Security Council resolution 2553 (2020) [on security sector reform]
Symbol: S/RES/2553 (2020)
Date: 2020-12-03
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/75 [10] INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
S/ X Maintenance of international peace and 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: BELGIUM
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
vote: yes
country: ESTONIA
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GERMANY
vote: yes
country: INDONESIA
vote: yes
country: NIGER
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
vote: yes
country: SOUTH AFRICA
vote: yes
country: TUNISIA
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: VIET NAM
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/2553 (2020)
               Security Council                                                 Distr.: General
                                                                                3 December 2020




               Resolution 2553 (2020)
               Adopted by the Security Council on 3 December 2020

                    The Security Council,
                     Reaffirming its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations
               for the maintenance of international peace and security,
                     Recalling its resolutions 2151 (2014) on security sector reform and 2282 (2016)
               on the review of the United Nations peacebuilding architecture, and 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),
                     Recalling its resolution 2282 (2016) which recalled General Assembly
               resolution A/RES/70/1, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for
               Sustainable Development”, which adopted a comprehensive, far-reaching and peoplecentred set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and
               targets,
                     Recognizing that development, peace and security and human rights are
               interlinked and mutually reinforcing,
                     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,
                     Reiterating the need for a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding and
               sustaining peace as well as gender mainstreaming measures including through
               security sector reform in the broader framework of the rule of law,
                     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, and at the request and in close consultation w ith
               the country in question and encouraging the involvement of all relevant stakeholders
               in security sector reform and the development of expertise in the field of security
               sector reform at the national and local level,




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                     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, which takes into account the full, equal and meaningful participation of
               women and stressing that coordinating the implementation of the vision, dedicating
               national resources towards national security institutions, and monitoring the impact
               of the security sector reform process are an integral part of national ownership and
               leadership of security sector reform,
                    Reaffirming its commitment to address the impact of armed conflict on women,
               youth and children, and recalling its resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888
               (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013) 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), 2467 (2019) and 2493
               (2019) 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 as well as resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020)
               on youth, peace and security, and resolutions 1261 (1999), 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009),
               1998 (2011), 2068 (2012) and 2143 (2014) on children and armed conflict,
                     Recognizes the role of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special
               political missions in supporting national authorities, where and as mandated, to
               develop inclusive, national strategies, programs and priorities for security sector
               reform and support the coordination of international assistance to security sector
               reform as appropriate that is aligned with national priorities and takes into account
               international support in order to effectively assist countries to build and sustain peace,
               stressing the importance of peacekeeping missions and special political missions to
               be provided with adequate, predictable and sustainable funding and/or resources to
               implement mandates and United Nations support related to security sector reform,
                    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,
                     Expressing concern at the range of challenges that weak and dysfunctional
               security institutions face including impairing the ability of the State to build and
               sustain peace, extend public security, rule of law and access to justice within its
               boundaries, and noting that good governance and oversight of the security sector is
               important in ensuring that security institutions provide security and protect the
               population, and further noting that failure to address governance, 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 and inclusive security sector reform
               processes have been an important element of the political processes, national
               reconciliation, transitional justice, stabilization and reconstruction of some post -
               conflict countries,
                    Reaffirming that a representative, responsive, efficient, 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 conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining
               peace,
                    Recognizing that security sector reform is an important element of United
               Nations peacebuilding efforts and noting the important work of the Peacebuilding
               Commission as a dedicated intergovernmental advisory body that brings a strategic
               approach and coherence to international peacebuilding efforts including United
               Nations support to security sector reform,


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                 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, and in this regard recognizing the important contributions of, and
           capacities put in place by the African Union and the sub-regional organisations to
           support and guide national security sector reform efforts,
                 Noting the support provided by bilateral actors, regional organisations,
           multilateral financial institutions as well as, expert organizations including academia
           and research organizations to security sector reform efforts and other initiatives in the
           area of security sector reform, and recognizing the importance of establishing
           strategic partnerships and coordinated funding to enhance the impact of international
           support that is aligned with, and takes into account national security sector reform
           priorities,
                 Stressing the importance of national ownership and the role that coordination
           plays, as appropriate, between the different actors involved in supporting security
           sector reforms through bilateral and multilateral contributions and emphasizing the
           role United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions can play
           in enhancing this coordination with a national vision and priorities, and taking into
           account the need to ensure transparency, inclusivity, and accountability of support
           provided for security sector reform in line with national priorities,
                 Recognizing the centrality of security sector reform as a key element of
           peacekeeping and special political mission mandates, stressing the role of
           peacekeeping operations and special political missions in support of political
           solutions, 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 strengthen security sector
           governance and develop security institutions that are inclusive, representative,
           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 supporting
           national efforts to enhance security sector governance and build sustainable security
           institutions, and commending the efforts of the United Nations, in particular the
           Department of Peace 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 system-wide and specialized guidance and civilian
           capacities, coordination mechanisms, and development of strategic partnerships 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, and noting the role of the Global Focal Point for Rule of Law in the
           context of security sector reform in enhancing the United Nations integrated
           responses and joint approaches at the country level, and encouraging relevant United
           Nations entities mandated for security sector reform activities to work through the
           existing coordination mechanisms, as appropriate,
                Acknowledging that security sector reform in some contexts will include
           defence, police, justice and corrections, disaster management and border, customs and
           immigration services, as well as, customary and traditional security providers as
           determined by each Member State, and stressing the importance to adequately
           consider initiatives that address strategic security sector governance, management

