The security sector reform must take the greatest possible account of the specific characteristics of each country [fr]

Madam President,

I too wish you every success for your presidency of the Security Council and congratulate you and your country on your commitment to a theme that is dear to us. Indeed, everywhere, the confidence of our citizens in their government depends on the ability to guarantee security. This is even more true in the aftermath of a conflict, where populations traumatized by cycles of violence need strong security institutions, staffed by competent personnel, acting within the framework of the law and respecting human rights, to project themselves into the future and rebuild it. With resolution 2151, the Security Council recognized the importance of helping States improve their performance in security sector reform to consolidate peace. We welcome South Africa’s initiative to present a new draft resolution that would enable us to further clarify the issues at stake in this process and to achieve further concrete progress.

I would like to emphasize three points:

First of all, peacekeeping and special political missions often contribute to the long-term stabilization of host States, a stabilization that enables them to strengthen their autonomy and thus to contribute directly to the exit strategy of peace operations. However, these peace operations need to be mandated for this purpose. France has a strong ambition in this area with regard to MONUSCO, MINUSMA and MINUSCA.

In this regard, the difficult task of the security sector reform services within the Missions, under the authority of the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, deserves to be actively supported. I commend the work of the organizations that assist these missions in connection with the United Nations, such as the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, which operates in 80 countries and which France supports.

Secondly, France advocates a vision of security sector reform that takes the greatest possible account of the specific characteristics of each country, based on the political will of the host State and the coordination of international actors. It is the combination of these wills that makes it possible to provide a solid foundation for security sector reform. I am thinking, for example, of the model of the “instance de coordination au Mali”, which provides the link between the national armed forces and international partner forces.

Thirdly, France considers that one of the factors of success is initiatives conducted at the country and mission levels, so that the reform can be perfectly aligned with the needs identified on the ground. It is essential to be able to rely on indicators adapted to each mission, allowing, on the basis of regular reports, a reliable synthesis of progress made, both in capacity building and in the implementation of structural reforms. The benchmarks relating to the establishment of a reconstituted Malian army, in MINUSMA’s mandate , illustrate how this mechanism can be used as a lever for coordinating efforts between political guidance by the Security Council and the efforts of peace operations on the ground, as well as the international community’s monitoring work with the host state.

Thank you.