17 December 2008

UNDP: Security Sector Reform in East Timor receives new EU backing

SECURITY SECTOR REFORM RECEIVES NEW EU BACKING

Dili, 16 December 2008

Continuing their support to the Government-led security sector review and reform, UNDP in collaboration with UNMIT as well as the Secretary of State for Security launched the project Security Sector Review in Timor-Leste - Capacity Development Facility.

The European Union, as one of the main supporters of development in Timor-Leste, is partner to this endeavour of Security Sector Reform in Timor-Leste. For doing this, the European Union is financing the extension of the Capacity Development Facility included in the project entitled “Support to the Timor-Leste Security Sector Review” endorsed by the Prime Minister on 13 June 2008, with an envelope of Euro 1,640,509 (USD 2,125,000), through the UNDP. The project aims at assisting the Government of Timor-Leste in building the capacity of the civil service and other oversight actors such as academia and civil society to oversee the security sector and ensure that the police and army are properly governed.

It was formally approved by the Secretary of State for Security, Dr. Francisco Guterres, the Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Timor-Leste, Mr. Juan Carlos Rey, and UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Finn Reske-Nielsen, at a signing ceremony in Dili on 16 December 2008 at Casa Europa.

The project will support a number of activities including training for oversight actors such as civil servants and parliamentarians as well as the seguranca civil (unarmed Government security guards). It will also promote professionalism within the private security industry through undertaking research and making policy recommendations on regulation of the private security industry to ensure that it plays an effective role in the social-economic development of the country.

At the same time, an academic research institute specializing in social security reform will be established, coupled with the commissioning of four policy papers on the issue, tasked to Timorese experts. Meanwhile, public consultations for a successor to the CAVR report will be conducted, keeping the human rights agenda central to the public dialogue.

The European Commission is the second largest donor to Timor-Leste. The latest contribution to the security sector reform complements the efforts of other Member States of the European Union like Portugal, Ireland and France, whose involvement spans a broad range of initiatives.


END

For more information, please contact: Ruth Jorge, UNDP Programme Analyst – Crisis Prevention & Recovery, Tel: +670 7304033



Image: The results of the first efforts by the UN in East Timor to construct the security sector - The massacre of unarmed policemen by East Timorese defence force personnel on 25 May 2006.

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