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               and oversight aspects in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the security
               sector 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 the public and restoring the rule of law
               in post-conflict countries,
                     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, and that the establishment of representative, effective and
               accountable security sector governance ensuring the security and justice needs of the
               entire population and development of sustainable capacities of national security
               institutions able to fulfil their responsibilities to protect all civilians is central to th e
               transition, where and as mandated of security responsibilities to the host state, and to
               the gradual withdrawal and exit of peacekeeping operations and special political
               missions,
                     Recognizing the interlinkages between security sector reform and other
               important factors of stabilization and reconstruction, such as, but not limited to,
               national reconciliation, transitional justice, disarmament, demobilization and
               reintegration as well as long-term rehabilitation of former combatants and all those
               affected including in particular women, youth 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, youth and children, as well as gender equality and
               human rights issues,
                     1.    Reaffirms the importance of security sector reform in peacebuilding, and
               sustaining peace, including conflict prevention and in the stabilization 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;
                     3.    Encourages Member States undertaking reform, to take the lead in
               defining an inclusive national vision and strategy on security sector reform, informed
               by the needs and aspirations of the entire 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, social and economic development, through the promotion of the
               rule of law, justice, national dialogue, and reconciliation efforts, and resolves to
               prioritize security sector governance and reform activities that directly support such
               efforts;


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                 5.    Reaffirms that the promotion of women’s full, equal and meaningful
           participation in the security sector makes an important contribution to building
           inclusive, accountable and legitimate institutions that more effectively protect
           populations and promote lasting peace and sustainable development, and expresses
           concern that women continue to face significant barriers to their equal participation
           in security sector institutions where they are often under-represented; and in this
           regard, encourages Member States to develop context-specific security sector reform
           strategies and programmes that, inter alia, mainstream a gender perspective remove
           legal, institutional and regulatory barriers to women’s equal participati on in the
           security sector and increase their representation at all levels within the security sector;
                 6.   Recognizing that youth should actively be engaged in shaping lasting
           peace and contributing towards conflict prevention, peacebuilding and recovery,
           including the promotion of the rule of law, justice and reconciliation, and that a large
           youth population presents a unique demographic dividend that can contribute to
           lasting peace and economic prosperity if inclusive policies are in place;
                 7.   Stresses that security sector reform is critical to addressing impunity and
           promoting accountability for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of
           international humanitarian law, where applicable, and contributes to upholding the
           rule of law and access to justice;
                 8.   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;
                 9.    Stresses the importance of security sector reform, which better integrates
           policing, justice and corrections, 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;
                 10. Recognizes the need for governance and reform which better integrates all
           security functions, by ensuring a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities
           between relevant security institutions, and in this regard recognizes the important role
           that national defence actors play in protecting the sovereignty and integrity of States
           and their populations;
                 11. Encouraging the United Nations peacekeeping operations and special
           political missions to continue to play a role in supporting efforts that enhance the trust
           and confidence between national security actors and institutions, and the population;
                 12. 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 support national security sector reform efforts, taking
           into account the specific needs of the host country and its population including
           through partnerships with other relevant international and regional actors providing
           security sector reform assistance to the national government;



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                     13. 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, and ensuring that strategic partnerships and coordination
               mechanisms prioritize support and funding for security sector governance initiatives;
               and notes that security sector governance and institutions can be enhanced through
               support to and inclusive 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;
                     14. 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, and in
               close coordination with the United Nations Country Team of any assistance beyond
               the duration of the mandate to enable peacebuilding and development actors to
               undertake the necessary strategic planning and fundraising, working in close
               partnership with national authorities, and local communities and organizations,
               including women and youth, as appropriate and to transfer skills and expertise to hostcountry officials and experts as quickly as possible in order to ensure a successful and
               durable transition;
                     15. Notes that the United Nations is particularly well positioned to support
               Member States with coordinating security sector governance and reforms aligned
               with, and taking into account an inclusive national vision and priorities as necessary
               in specific situations, that it has broad experience as well as comparative advantages
               in this area working in close collaboration with relevant international and regional
               actors, and urges all relevant actors to align their support with national priorities in a
               transparent and coordinated manner to ensure their desired effectiveness and enhance
               the impact of international support to national security sector reform efforts;
                     16. Encourages Member States to continue to be engaged and to facilitate
               strategic discussions on strengthening the United Nations approach and role in this
               critical area, including through the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations
               of the General Assembly and the Peacebuilding Commission;
                     17. 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 communityoriented approach and inter alia builds strong governance, oversight and
               accountability mechanisms within the framework of a functional judicial and
               corrections system;
                     18. 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 and other regional, bilateral and multilateral partners to national
               Governments;
                     19. Encourages Member States to provide voluntary support to security sector
               reform and governance efforts, and to ensure adequate resources for security sector
               governance efforts including at a sector-wide level, and where possible and as agreed
               upon through the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, in accordance with the
               priorities set forth by national authorities;



