Testimonials
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David Law and I worked together at DCAF from 2003 to 2008. We collaborated on a number of projects, including DCAF Backgrounders and the DCAF 2008 Yearly Book entitled SSR and Intergovernmental Organisations, both products edited by David. David was later part of the ISSAT team that supported the training of the UN SSR Team on National Security Policy. One of David’s major innovations and contributions to the subject security sector governance is the use of co-learning as a training methodology. It has been a pleasure working with David and I would be delighted to work with him in future.
Adedeji Ebo, Chief, Security Sector Reform Unit, Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, United Nations Headquarters, New York.
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I first worked with David Law in the Partnership for Peace Consortium, where his experience at NATO and his expertise in dealing a range of other security issues was always highly valued. We also collaborated in several events in the Western Balkans where his skills as a presenter and a facilitator were greatly appreciated. Perhaps his most important contribution to Austrian foreign and security policy came in 2005 when at a conference in Vienna he played a leading role in shaping the EU concept on SSR, a priority of the Austrian EU presidency at that time.
Lt Col. Ernst Felberbauer, Austrian Defence Academy
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David is highly esteemed in the community as a facilitator at conferences, frequently bringing up aspects others would have preferred to leave untouched. Be it corruption and good practice in security sector governance in Ukraine, defence institution building in Azerbaijan, or the status of defence and security sector education in SEE, he never fails to contribute to insightful discussions both at conferences and by publishing and editing pertinent documentations. I have been pleased to collaborate with him on several publications, including “Transparency and Accountability in Security Sector Reform”, “Commentaries on the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation”, “9/11 and the Global Democratic Revolution” and “Security Sector Expert Formation. The Challenges after 9/11 – Needs Assessment”.
Philipp Fluri, Deputy Director, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces
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In my former role as Team Leader of the OECD DAC International Network on Conflict and Fragility I had the pleasure of teaming-up with David on a number of occasions in providing capacity building exercises and training exercises on security sector reform issues for government and donor officials in a number of post conflict countries, including the Central African Republic, Burundi and Guinea Bissau. I found David to be an excellent trainer and communicator with impressive didactic skills, in addition to in-depth expertise on SSR issues. I can wholeheartedly recommend David for SSR training and SSR policy research work.
Dr. Rory Keane, Security Sector Reform Advisor to the United Nations Mission in Liberia
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I have known David Law since 2003. We first worked together in the framework of the Swiss PfP Workshop on the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security (Code of Conduct), which provided training to armed forces personnel, civil servants, and diplomats. We later participated in special follow-up and implementation meetings on the Code of Conduct at the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation in Vienna. In 2006, David suggested that the national replies within the information exchange among OSCE participating States on the Code should be made accessible to a broader public. He also proposed that security sector reform be taken into account within the overall implementation assessment process on the Code. David also contributed to a number of regional seminars on the Code in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, the last held in Minsk in October 2010.
Alexandre Lambert is academic director and professor at SIT/Study Abroad in Geneva and an expert on the OSCE Code of Conduct.
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I worked with David at the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) for more than 3 years. He had a big impact on the organisation by launching flagship publications like the SSR Backgrounder and concise policy briefs for decision-makers, taking training activities at DCAF to a new level and expanding intellectual boundaries through innovative tools, for example a scenario-planning exercise on the long-term future of transatlantic security cooperation. These achievements highlighted his abilities to think creatively, see the “big picture” and solve complex issues, cooperate well across hierarchies and cultures, and influence and motivate people. David has a huge curiosity to explore and test new domains and ideas, which helps him to constantly innovate and be on top of things.
Oksana Myshlovska, INSTITUT DE HAUTES ÉTUDES INTERNATIONALES ET DU DÉVELOPPEMENT, Genève.
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I have worked with David Law in the various projects related to the Western Balkans and Kosovo. David played a crucial role in providing his expertise in the regional think-tank project “Civil Society Capacity Building to Map and Monitor SSR in the Western Balkans”. In addition, David’s support in the design and implementation of the Kosovo Young Faces Network as well as “Security Sector School for Journalists” was highly appreciated – and this has been also stated in the evaluation of the participants. In particular, his input and interaction with respect to policy drafting was an outstanding contribution for the young Kosovars in the Kosovo Young Faces Network. Overall, it has been a great pleasure working and cooperating with David. I personally gained a lot from his competence and commitment.
Florian Qehaja, Acting Director, Kosovar Centre for Security Studies
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During our work at NATO’s policy planning and speechwriting unit, David impressed me with his ability to combine a thorough understanding of complex bureaucracies with an ability to think out-of-the-box. His expertise on a wide range of security issues enabled him to provide policy advice across NATO’s entire agenda. A skillful writer and editor, he knew how to get his point across. His policy planning papers were persuasively argued, his speeches witty and learned. Last but not least, David managed his staff with ease – and a great sense of humour.
Michael Rühle, Head, Energy Security Section, NATO Emerging Security Challenges Division
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Lors des maintes occasions avec qui j’ai eu l’opportunité de collaborer avec David j’ai pu apprécier sa grande expérience et son engagement en matière de RSS. Mais au-delà de son expertise, David est un véritable “Team player”, une qualité trop rare mais essentielle dans des environnements souvent complexes et éprouvants.
Serge Rumin, Directeur du Programme Développment du Secteur de la Sécurité, Amb. Pays-Bas au Burundi
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I wanted to thank you once again for all your hard work, expertise and, most of all, dedication and ”talent of sharing” your knowledge with us. For me, at least, the last two years have been a huge step forward in my professional, but also in my personal life, as I have learnt a lot from different people, with different perspectives.
Raluca Stefan, Romanian participant in the DCAF Programme supporting Staff Advisors to Parliamentary Security and Defence Committees in Southeastern Europe.