How do Palestinians assess Palestinian ownership in security sector reform? How could such ownership be improved? This report outlines the findings of working groups of local stakeholders. While perceiving donor support as critical for the success of security sector reform, participants expressed dissatisfaction with donor control of the planning and implementation of reform projects, noting discrepancies between donor and local priorities. They concluded that Palestinians should take the lead in SSR through improved coordination, development of a coherent strategy, and improved aid monitoring.
In 2009 alone, donor countries supported the development of Palestinian security and justice providers with more than USD 100 million. Against this background, DCAF and the Palestinian Centre for Security Sector Management assessed challenges to local ownership in Palestinian security sector reform. A series of working group sessions were held to determine ways in which Palestinian ownership of the reform process might be improved. Participants represented stakeholder groups including the Palestinian security forces, the Palestinian National Authority, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), political parties, and civil society groups.
According to working group participants, ownership in SSR means that Palestinians, rather than donors, should design, implement and review security sector policies and programmes. It is, in their view, constrained by: the Israeli occupation; internal political division; dependency on foreign aid; and the lack of effective Palestinian coordination.
While perceiving donor support as critical for the success of security sector reform, participants expressed dissatisfaction with donor control of the planning and implementation of reform projects. Participants also noted that civil society is not integrated in security sector reform, and that civil society organisations are also dependent on donor support. Problems identified included:
- Lack of control over cooperation between donors and security forces
- Lack of control over foreign consultants
- Discrepancies between Palestinian and donor priorities.
Recommendations to improve local ownership in Palestinian security sector reform included the following:
- Develop a coherent security sector reform strategy.
- Take the lead in reforms: Training could be provided in-country, for example, and supplies from donors should be declined if they are not appropriate to local needs.
- Improve national coordination so as to define and pursue Palestinian priorities and liaise more effectively with donors.
- Develop effective aid monitoring tools: Establish shared monitoring indicators and boost accountability in security agencies.
- Link aid effectiveness in security sector reform to public finance management Increase the role of civil society in planning as well as monitoring SSR.
