16 April 2008
The third day of CAR’s SSR seminar came to a close this evening after having presented reform proposals for the country’s security and justice sectors. Based on earlier discussions of the current state and needs of individual sectors, working groups offered reform proposals with implementation timelines of up to 24 months. Suggestions for responsible parties and donors were also offered. In addition, the seminar also discussed how to integrate cross-cutting themes into SSR, with final presentations expected tomorrow. Below are summaries of sectoral reforms, with links to download relevant documents.

National Army (FACA) and Gendarmerie
Major problems identified included: human resources, territorial reorganization, training, the legal framework, equipment and civilian relations. Major suggestions are summarized below. Download entire document (French).

• Human resources
  Increase the number of enlisted men to 10,500; institute regional recruitment centres guided by merit-based criteria (examinations); retire soldiers of legal age while offering civilian re-adjustment training; establish a service-wide code of conduct
• Territorial reorganization
  Create better housing for military families; harmonize military and administrative divisions of the country
• Training
  Integrate human rights training (IHL) into all soldier training; provide role-specific officer training modules
• Civilian relations
  Dismantle illegal check points; institute monthly press conferences

National Police
Major problems identified included the need for a stronger institutional framework, as well as to strengthen both infrastructure and capacity. Download entire document (French)

• Institutional framework
  Encourage passage of a law that will specify the status of the National Police; appoint a director for the National Police to the Ministry of the Interior
• Infrastructure rehabilitation
  Renovate key buildings (particularly training centres); acquire adequate vehicles and uniforms
• Capacity building
  Introduce a code of conduct; standardize training procedures

Municipal police
Committee members encouraged CAR officials to define the legal status of municipal police forces.
Download entire document (in French)

Justice and penitentiary systems
The central challenge identified was the creation of a justice system accessible to and understood by all Central Africans, with suggestions focusing on the need to renovate the legal and physical infrastructures. Download entire document (French)

• Identify the most important courts and ensure their physical rehabilitation, as well as provision with essential equipment
• Institute more professionalized training programmes
• Reduce fees for legal services (such as birth certificates, etc.)
• Conduct a survey of prison conditions
• Create an independent prison-monitoring organization

Rangers
Major problems identified included the need to make rangers’ work more transparent and efficient, to bolster the capacity of the Ministry of the Environment and to counter threats to protected areas. Major suggestions included a re-examination of the legal framework and better training for rangers. Download entire document (French)

Customs
Major challenges included the need to make customs enforcement more effective and increase capacity. Suggestions mainly centred on the need to strengthen the legal framework, upgrade infrastructure (especially computers), standardize training and streamline procedures. Download entire document (French)

Intelligence services
The committee sought to address problems related to human and material resources, organization and coordination as well as the mandates of CAR intelligence agencies. Suggestions included the apportionment of mandates according to specific threats, the re-establishment of external intelligence collection, identification of precise infrastructure needs (radios, etc.) and the creation of an intelligence training centre for analysts. Download entire document (French)