Security Council resolution 2151 (2014) [on security sector reform]
Symbol: S/RES/2151 (2014)
Date: 2014-04-28
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/69 [10] INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Subjects: SECURITY SECTOR REFORM|PEACEBUILDING|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|PARTNERSHIP|COORDINATION WITHIN UN SYSTEM
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ARGENTINA
vote: yes
country: AUSTRALIA
vote: yes
country: CHAD
vote: yes
country: CHILE
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: JORDAN
vote: yes
country: LITHUANIA
vote: yes
country: LUXEMBOURG
vote: yes
country: NIGERIA
vote: yes
country: REPUBLIC OF KOREA
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: RWANDA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                     S/RES/2151 (2014)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                28 April 2014




               Resolution 2151 (2014)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7161st meeting, on
               28 April 2014

                    The Security Council,
                     Reaffirming its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Na tions
               for the maintenance of international peace and security,
                     Stressing that reforming the security sector in post-conflict environments is
               critical to the consolidation of peace and stability, promoting poverty reduction, rule
               of law and good governance, extending legitimate State authority, and preventing
               countries from relapsing into conflict, and further stressing that, in this regard, a
               professional, effective and accountable security sector and accessible and impartial
               law-enforcement and justice sectors are equally necessary to laying the foundations
               for peace and sustainable development,
                    Recalling the sovereign right and the primary responsibility of the country
               concerned to determine the national approach and priorities of security sector
               reform and recognizing that it should be a nationally owned process that is rooted in
               the particular needs and conditions of the country in question and encouraging the
               development of expertise in the field of security sector reform at the national level,
                     Recognizing that the political leadership and political will of national
               authorities are critical for the progress of security sector reform and reaffirming the
               lead role of national authorities in developing an inclusive national vision for
               security sector reform, coordinating the implementation of the vision, dedicating
               national resources towards national security institutions, and monitoring the impact
               of the security sector reform process,
                     Recalling the statements by its President of 21 February 2007
               (S/PRST/2007/3), 12 May 2008 (S/PRST/2008/14) and 12 October 2011
               (S/PRST/2011/19), and noting with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General
               entitled “Securing States and societies: strengthening the United Nations
               comprehensive support to security sector reform” (S/2013/480) of 13 August 2013,
                    Recalling reports of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of the
               General Assembly, which have provided guidance to the United Nations Secretariat
               on the subject of security sector reform and the development of a United Nations
               approach to security sector reform,



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                     Expressing concern at the range of challenges that weak and dysfunctional
               security institutions pose, including impairing the ability of the State to extend
               public security and rule of law within its boundaries, and noting that good
               governance and oversight of the security sector is important in ensuring that security
               institutions are capable of protecting the population, and further noting that failure
               to address operational and accountability deficits can undermine the positive gains
               of peacekeeping and necessitates the return of peacekeeping and special political
               missions in previous areas of operation and recognizing that effective security sector
               reform processes have been an important element of the stabilization and
               reconstruction of some post-conflict countries,
                    Reaffirming that an effective, professional and accountable security sector
               without discrimination and with full respect for human rights and the rule of law is
               the cornerstone of peace and sustainable development and is important for co nflict
               prevention,
                     Recalling that the bulk of Security Council-mandated United Nations
               assistance in the area of security sector reform takes place in, and is directed to,
               countries in Africa and that a number of African countries are becoming important
               providers of such assistance,
                     Noting the support provided by bilateral actors, as well as regional actors,
               including the European Union, to security sector reform efforts and other initiatives
               in the area of security sector reform, in particular in Afric a, and stressing the
               importance of coordination as appropriate between the different actors involved in
               supporting security sector reforms through bilateral contributions and emphasizing
               the role United Nations peacekeeping operations or special political missions can
               play in enhancing this coordination,
                    Recognizing the centrality of security sector reform as a key element of
               peacekeeping and special political mission mandates, noting the increasing number
               and complexity of mission mandates on security sector reform, and emphasizing the
               importance of the United Nations, including through its peacekeeping operations
               and special political missions, supporting national Governments, upon their request
               where appropriate, to develop security institutions that are accessible and responsive
               to the needs of their population, and the important role of the Peacebuilding
               Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund in supporting security sector reform,
                     Recalling the important role that the United Nations has played in support ing
               national efforts to build sustainable security institutions, and commending the
               efforts of the United Nations, in particular the Department of Peacekeeping
               Operations, including the Security Sector Reform Unit and the United Nations
               Inter-Agency Security Sector Reform Task Force, in further strengthening a
               comprehensive United Nations approach to security sector reform, through the
               development of guidance and civilian capacities, coordination mechanisms, and
               collaboration with regional and subregional organizations, in particular the African
               Union,
                     Underlining the importance of the close coordination of the range of United
               Nations Security Sector Reform activities, both at headquarters and in the field, in
               particular between Security Council-mandated missions and the United Nations
               Country Team, as appropriate, and encouraging relevant United Nations entities




