AU led Joint Security Sector Assessment Mission briefs the International Support Group for Madagascar (ISG-M)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- An African Union (AU) led Joint Security Sector Assessment Mission (JAM) conducted a briefing to the International Support Group for Madagascar (ISG-M) in Antananarivo on the 8th of October 2014. The briefing was conducted as part of the ongoing AU led Joint Security Sector Reform Assessment Mission of Madagascar that started on the 4th of October following a request from the Malagasy Government, and that will end on 13 October. The JAM comprises representatives from the AU, the United Nations, European Union, Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), African Security Sector Network (ASSN) and the International Organization la Francophonie (IOF).

The briefing was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Hawa Ahmed Youssouf, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission to Madagascar (SRCC), who is also the Head of the Joint SSR Assessment Mission, and was attended by members of the ISG-M. Ambassador Hawa informed the ISG-M of the mission's SSR consultations with national authorities including the Prime Minister and his staff, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Staff of the Army, the President of the National Assembly and some Members of Parliament, the State Secretariat in Charge of the Gendarmerie, the National Commissioner General of Police, the Minister of the Environment and the Commandant of the National Defence College. The delegation also met with the Head of the European Union Delegation to Madagascar and his staff, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and her staff, and representatives of key civil society organisations, including those dealing with gender issues.

On their behalf, several members of the ISG-M reiterated their support to the efforts of the Malagasy State to elaborate and implement security sector reforms that will increase the accountability, responsiveness and efficiency of the Malagasy Security Sector. Among the members of the ISG-M present in the meeting, the representatives of the France, the United States of America, Mauritius, the United Kingdom Norway, Algeria, the European Union, the World Bank and African Bank of Development commended the SSR initiatives by the Joint Assessment Mission, and provided more information on the support being provided to Madagascar by the various international partners.