A New Balance between ‘Local’ and ‘National’? Libya's Failed Security Sector Reform

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study argues that local ownership of Security Sector Reform (SSR) efforts may not be enough to bring stability to post-conflict countries, especially where the state is collapsed due to armed conflict. Based on the vertical integration approach, the study makes a conceptual distinction between local and national security providers/initiatives and highlights the importance of the balance-building role that international actors should play between them to achieve security and stability during post-conflict reconstruction. The research focuses on the Libyan experience between 2011 and 2014 as a single case study and relies mainly on United Nations (UN) documents and fieldwork-based reports.