Why has the principle of parliamentary oversight of the security sector, asserted since Benin’s independence, been poorly implemented? This study highlights logistical, human resource and institutional weaknesses, particularly repeated military incursions into the political arena. While the situation has improved since the 1990 Conférence Nationale, the national assembly must earn citizens’ trust by improving its performance and visibility and by providing public access to information. It is also important to train parliamentarians on security issues and to strengthen links with civil society organisations.
Parliament’s ability and attitude towards security and defence issues determine whether the constitutional and legal provisions prescribing transparent and democratic governance are upheld. This ability refers to parliament’s: institutional setting and powers; available human, material and technical resources; and financial autonomy. Even more decisive are parliament’s attitude and acumen in relation to the security sector, particularly that of the parliamentary committee on defence and security.
Benin’s security system is plagued by corruption at all levels, and politicisation is a growing problem. Insufficient material and human resources for security actors to carry out their functions is a further key difficulty, making surveillance of the national territory problematic, in particular along the country’s lengthy borders. Further:
- There is a lack of coordination and integration among security sector agencies agencies
- Many aspects of human security (including trafficking) have been neglected
- The rules relating to the maintenance of public order are unclear.
Despite relatively favourable conditions in Benin since the mid-1990s, the genuine de-politicisation of civil-security relations and the implementation of sound security sector governance, including effective parliamentary oversight, remain works in progress. Civilians and the national assembly did not seize the political opportunities of 1990 to develop effective mechanisms to control the armed and security forces. The relevant bodies exist, the most important being the foreign relations committee of the national assembly. However, they have not been functioning effectively since independence.
- Parliamentary oversight of the security sector in Benin is mainly performed through the process of budget authorisation and monitoring of government spending.
- Oversight is also performed through summoning, interrogations, parliamentary investigation commissions, oral and written questions and petitions. Temporary and special commissions may also be created.
- However, the public is barely aware of security issues, and questions raised by MPs do not address security and defence concerns – possibly because they are not of interest to constituents.
- Very often, government responses are not firm commitments but vague promises of future action
- None of the 20 parliamentary commissions set up since the return of democracy in 1991 has dealt with security or defence-related issues.
While not completely absent, then, parliamentary oversight of the security sector is neither substantive nor coherent. To improve the effectiveness of its oversight role, Benin’s parliament needs to:
- Enhance its technical capacity so as to participate in defence and security policymaking. Take the lead in making information about security planning and resources accessible.
- Apply sound rules and principles of public resources management to the execution of the security and defence budgets.
- Create more institutional links with civil society organisations to enable popular participation in, and contribution to, security debates. Relations between civilians and security institutions should be based on mutual rights and obligations as well as human rights.
- Bring the activities of private security companies within the domain of the law and monitor such activities accordingly.
