Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) play a crucial role in security sector reform and governance (SSR/G). In virtually all instances of recent and current SSR programme delivery, IGOs have either led the SSR effort or supported the lead provided by other actors. How this role is played is of vital importance for the prospects of fostering durable security and development in a wide range of countries.

This volume looks at a selection of organisations that have been in the forefront of SSR activity or that have the potential for significantly developing their SSR agendas in the future. These IGOs are the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the European Union (EU), the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe (CoE), the Economic Organisation of West African States (ECOWAS), the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This year's volume is divided into four parts: conceptual issues; case studies on how IGOs have approached SSR in programme areas that are particularly representative of their overall action; case studies on the way various actors, primarily but not exclusively IGOs, have worked with each other in implementing SSR and supporting its implementation; and conclusions drawn from the various case studies as well as policy recommendations for future IGO work in the area of SSR/G.