ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on post-war countries while examining the impacts of externally supported security reform programmes. The lessons derived from the countries reflect the applications and implications of traditional approaches in peacebuilding as mostly Euro-American donors had led and/or were involved in this process. The chapter explores two ideas–security sector reform (SSR) and infrastructures for peace – which underpin the traditional peacebuilding approach. It assesses the performance of security-led peacebuilding efforts in post-war countries and evaluates the potential for the infrastructures for peace to complement SSR. The chapter examines contemporary SSR practices and extracts lessons on what may have influenced the outcomes there. It discusses the potentials of infrastructures for peace to contribute to filling in the gaps in SSR processes. The chapter elaborates the opportunities and challenges for traditional Western powers in applying the ideas of SSR and the security—development nexus at field levels.
