G8 Muskoka Declaration

Strengthening Civilian Security Systems
Muskoka, Canada,
June 26, 2010 

[g8.gc.ca/g8-summit] Building on our past efforts and those of our partners, the G8
commits to a set of three interrelated initiatives to strengthen
civilian security systems, in accordance with our respective national
priorities and programs.  These initiatives will aim to reduce the
intensity of conflict-related instability, protect civilians in
situations of armed conflict, counter terrorism, combat piracy and
transnational crime and help establish an enabling environment for
growth, investment and democratic development. 

I. Civilian Reinforcements for
Stabilization, Peacebuilding and Rule of Law

Responding to post-conflict and post-crisis situations requires the
early and sustained engagement of civilian experts.  Civilian experts
help build much needed capacity for security, governance, and the
rule-of-law, through the transfer of knowledge and technology, mentoring
and training, in full partnership with local institutions.  Where
necessary, they work along side military forces to help rebuild,
reconstruct, and ensure lasting stability and security.  Despite these
requirements, there is a chronic shortage of ready and trained civilian
experts, and few coordinated national, regional and international
mechanisms available to effectively manage the magnitude and complexity
of the required deployments.  This limits the tools available to help
states and regions tackle conflict, crime, terrorism and trafficking –
vulnerabilities that affect us all.

G8 members will work with other international partners to
help build capacity to recruit, roster, deploy, sustain and reintegrate
civilian experts from developing countries and emerging donors.  G8
members will also identify, prepare and support the deployment of
additional experts from G8 countries across a range of disciplines for
international engagement.  This commitment will increase deployable
civilian capacities to reinforce state institutions and advance the rule
of law.

This commitment will respond to the needs expressed by our key
partners, including the United Nations.  The UN Secretary General’s 2009
Report on Peacebuilding in the immediate aftermath of conflict
calls for enhanced global capacities in civilian deployments.  The G8
is responding to this call.

II. Maritime Security Capacity

When coastlines are without effective governance, they offer a haven
for criminals, traffickers, pirates and terrorists.  With close to
90,000 ships plying the seas, growing problems of piracy and billions of
dollars worth of drugs and other contraband on the move are threatening
global stability and security.  We reaffirm our commitment to fight
piracy off the coast of Somalia, and are concerned with its spread to
nearby waters.

By contributing to ongoing international efforts, the G8 will
continue to assist key littoral states and regional organizations in
maritime security.  This will include capacity building in areas such as
maritime governance, patrol aviation, coast guards, fisheries
enforcement, and maritime intelligence sharing and fusion, as well as
legislative, judicial, prosecutorial and correctional assistance.  The
goal will be to improve the operational effectiveness and response time
of states and regional organizations in maritime domain awareness and
sovereignty protection.  These efforts will help to better secure
coastlines and prosecute pirates, as called for by UN Security Council
Resolution 1918 (2010).  Moreover, they will help counter the growing
links between criminal and terror networks that undermine the stability
and governance of many states in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.

Our commitments will complement and support the efforts of our
international partners and seek enhanced international cooperation.

III. International Police Peace Operations

Since the 2004 G8 Sea Island Summit, G8 members and other
international partners have contributed to an improvement in the quality
and availability of military and police forces for international peace
operations.  In view of the growing demand, significant gaps remain.
 The United Nations increasingly relies on Formed Police Units (FPUs) to
provide strong and agile support for public order and security.  FPUs
are cohesive, self-sufficient teams of personnel who deploy as a group
and are able to operate in high-risk environments.  Not enough units are
available to meet demand, and some of those deployed are not fully
capable.

G8 members commit to mentoring, training and, where
appropriate, equipping police, including new FPUs for duty on UN and AU
peace operations.  In this regard, G8 countries will also collaborate
with other donors and police contributing countries, including
developing countries and emerging donors.  We will work to ensure that
the new FPUs possess appropriate equipment and materiel, and are fully
trained and prepared for deployment according to UN standards.  This
will entail capacity-building for regional training centres in Africa,
Asia and the Americas, and continued
support for the development and dissemination by the United Nations of
doctrine, tactics, tasks and procedures for FPUs.  This commitment will
be implemented in close coordination with the UN and AU to ensure that
their priority needs for on-going or new operations are addressed early.

[2]
While this figure includes five year commitments by most of the G8, it
comprises an initial two-year commitment by the United States covering
the years 2010 and 2011; the President’s six-year Global Health
Initiative places increased emphasis on US programming to maternal
health, including family planning, and child health.  The United Kingdom
has yet to determine its plans beyond 2011, but expects to increase its
efforts over the period 2012-2015 so as to double the number of
maternal, newborn and children’s lives saved.  The EU will target to
increase its already substantial support to maternal and child health
during 2011-2013, and MNCH will also be addressed in the new Financial
Framework as of 2013.

[3]
The Muskoka Initiative was developed in consultation with expert
bodies, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the
Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, the OECD, the G8
Academies of Science, and the Countdown to 2015. We have also consulted
with the African Union and through the G8 Africa Personal Representative
(APR) network.

Source: http://g8.gc.ca/g8-summit/summit-documents/g8-muskoka-declaration-recovery-and-new-beginnings/