Security cooperation, a critical component of U.S. national defense and foreign policy, includes a variety of activities designed to enhance the security of partner nations against common threats. Dexis collaborates closely with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to measure the impact of these important initiatives.
The DOD defines security cooperation as, “all activities undertaken by the DoD to encourage and enable international partners to work with the United States to achieve strategic objectives.” This encompasses a range of shared interests, from counterterrorism and countering violent extremism to ensuring maritime security and other forms of security assistance.
Sri Lanka Navy Marines meet and shake hands with U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) while on a regularly scheduled deployment of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th MEU, August 25, 2018. Security cooperation involves working with partners nations to enhance national security, regional stability, economic growth, counterterrorism efforts, and capacity building. Photo by Cpl. Austin Mealy.
Security cooperation plays a crucial role in reinforcing regional security and serves as a deterrent against aggression by addressing gaps in allies’ and partners’ security sector capabilities. Interventions include training military and police forces, supplying equipment, and enhancing the logistical and operational capabilities of security institutions—including governmental organizations focused on disaster or emergency response—and fostering information sharing and collaboration.
Security Cooperation as Diplomacy
Just as diplomatic engagement and development programming are fundamental elements of U.S. foreign policy in action, so too is defense in the form of security cooperation. Security cooperation activities often complement other U.S. government foreign assistance efforts, promoting stability, mitigating conflict drivers, and reassuring key partners and allies. Security cooperation can also serve as a bridge between nations by fostering trust, collaboration, and mutual understanding on security issues.
With a focus on building relationships with foreign defense establishments, activities that develop cooperating states’ military and security capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations in turn provides U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access to allied and partner nations. Security cooperation can reinforce alliances and support the formation of new partnerships through joint exercises, strategic dialogues, officer exchange programs, and other collaborations. These endeavors align security policies and strategies, enhancing the capacity of partner nations to cooperate with the U.S. and other allies during crises and reducing misunderstandings that could contribute to tension or conflict.
The Importance of Measurement
Like development assistance, security cooperation requires diligent assessment, monitoring, and evaluation (AM&E), such as evaluating the results of training, equipment utilization, joint exercises, and other interventions. As the DoD states, it will “maintain a robust program of assessment, monitoring, and evaluation of security cooperation to…evaluate outcomes, identify challenges, make appropriate corrections, and maximize effectiveness of future security cooperation activities.”
As part of our portfolio of Assessment, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning and Security Cooperation work, Dexis employs rigorous and comprehensive methods to assist our clients with ensuring security cooperation programs are meeting stated objectives. AM&E of security cooperation programs must navigate the vast complexity of security environments and the unique nature of security enhancements. Effective measurement involves a broad array of factors, ranging from the concrete, such as direct military capabilities, to the less tangible, like political stability and regional influence.
Security Cooperation in Action
When executed effectively, security cooperation can lead to significant societal transformations. For instance, Colombia is touted as a success story where “U.S. security and economic assistance has helped the nation move from a cartel-ridden fragile state to a strategic ally and economic partner.” By training law enforcement and promoting economic growth, Colombia has seen a significant reduction in violence. However, in other instances without specific and measurable objectives, security cooperation efforts can become costly and yield little in the way of practical results.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), “Security cooperation is not a strategy unto itself but is clearly a critical way to achieve strategic aims.” To manage security cooperation programs effectively and meet all U.S. security objectives, it is essential to have a comprehensive strategy that includes capability planning. Additionally, the impact of these programs must be measured through rigorous and flexible AM&E, like those provided by Dexis to the US Government.
