Afghanistan: The Nexus between Disarming and Rebuilding Armed Forces

In November 2005, the United Nations announced the completion of its program to disarm and demobilize more than 60,000 members of the Afghanistan Military Forces. Coincidentally, the U.S. was building a new Afghanistan National Army to face the threat from a resurgent Taliban. What was the relationship between these seemingly incongruous actions? How did the simultaneous Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and Security Sector Reform (SSR) impact the Afghan government’s ability to assist Coalition Forces to create a safe and secure environment? These questions were addressed by a panel of experts.

Speakers

• Caroline Hartzell
  Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace
  Author of the USIP Special Report “The Impact of DDR on SSR in Afghanistan” (forthcoming)
• Shahmahmood Miakhel
  Afghanistan Country Director, U.S. Institute of Peace
  Former Deputy Minister of Interior of Afghanistan (2003-2005)
• Mark Sedra
  Senior Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation
• Thomas Donnelly
  Director, Center for Defense Studies, American Enterprise Institute
• Robert Perito, Moderator
  Director, Security Sector Governance Center, U.S. Institute of Peace

Explore Futher

• Watch the event video
• Listen to an audio recording of this event.
• Read a recent Special Report on "The EU's Experience with Security Sector Governance"
• Read Robert Perito's Special Report on "Afghanistan's Police"