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                 20. 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, integrated, and coherent approach of the
           United Nations in security sector reform;
                 (b) Develop additional guidance including on mainstreaming of a gender
           perspective for relevant United Nations officials, including for Special
           Representatives of the Secretary-General and Envoys, and assist all relevant United
           Nations representatives to understand how to deliver mandated security sector reform
           tasks;
                 (c) Encourage the Secretary-General’s Special Representatives and Special
           Envoys and United Nations Resident Coordinators to fully take into account the
           strategic value of security sector reform in their work, including through their good
           offices, and to give due consideration to the role of United Nations special political
           missions, where and as mandated, in advancing operational and structural prevention
           initiatives through security sector reform activities and efforts;
                 (d) Encourage the Secretary-General’s Special Representatives in United
           Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions to fully integrate
           security sector governance and reform, where and as mandated, into their good offices
           and consider the role of security sector reform in mission efforts to advance peace
           processes, extend state authority and strengthen a protective environment for
           civilians;
                (e) Highlight in the Secretary-General’s regular reports to the Security
           Council on specific United Nations operations mandated by the Security Council,
           updates on progress of security sector reform including by developing countryspecific benchmarks to assess the effectiveness of the assistance provided by the
           United Nations, where mandated and commitments of host countries to security sector
           reform and identify potential obstacles to reform, and taking into account the
           comprehensive approach, integrated and coherent efforts of the United Nations in
           security sector reform, where mandated, in order to improve Security Council
           oversight of security sector reform activities;
                (f) Highlight in his regular reports to the Security Council on specific United
           Nations operations, mandated by the Security Council, efforts to support the
           coordination of international support to security sector reform, to include updates on
           support provided by all relevant actors engaged in supporting security sector reform,
           to enhance Security Council oversight of security sector reform activities;
                (g) Encourages, in the context of all phases of UN-supported peace processes
           including during draw-down and exit of peacekeeping operations and special political
           missions, the timely and coordinated support to the transition of security sector
           reform-related activities, and relevant peacebuilding partners, to ensure adequate
           support to national authorities, by the United Nations Country Team and other
           multilateral and bilateral partners;
                 (h) Continue to build on 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 and by encouraging the
           allocation of resources for security sector reform efforts of United Nations Country
           Teams and the peacebuilding components of United Nations peacekeeping operations
           and special political missions;



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                     (i) Continue to incorporate security sector governance and reform into
               strategic partnerships such as with the African Union and through existing partnership
               mechanisms as relevant to strengthen the United Nations comprehensive approach to
               security sector reform and foster strategic coherence of efforts, including by
               formalizing partnerships, defining a distribution of responsibilities and integrating
               security sector reform objectives in mission planning and transitions;
                    (j) Strengthen the capacity of senior leadership of United Nations Country
               Teams to absorb relevant peacebuilding functions, including any activities related to
               security sector reform following the drawdown and exit of Security Councilmandated missions;
                    (k) 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 in tended to
               support security sector reform;
                     21. 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;
                    22. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue to promote cooperation
               between the United Nations and the African Union, consistent with the Joint UN -AU
               Framework for Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security (2017) and the AU-UN
               Framework for the Implementation of Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for
               Sustainable Development (2018) in order to strengthen the implementation of 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
               and recognizing the efforts of all international partners in supporting Member States,
               as appropriate, to implement their commitments stemming from regional policies;
                     23. Reiterates the importance of sharing experiences, best practises and
               lessons learned, knowledge and expertise on security sector reform among Member s
               States, and regional and subregional organizations, expert institutions including
               academia and research organizations, and relevant stakeholders including women and
               youth organisations, and in this regard encourages a deepening of South-South
               exchange and cooperation;
                     24. Underscores the importance of women’s equal and effective participation
               in all stages of the security sector reform process, given their vital role in the
               prevention and resolution of conflict and peacebuilding, with the aim of increasi ng
               the participation and representation of women in all security sector institutions, and
               recognizes the need to address specific needs of women and girls formally associated
               with armed forces or groups as well as wives and widows of former combatants, 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 and ensure accountability;
                    25. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report to the Security Council
               on his efforts to strengthen the United Nations’ comprehensive approach to security
               sector reform in September 2021 in order to inform the Security Council’s
               deliberation on this matter;
                    26.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.



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