DATE=11/11/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=SECURITY / DEVELOPMENT
NUMBER=5-44753
BYLINE=JOE DECAPUA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Since the end of the Cold War, the military
and police in developing countries have been called on
to play a greater role in development. One reason is
that donor countries and investors are demanding
greater security before releasing any funds. V-O-A's
Joe De Capua reports.
TEXT: During the Cold War, differences between the
superpowers were often addressed on the battlefields
of developing countries. The United States and the
Soviet Union supported rival military - with little
emphasis on poverty eradication and development.
While conflict's impact on development had long been
known, analysts say the problem was "off limits" to
aid agencies at the time.
Now, donors, aid agencies and political leaders say
security is a necessary foundation for sustainable
development. In fact, there's a growing belief in a
concept called "security first." Chris Smith is a
senior research fellow at the Center for Defense
Studies at Kings College in London.
/// 1st SMITH ACT ///
Security is fundamental. If you have no
security - whether that be at the community
level, individual level or the national level,
whatever - then development becomes that much
more difficult, if not impossible. And very
often our efforts to introduce development to
countries will backslide if there is insecurity,
particularly conflict.
/// END ACT ///
And Mr. Smith says the area of the world where
development is most threatened by insecurity is
Africa. He says the continent has been in a downward
spiral over the last decade or so.
/// 2nd SMITH ACT ///
There have been some dire predictions. Some
have started to come true. If you look at areas
like the Great Lakes, development is not just
threatened - it's non-existent.
/// END ACT ///
Quality of life, standard of living and life
expectancy are - in his words - tumbling downward.
Aside from Africa, he says other countries are at
risk, including Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
However, the Center for Defense Studies official says
in many other developing countries there's a growing,
although uneasy, alliance between the military and aid
organizations.
/// 3rd SMITH ACT ///
Basically, you have two very, very different
cultures. You have the development community
that's always thought the military fundamentally
not a good institution to deal with because it's
involved in military expenditures, involved in
arms sales and so on and so forth. And you've
got the military who thinks delivery of aid and
humanitarian assistance is not the sort of
community, not the sort of people, not the sort
of culture it wants to get involved in.
/// END ACT ///
He says respect between the military and the aid
community has grown over the last five or six years.
But he says there's still a long way to go.
A Defense Studies Center report says there's a
delicate compromise between short-term and long-term
security. In other words, security is best achieved
by improving the effectiveness of the police and
military - or by solving social problems that could
lead to future political instability. The Center says
democratic control over the security sector is one way
to ensure reforms have meaningful, long-term benefits.
Investors say political stability is an important
factor when looking for business opportunities. As a
result, the military may be looked upon more and more
as an economic asset for emerging democracies.
(Signed)
NEB/JDC/KL
11-Nov-1999 12:32 PM EDT (11-Nov-1999 1732 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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