For nearly ten years, various actors have made efforts to promote security sector reform (SSR) in West African Guinea-Bissau through ambitious programs and high levels of investment. However, circumstances within the country remain as dire as ever with reform efforts having partially contributed to further destabilizing and aggravating the political situation. The police, justice sector and armed forces neither work effectively nor in accordance with the principles of rule of law. Christoph Kohl analyzes the causes of this debacle, which also cast doubt on other SSR projects.