The Republic of Korea will host the next UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Conference in April 2021. In the context of the secretary-general’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, the objective of the 2021 ministerial is to strengthen UN peacekeeping, in part by improving the performance and impact of UN peacekeeping operations, closing capability gaps through concrete pledges, facilitating new partnerships and strengthening existing ones, and promoting systemic changes that will improve operations.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI) and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations organized a roundtable to identify potential themes and outcomes for the 2021 ministerial. The meeting focused on eight issues: (1) protection of civilians (POC); (2) safety and security; (3) technology; (4) performance; (5) training and capacity building; (6) women, peace, and security (WPS); (7) conduct of UN peacekeepers; and (8) sustaining peace, including during peacekeeping transitions. Participants agreed that the 2021 peacekeeping ministerial is an opportunity for member states not only to reaffirm their commitment to UN peacekeeping but also to expand this commitment by addressing systemic challenges facing missions.