UNOG-DCAF Special Discussion -
“Arab Spring and Democratization: the Role of Security Sector Reform”

Minister Laarayedh
Ambassador Winkler
Distinguished Panellists
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the Palais des Nations for this Special Discussion, organized jointly by the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces and the United Nations Office at Geneva.

It has been almost two years since the first protests of the Arab Spring set in motion a historic series of events. Almost two years since the individual act of desperation and protest of a fruit seller in Tunisia caught the imagination of the whole region, and indeed the world, with an ensuing domino effect that astonished us all.

We have seen the peoples of the region express their desire for a better future, for deep democracy, for the respect of fundamental rights and for a more prosperous life in dignity – for themselves and for future generations.

As we meet, violence in the Middle East has escalated. As you know, the Secretary-General who is travelling in the region to lend his support to the diplomatic efforts has repeatedly called for an end to the violence and strongly urged the parties to achieve an immediate ceasefire. The loss of civilian lives is unacceptable under any circumstances.

Today, the state of play remains uncertain. Spring has turned to autumn, and autumn maybe to winter? People feel uneasy and may grow impatient. In a few countries, genuine and impressive progress has been made. I think in particular of Tunisia, which has managed an inclusive process of transition.

In other countries, reforms have been initiated, but much remains to be done to fulfill the aspirations of the people. In others, change has not gone in the right direction.

With the benefit of hindsight, possibly we can say that the setbacks have been bigger than expected?

It has always been clear that each country must find its own path, and that the pace of change would vary across countries. But few predicted the size of the possible setbacks or the intensity of the disruptions along the way. Here, I am thinking specially of the deplorable loss of life in places like Libya, Yemen and Syria. Such violence against civilians goes against the core principles and values of international society.

And now we are moving into the most difficult period of all. We are in the middle of a delicate transition between rejecting the old order and defining the future, a key inflexion point.

Economic growth and employment creation are among the most critical tasks before us. Without prospects for jobs that enable a decent life in dignity, the promises of the revolutions will come to nothing. And possibly, the unfulfilled expectations will fuel even greater instability and crisis.

Today, our purpose is to explore the critical role of security sector reform in helping to ensure forward momentum in the right direction. The legacy of previous regimes remains, namely:

• A lack of transparency,
• No real parliamentary or government oversight, and
• The Security Sector Institutions training and procedures remain unchanged.

It is clear that the process of democratization, also with respect to the security sector, will be a long one. But, strong democratic forces have been unleashed and citizens have been empowered, so there is no turning back. For their own success, it will be critical for these processes to be genuinely inclusive, to respect and fully reflect the views and voices also of women and youth.

In the short-term, much can be accomplished within the prevailing political space: for example, new training regimes for security personnel or public disclosure of security policies and capacity-building in scrutiny mechanisms at all levels.

Other efforts we can take today include re-orientating the mandate and institutional culture of security institutions.

That takes leadership. This is precisely why we are so fortunate to enrich today’s Special Discussion with a key person such as His Excellency Mr. Ali Laarayedh, Minister of the Interior of Tunisia. I know that he has on his agenda the daily challenge of restoring the public confidence in the police and trust in the Government.

In the words of IMF Managing Director, Mme Christine Lagarde “Just as Tunisia provided the first spark of the Arab Spring, so now it can enlighten the path forward.”

We are now privileged to listen to His Excellency Mr. Ali Laarayedh. He has been a steadfast supporter of the democratic transition. The Tunisian Ministry of the Interior, under his leadership, is at the forefront of the transformational process taking place in the country’s security sector. Given his personal commitment to the promotion of democratization, transparency and security, he is uniquely suited to speak on this topic.

Monsieur le Ministre, marhaban bikoumfi Genève !
Vous avez la parole.

Thank you.