Civil Society-Military Relations

November 30, 2011

International Models for Stability Operations

National Defense University

Lisa Schirch presented at The 7th International Lessons Learned Conference with Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin and James Kunder of USAID.  Panelist addressed the need for improving communication and coordination mechanisms between governments, civilian and military personnel and between civil society and state actors.  The conference was attended by over 500 military and government leaders from around the world. 

Click here for the full event agenda.

The principal objectives of this conference were to develop guidelines for the design of stability operations and conflict prevention initiatives in the following areas:

• Political transitions. How the international community can support a smooth political transition, political settlement, reconciliation with former regime supporters, and social and political stability; how it can expedite and strengthen transition to host nation control; and how it can encourage greater citizen participation while maintaining social stability.
• Local security forces. How the international community can shape military assistance and security cooperation to enhance security without infringing on individual freedoms; how it can improve the reform and reintegration of existing local security forces and enhance the advise, train, and equip function; and how it can improve local police functions especially when only military forces are present to guide the development of the police force.
• Cultural intelligence. How the international community can better understand operationally relevant socio-cultural aspects of local societies and how it can bridge the gap between improving intelligence related to the local population and the typically more robust intelligence related to kinetic operations. This may include topics such as local governance structures, informal and formal justice systems, tribal relations, and the relationship between the central government and the periphery.
• Economic engagement. How the international community can use the economic element to foster political settlement; how it can improve job prospects of local populations; how it can improve its understanding of the relationship between donor assistance, local absorptive capacity, and corruption; and how it can help governments build a long-term revenue base that does not depend exclusively on donor, military and development aid.