Security Sector Engagement for Peaceful Democracy-Building in West Africa
Partners for Democratic Change, the National Endowment for Democracy and the African Center for Strategic Studies lead a discussion on strategies for improved civilian-military cooperation to promote democratic governance and stability in West Africa. Col. Birame Diop from the new Partners Center in Dakar presented the findings of a recent study and conference on the nature of security sector engagement on issues of human security and social development in Senegal and the challenges of disseminating positive models of cooperation in other countries in the region.
Panelists:
Colonel Birame Diop, Senegalese Air Force
Dr. Brad A. Gutierrez is the Academic Chair of Security Studies at the Africa Center of Strategic Studies. In this capacity, Dr. Gutierrez oversees curriculum and program development in the area of security studies focusing on security challenges in Africa (including those pertaining to human security, democratic transition and conflict) and the role of national security strategies in addressing these challenges. Prior to joining the Center, Dr. Gutierrez served in a number of positions at the U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, Center for Naval Analyses and on the Headquarters staff of the U.S. Air Force, examining and facilitating, among other things, the interagency collaboration of U.S. policies toward Africa. During a 23-year military career which preceded his government service, Dr. Gutierrez served as a combat pilot, professor of political science and military diplomat. His teaching and research interests focused on Africa Politics, Central European Politics and democratic transitions of authoritarian militaries. Dr. Gutierrez holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego, an M.A. in Russian and East European Studies from Indiana University and a B.S. in International Relations with a concentration in African politics from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is proficient in Hungarian and has basic skills in French.
Michael E. Hess is currently Vice President for Development and Stability Operations at MPRI. He served from 2005 - 2009 as Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Hess was appointed by President George W. Bush to this Senate-confirmed position. Prior to his appointment to USAID, he worked as a Senior Risk Reviewer and Vice President at Citibank, responsible for monitoring and evaluating 15 areas of risk for corporate finance units at Citigroup Inc. in New York. Hess has over 30 years of active and reserve service in the United States Military. He received his commission from the United States Military Academy in 1971, and has served in humanitarian operations in Turkey, Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo. Hess served in both command and staff assignments in the U.S. and Germany and taught European History at the United States Military Academy.In April 2003, Colonel (Ret.) Hess was recalled to active duty to serve as the humanitarian coordinator in the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Coalition Provisional Authority, assisting in the establishment of the 2,000-person multinational organization responsible for establishing a representative government for Iraq as well as for rebuilding Iraqi infrastructure. Hess has a bachelor's degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a master's degree in European history from Columbia University in New York, a master's in business administration and international finance from New York University in New York, and is a graduate of the National Strategic Studies Program at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Moderator:
Dave Peterson, Senior Director - Africa, NED
Dave Peterson is the Senior Director of the Africa Program of the National Endowment for Democracy, a privately-incorporated, publicly-funded grant-making organization in Washington, DC. Since 1988, he has been responsible for NED's program to identify and assist hundreds of African non-governmental organizations and activists working for democracy, human rights, free press, justice and peace. He was formerly executive director of Project South Africa of the A. Philip Randolph Educational Fund, and a freelance journalist in Africa and Turkey. He has a BA from Columbia College and an MA from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism in New York, as well as an MA in African Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington DC. He has visited more than 40 African countries since 1984, and has published numerous articles on African politics.
Preparatory Documents:
USAID, Civilian-Military Cooperation Policy
