The Peacekeeping Observatory is a multi-year project that has been supported by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces’ Department for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) since 2014. Under this project, IPI has produced a series of research papers and convened roundtable meetings examining emerging issues and challenges in peace operations. The observatory has focused on new technologies for peacekeeping (2015); the challenges of peace operations operating in violent and asymmetric threat environments (2016); field support for peace operations (2017); contemporary challenges to peace operations (2018); non-UN peacekeeping operations (2019); the prevalence of—and UN responses to— post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, and mental health issues affecting the personnel of UN peace operations (2020); independent strategic reviews of UN peace operations (2021); the role of UN peacekeeping operations in addressing issues related to climate and security (2022); and new technologies in peace operations (2023).
Specific topics addressed under this project in 2022 include: (1) how peacekeeping operations can better consider environmental and climate-related security risks when planning and implementing protection-related activities; (2) contingent-owned equipment and environmental considerations in UN peacekeeping operations; and (3) the role of the environmental and climate security adviser in the UN mission in Somalia (UNSOM).
UN peace operations are confronting crises from all sides: they face ever more complex operating environments in the field, while in New York they face divisions among member states over the very nature of peace operations, a “peacekeeping fatigue” aggravated by scandals, and cuts to the peacekeeping budget. These are some of the reasons why, […]
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Aviation assets, which include fixed-wing aircraft, utility and attack helicopters, and unmanned aerial systems, are key enablers that give peace operations the mobility and agility they need to deter and prevail against hostile actors. They are also force multipliers that enhance the effectiveness of multidimensional operations, allowing them to implement their mandates. However, peace operations […]
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On October 5th, IPI hosted a policy forum to discuss the challenges and recommendations made in the new IPI report “People Before Process: Humanizing the Human Resources System for UN Peace Operations.”The author of the report, IPI Post-Doctoral Fellow Namie Di Razza, said her interviewing for the 54-page policy paper showed that human resources in […]
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As the UN has grown in terms of size, role, and mandate, restructuring its human resources (HR) system has become a pressing necessity. Staffing missions operating in conflict zones and managing and retaining people in hardship duty stations have proven difficult, leading to multiple attempts at organizational reform. However, past reforms have had limited, counterproductive, […]
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“To be successful, peacekeepers must have appropriate analysis, training, and support,” said François Delattre, France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.Speaking at a day-long meeting at IPI on peace operations reform, Mr. Delattre noted, “As the face of the UN, effective peacekeeping is essential to UN legitimacy.” Highlighting the importance of peacekeeping, he added, “It […]
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Logistics support is both critical to the safety and health of peacekeepers and vital to success at every stage of a peace operation—especially in the high-threat environments where both UN and regional peace operations are increasingly deployed. Contemporary peace operations are based on logistics partnerships, with support provided by a range of actors including states, […]
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Speaking from her experience as Norway’s Minister of Defence, Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide gave an ultimatum to an IPI audience May 19th. “We need UN peace operations to work, and work better,” she said.The policy forum, “Plug and Play: Multinational Rotation Contributions (MRCs) for UN Peacekeeping Operations,” served as the launch event for a new […]
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“When peacekeepers are being deployed in conflict areas where there is no peace to keep, there is a vital need to consider what reform is needed to ensure that missions are medically fit for purpose,” said Lesley Connolly, co-author of a new IPI report on Medical Support for UN Peace Operations in High-Risk Environments.Ms. Connolly, […]
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The UN is increasingly deploying peacekeepers to conflict theaters where there is no political agreement and little or no peace to keep. Such high-risk environments make it harder for the UN to keep its personnel safe, fit, and healthy. While current UN missions have adopted a number of measures to mitigate these dangers, these do […]
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The ability of the United Nations to successfully reform itself and deliver on promises to sustain peace will ultimately depend not only on the primacy of politics but also on effective management of and support to a full spectrum of peace operations in the field. This was the view shared by experts and practitioners at […]
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The International Peace Institute is an independent, non-profit organization working to strengthen inclusive multilateralism for a more peaceful and sustainable planet. Through its research, convening, and strategic advising, IPI provides innovative recommendations for the United Nations System, member states, regional organizations, civil society, and the private sector. With staff from around the world and a broad range of academic fields, IPI has offices facing United Nations headquarters in New York.
The Global Observatory provides timely analysis on trends and issues related to global security.
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