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           mandated for security sector reform activities to work through the existing
           coordination mechanisms, as appropriate,
                 Acknowledging the necessity for the United Nations to balance its support for
           the reform of individual components of the security sector, which in some contexts
           include defence, police, corrections, and border and immigration services, with
           sector-wide initiatives that address strategic governance, management and oversight
           aspects in order to ensure their long-term sustainability based on the particular
           needs and conditions of the country in question,
                 Reiterating the importance of the rule of law as one of the key elements of
           conflict prevention, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and peacebuilding and
           reiterating the statement by its President of 21 February 2014 ( S/PRST/2014/5), and
           recalling that security sector reform must take place within a broad framework of
           the rule of law, and noting in this regard the contribution that effective, professional
           and accountable police services, that provide security to the population, can make in
           building trust between State authorities and communities and restoring the rule of
           law in post-conflict countries,
                 Reaffirming its commitment to address the impact of armed conflict on women
           and children, and recalling its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009),
           1960 (2010), 2106 (2013) and 2122 (2013) on women, peace and security,
           resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1738 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on
           the protection of civilians in armed conflict, as well as resolutions 1261 (1999),
           1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068 (2012) and 2143 (2014) on children
           and armed conflict,
                 Recognizing that security sector reform constitutes a key element of the
           political processes of States recovering from conflict and of the strengthening of the
           rule of law institutions,
                 Recognizing the interlinkages between security sector reform and other
           important factors of stabilization and reconstruction, such as, but not limited to,
           transitional justice, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration as well as longterm rehabilitation of former combatants including in particular women and
           children, national small arms and light weapons management, arms embargo
           implementation, reduction of armed violence, organized crime and anti-corruption
           measures, protection of civilians, including in particular women and children, as
           well as gender equality and human rights issues,
                 1.   Reaffirms the importance of security sector reform in the stabilizati on
           and reconstruction of States in the aftermath of conflict and resolves to continue to
           include and prioritise, as appropriate, security sector reform aspects as an integral
           part of the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special
           political missions;
                2.    Reiterates the centrality of national ownership for security sector reform
           processes, and further reiterates the responsibility of the country concerned in the
           determination of security sector reform assistance, where appropriate, and
           recognizes the importance of considering the perspectives of the host countries in
           the formulation of relevant mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations
           and special political missions;




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                     3.   Encourages Member States undertaking reform to take the lead in
               defining an inclusive national vision on security sector reform, informed by the
               needs and aspirations of the population, and acknowledges the important role of the
               United Nations, including its Peacebuilding Commission, and Member States,
               regional and subregional organizations in assisting States in this regard;
                     4.    Recognizes that security sector reform needs to be in support of, and
               informed by, broader national political processes, inclusive of all segments of the
               society, including the participation of civil society, that lay the foundations for
               stability and peace through national dialogue and reconciliation efforts, and resolves
               to link security sector reform to such efforts;
                     5.   Stresses that security sector reform is critical to addressing imp unity for
               violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian
               law, where applicable, and contributes to the rule of law;
                     6.   Encourages Member States, when undertaking security sector reforms, to
               mainstream child protection, such as the inclusion of child protection in military
               training and standard operating procedures, as well as in military guidance as
               appropriate, the establishment of child protection units in national security forces, of
               effective age assessment mechanisms to prevent underage recruitment, of vetting
               mechanisms to ensure that those responsible for violations and abuses against
               children are not included in the ranks of national security forces and of measures to
               protect schools and hospitals from attack and to prevent the military use of schools
               in contravention of applicable international law;
                     7.   Stresses the importance of security sector reform, which better integrates
               policing, defence, border management and security, maritime security, civil
               protection, and other relevant functions, including through the development of
               professional, accessible, and accountable policing capabilities that strengthen
               community resilience, as well as the institutions responsible for their oversight and
               management, and urges the effective integration as regards sector-wide and
               component levels of United Nations support both at headquarters and in the field, as
               appropriate;
                     8.    Stresses the importance of the relevant bodies of the United Nations
               undertaking mission planning processes for security sector reform, where mandated,
               that gives full consideration to supporting national security sector reform efforts,
               taking into account the specific needs of the host country, and collaborating with
               other relevant international and regional actors providing security sector reform
               assistance to the national government;
                      9.   Underlines the importance of strengthening support for sector-wide
               initiatives that aim to enhance the governance and overall performance of the
               security sector and address the foundations upon which security institutions in each
               component area are built, such as through support to national security dialogues;
               national security sector reviews and mappings; national security policy and strategy;
               national security legislation; national security sector plans; security sector public
               expenditure reviews; and national security oversight, management and coordination;
                     10. Underlines that the management of a transition from a peacekeeping
               operation or special political mission in relation to its security sector reform
               activities should be based upon a timely analysis, in consultation with the host
               country, of any assistance beyond the duration of the mandate to enable


