Security Sector Reform in Armenia

Abstract

The main aim of this research is to investigate the dynamics of Security Sector Reform in Armenia and identify the greatest obstacles of the reformation process. The topic is of a great importance for the state and the region of South Caucasus in general regarding the process of sustainable peace and development. Furthermore, there is a lack of academic literature on the topic of Security Sector Reform in that particular state, thus, the topic is relatively new. The research is meant to be a qualitative analysis that draws on the various reports of the international organizations and development donors along with the relevant academic literature to provide the theoretical framework of the concept. Apart from that, the empirical part is also based on the interviews with the Armenian experts, which allowed gaining a deeper knowledge of the SSR issues on the ground. The research identifies, that the process of security sector reformation in Armenia has not been a stable and static process, but it has rather had its ups and downs. Namely, the beginning of 1990s is believed to be the most challenging for the state. The ceasefire agreement of 1994 started the process of sustainable development, which was, however, slowed down by the economic crisis in 2008. The "frozen" conflict with the neighboring...