Publication

This paper discusses security sector reform in fragile states. The author explains how questions relating to state weakness, fragility, and failure have made it to the top of the international security agenda. The paper evaluates two policy concepts developed by the OECD donor community in order to deal with security challenges posed by weak governments in fragile states. The author argues that the OECD policies could fail to produce the desired improvements in security because the approaches remain too state-centric. The paper suggests looking beyond the formal state institutions and applying more pragmatic, contextual approaches that would allow for building on informal and non-state security structures instead.