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Security Sector Development Advisory Team

The Security Sector Development Advisory Team (SSDAT) consists of 13 staff offering a wide range of experience working with overseas partners in delivering advice on security sector management, governance and development. The SSDAT includes staff from the UK Ministry of Defence and also includes representatives from the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Who Funds Our Work

The advice and assistance from the SSDAT is funded jointly by the UK MOD, DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

What We Do

The SSDAT provides direct in-country advice on security sector reform (including defence, police/justice and intelligence management), to countries that request such assistance, in accordance with UK priorities.

Examples of specific areas where we can offer advice and assistance include:

Security sector governance

• Review constitutional and legislative environment for the management, control and oversight of security forces
• Development of institutions and procedures to give civil oversight of security policy and activity, principles of transparency and accountability

Security sector and defence reviews

• Identify and agree foreign and security policy objectives, including internal and external factors
• Match security sector capabilities to foreign and security policy objectives
• Establish resource constraints and affordability
• Promote efficiency and effectiveness across the full range of security sector activities

Organisational issues

• Functional and Efficiency Reviews: help to develop institutions, structures and processes that promote the efficient and effective management of defence resources in line with good governance principles
• Effective co-ordination and co-operation between civilian defence, military, police and intelligence staff within security structures and within government institutions as a whole
• Produce strategic management plans that clearly outline corporate objectives and set key performance indicators

Force structures

• Effective planning of force structures: size, shape and capabilities

Financial management

• Introduce or develop structures and processes for accountability to cover financial planning, programming and in-year management

Procurement and logistics

• Develop and implement efficient and effective structures and processes for the management of procurement and logistics in all areas of the security sector

Human resources management and development

• Design and implement effective programmes for the management, development, assessment and training of civilian defence, military, police and intelligence staff

Change management

• Programme/Project design, management and review
• Effective transformation strategies to successfully promote and implement change

Security Sector Reform

• To learn more about Security Sector Reform (SSR) visit the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR) website

Why We Do This Work

By working to dispel hostility, build and maintain trust and assist in the development of well-managed, accountable, appropriate and affordable security forces, the UK hopes to make a significant contribution to conflict prevention, reduction and resolution.

Preventing and resolving conflict, and establishing sustainable peace, is essential for effective and durable development and poverty reduction.

The creation of the SSDAT as a dedicated resource to assist in the wider process of security sector reform maintains a long record of UK support to allies and partners through the sharing of knowledge and expertise.

SSDAT activities therefore contribute to the UK's overall conflict prevention, development and defence diplomacy objectives.

The Way We Work

We do not seek to impose solutions but rather to work alongside governments in partnership to advise and facilitate in the development of their countries' own tailored programme for improvement and reform.

We offer an integrated approach to defence assistance and security sector reform involving UK MOD, DFID and FCO, with the ability to draw upon cross-government resources and other experts, including local expertise from a variety of relevant non governmental organisations and civil society groups.

Can We Assist?

Formal requests for SSDAT assistance should be made through the relevant UK Defence Attaché and/or UK DFID in-country adviser. UK in-country representatives will process requests in line with conflict prevention directives, reflecting UK regional priorities.