New policy paper on security sector reform in Egypt

In a new paper published jointly by the Brookings Doha Center and the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, Omar Ashour presents successful security sector reform as a critical step towards genuine democratization in Egypt. Based on months of interviews with current and former officers and generals in the police, army, and intelligence services, the paper, “From Bad Cop to Good Cop: The Challenge of Security Sector Reform in Egypt,”casts new light on the political dynamics affecting this process. It assesses a range of current reform initiatives, including those led by elements within the security establishment itself, and draws on lessons learned from democratic transitions elsewhere.   

Ashour concludes with a set of recommendations for creating an accountable police force focused not on the security of the regime, but on that of the individual citizen. How can the government of President Muhammad Morsi address the past abuses of the Mubarak era’s repressive police and overhaul the institutional culture of the security sector? The paper is attached and you can also download the full paper (PDF) in English and in Arabic from our website.