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Introduction
The OECD undertook an SSR in-country consultation in Guinea Bissau between the 17-20 March 2008. The consultation was financed by the UK (DFID) and logistically supported on the ground by the European Commission (Stability Instrument). The consultation was held with the Guinea Bissau SSR Steering Committee, the SSR Technical Committee and civil society representatives.
Donor support for SSR in Guinea Bissau is mainly provided by the European Union (European Development Fund, Stability Instrument - plus ESDP to be deployed in May 2008), UNODC, UNDP, ECOWAS, Spain, Portugal, France, Brazil, Angola and the UK. SSR donor-government coordination mainly takes place within the context of the SSR Steering Committee and Technical Committee.
In all six specific structural challenges were identified during the consultation, including:
• A weak parliamentary oversight and control system
• Need for better aid coordination
• Need for national capacity building in key sectors
• Lack of support and training for civil society organisations
• A national sensitisation/information/communication policy is lacking.
• The SSR process needs to be linked more coherently with the anti-natcotics and PRSP frameworks.
A number of specific short term actions were developed during the consultation in order to help overcome the specific SSR challenges faced in Guinea Bissau.
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