On June 4, 2009, the Future of Peace Operations (FOPO) Program at the Stimson Center hosted an expert workshop on security sector reform (SSR). The workshop showcased Stimson’s currentwork in the area and featured presentations by officials from the State Department, USAID, and the National Defense University on the US definition of SSR and the US State Department’s work to support SSR, particularly in Africa. It concluded with a discussion of requirements for effective SSR, as agreed upon by program participants: to be effective, SSR programs should be comprehensive, cooperative, and coordinated among donors and host nations.

This issue brief summarizes the workshop’s proceedings and findings.