Individuals and groups who support or commit ideologically-motivated violence to further political goals tend to prosper in communities or states with a higher degree of fragility. In general, fragility is higher in states with reduced legitimacy, poor levels of public services, and weak rule of law. A comprehensive strategy to …

Understanding power and influence shifts in Egypt’s civil-military relations requires an analysis of societal dynamics and of loyalties in the officer corps. The ability to build and demonstrate support from a societal constituency, or an important faction in the officer corps, is a source of leverage for both political and …

In order to implement an effective security strategy plan in the Governorate of Hebron, it is necessary for security providers be able to identify the reasons for insecurity, and the lack of community safety. For this reason, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), in …

The U.S. provides Egypt with roughly $1.3 billion in security assistance annually, primarily in the form of Foreign Military Financing (FMF) grants. Since 2011, U.S. security assistance has come under increasing criticism. This paper analyzes U.S.-Egypt security cooperation in light of post-2011 developments. Following an overview of U.S. assistance, subsequent sections analyze the legal framework and relevant legislation, particularly in …

In Palestine, good financial oversight of the security sector is crucial to enhancing accountability of the security forces, and guarding against corruption. However currently, financial oversight institutions and departments do not follow unified processes. Instead, these bodies have developed their own procedures and methods for implementing financial oversight. This can potentially open up opportunities for mismanagement and corruption. It also makes oversight of security forces by the Palestinian State Audit and Administrative Control Bureau (SAACB - the Palestinian independent state audit institution) difficult and time consuming. In 2013, DCAF and SAACB set about to assess the problems of financial oversight in Palestine, and the training needs of those working in financial oversight institutions. Together they formed a task force of representatives from key financial institutions that conducted several meetings and discussions. As a result, it identified a number of areas in which technical support needs to be provided to financial staffers in order to improve their capacities. DCAF and SAACB then set about addressing these findings though trainings, the supply of international expertise and legislative assistance. The findings are detailed in Strengthening Financial Oversight Institutions in the Palestinian Security Sector: A Training Needs Assessment, which is currently available in English and Arabic.

In order to implement an effective security strategy plan in the Governorate of Jenin, it is necessary for security providers be able to identify the reasons for insecurity and lack of community safety. As a result, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), in collaboration …

In the summer of 2014, Israel launched Operation “Protective Edge” in the Gaza Strip. During the Operation, over 2,200 Palestinians were killed and more than 70 Israelis. The fighting also caused significant damage to the local criminal justice infrastructure and, consequently, the ability of security providers to uphold the rule …

Between 14 and 21 November 2012, an armed conflict took place between Israel and Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip, notably the military wings of the Palestinian factions Hamas (Islamic Resistance Movement) and Islamic Jihad. More than 160 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed in this conflict; at least …

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) organised a conference in Montreux, Switzerland from 2 to 4 April 2014 to examine the relationship between the armed forces and citizens of Egypt. DCAF brought together leading experts on civil-military relations from four continents, including former members of armed and security forces, academics, politicians, and representatives of the …