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           peacebuilding and development actors to undertake the necessary strategic planning
           and fundraising, working in close partnership with the national authorities, and to
           transfer skills and expertise to host country officials and experts as quickly as
           possible in order to ensure a successful and durable transition;
                 11. Notes that the United Nations is particularly well positioned to support
           and coordinate sector-wide reforms as necessary in specific situations and has broad
           experience as well as comparative advantages in this area working in close
           collaboration with relevant international and regional actors, and encourages
           Member States to continue to be engaged and to facilitate strategic discussions on
           strengthening the United Nations approach in this critical area, including through
           the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of the General Assembly and
           the Peacebuilding Commission;
                 12. Notes the important role that United Nations police can play in
           supporting, and coordinating international support for, reform of national police
           institutions and building police capacity in a comprehensive way that emphasizes a
           community-oriented approach and inter alia builds strong governance, oversight and
           accountability mechanisms within the framework of a functional judicial and
           corrections system;
                 13. Recognizes the need for the United Nations peacekeeping operations and
           special political missions with relevant mandates and the Inter-Agency Security
           Sector Reform Task Force to further strengthen the monitoring and evaluation of
           United Nations security sector reform initiatives with the aim of ensuring the
           effectiveness, coordination and coherence of the support provided by the United
           Nations to national Governments;
                 14. Encourages Member States to provide voluntary support to security
           sector reform efforts, including at a sector-wide level, in accordance with the
           priorities set forth by national authorities;
                15. Resolves to continue to promote the role of the United Nations
           Secretariat in supporting security sector reform, and requests the Secretary-General
           to consider undertaking the following in the context of relevant country-specific
           mandates:
                 (a) Strengthen the comprehensive approach of the United Nations in security
           sector reform;
                 (b) Develop additional guidance for relevant United Nations officials,
           including for Special Representatives of the Secretary-General and Envoys, and
           assist relevant senior United Nations management to understand how to deliver
           mandated security sector reform tasks;
                 (c) Encourage the Secretary-General’s Special Representatives and Envoys
           to fully take into account the strategic value of security sector reform in their work,
           including through their good offices, where mandated;
                (d) Highlight in his regular reports to the Security Council on specific
           United Nations operations mandated by the Security Council, updates on progress of
           security sector reform, where mandated, in order to improve Security Council
           oversight of security sector reform activities;




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                     (e) Continue to develop integrated technical guidance notes and related
               training modules, as well as other tools as appropriate, to promote coherent and
               coordinated United Nations support to security sector reform, and develop
               modalities for joint delivery of assistance to national reform efforts;
                    (f) Ensure that assistance related to security sector reform takes into account
               the operation of Security Council-mandated arms embargoes, where applicable,
               including the availability of exemptions to such embargoes specifically intended to
               support security sector reform;
                     16. Underlines the importance of partnerships and cooperation with regional
               and subregional arrangements and organizations, in accordance with Chapter VIII of
               the United Nations Charter, and in supporting security sector reform, as well as
               fostering greater regional engagement;
                     17. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue to promote cooperation
               between the United Nations and the African Union, consistent with the framework
               agreement for the 10-year capacity-building programme for the African Union,
               towards its efforts to strengthen its continent-wide policy framework for security
               sector reform, informed by and in support of the African Peace and Security
               Architecture, and further encourages all partners to continue to assist the African
               Union in building its capacities in this regard;
                    18. Reiterates the importance of sharing experiences and expertise on
               security sector reform among Members States and regional and subregional
               organizations, and in this regard encourages a deepening of South-South exchange
               and cooperation;
                     19. Underscores the importance of women’s equal and effective participation
               and full involvement in all stages of the security sector reform process, given their
               vital role in the prevention and resolution of conflict and peacebuilding, and in
               strengthening civilian protection measures in security services, including the
               provision of adequate training for security personnel, the inclusion of more women
               in the security sector, and effective vetting processes in order to exclude
               perpetrators of sexual violence from the security sector;
                    20.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.




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