On October 24, 2014, on the sidelines of the Atlantic Dialogues in Marrakesh, Morocco, GMF launched the final paper of the Responsible Security Operations project, entitled “Changing the Narrative and Setting the Conditions for More Responsible Security Operations: A Policy Primer.” The main objective of the project was to gain a greater understanding of the security challenges facing Western companies involved in overseas investment, particularly extraction and mining companies, and to begin devising ways in which to address these issues.

During this final roundtable discussion, participants representing twelve different countries and 13 institutions from the United States, Europe and Africa offered feedback regarding the final report and suggested ways forward, including innovative solutions based on experiences in other fields and regions. They highlighted the importance of increased engagement of host governments and the ever-increasing role of public-private partnerships, both in raising awareness of the problem and the proper implementation of pertinent strategies. Participants agreed that a dedicated, country-specific approach is needed in order to properly account for local environment, including culture, language and local customs, and that capacity building is of prime importance in addressing the issue.