an explicit acknowledgement of the political nature of this process as well as the need for its inclusion into wider governance reforms within the state. Both the objectives of the reform process and its implementation must be adapted to the local context. x In this spirit, France through the Democratic Governance Unit within the Directorate General of Global Affairs, Development and Partnerships has developed its cooperation with the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) in this area. DCAF has been responsible for groundbreaking research on SSR since its establishment in 2002. As the fruit of an agreement between France and DCAF signed in 2007, this joint endeavour has sought to promote research and reflection about security systems in the states of francophone West Africa, a region where the intricacies of security matters often remain hidden. By drawing on the knowledge of experts from the region, in-depth analysis of security sector governance dynamics is provided for each country. On this basis, concrete steps are proposed to support SSR. In so doing, this study addresses two major dilemmas of the SSR agenda. On the one hand, SSR is often treated from a narrow security perspective. On the other hand, the issue is often approached through a global prism, which, while relevant, needs to be adapted to the specificities of francophone administrative, legislative and juridical traditions. Based on analysis of the nine francophone states in West Africa, this study seeks to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, consider local capacities, and identify initiatives to improve security sector governance. Through the participation of practitioners, researchers and diverse local actors, this project also seeks to bring together francophone experience on SSR. France, together with its national, regional and international partners, hope that this ambitious and far reaching study will be useful for all those who, in spite of all the complex challenges facing them, work to support security sector reform in West Africa. Bringing together experience about processes, actors and strategies is crucial for the successful implementation of SSR, which always require strategic commitment and strong political leadership from local policy makers and other national actors. SSR seeks to embed a culture of democracy within security forces. It is therefore, ultimately concerned with improving the effectiveness and legitimacy of public institutions and allowing citizens to freely exercise their
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