IPI’s “Prioritization and Sequencing of Security Council Mandates” project aims to make UN peace operations more effective by strengthening the linkages between independent conflict analyses and the UN’s political strategies for countries where a peace operation is present. It also supports engagement by member states in the negotiation of realistic, effective, and achievable peace operations mandates. This initiative aims to help member states, UN actors, and independent experts, including from the field, analyze how country-specific peace operations mandates can be adapted to prioritize tasks based on evolving political and security developments.
These closed-door discussions enable independent, informed, and open exchanges prior to the convening of formal mandate negotiations. Examining the challenges in specific mission contexts supports member states’ sustained engagement in broader discussions on UN reform, following on from the recommendations of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) and the secretary-general in 2015. IPI has convened 15 workshops since this project’s inception in 2016. In 2019, with support from the Government of Germany, IPI convened workshops examining the mandates for the UN missions in Mali (MINUSMA), Darfur (UNAMID), the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
In 2020, IPI is planning to focus on the mandate renewals of five missions: the UN missions in South Sudan (UNMISS) in January 2020; Mali (MINUSMA) in May 2020; the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in September 2020; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in October 2020. The fifth will likely consider the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in July 2020.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as long as in-person convening remains unfeasible, IPI and its partners will plan an alternative approach to informing mandate negotiations. This will include interviews and/or virtual convening with key stakeholders (those who would usually brief the in-person discussions). The interviews and/or online meetings would then be captured in a concise, action-oriented, unattributable summary document that would be circulated to all relevant stakeholders prior to Security Council consultations and negotiations on the mandate.
In September 2018, warring parties in South Sudan signed the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), which has resulted in several positive developments, including the establishment of transitional committees and a reduction in casualties of political violence. In spite of this, however, the UN mission (UNMISS) […]
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In the past year, overall levels of violence in the Central African Republic (CAR) have decreased, and the UN mission (MINUSCA) has helped stabilize key areas through comprehensive, multidimensional efforts at the local level. Nevertheless, violence against civilians continues, attacks on humanitarian workers have increased, and national security forces lack the capacity to maintain security. […]
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Three years after the signing of the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, many key provisions remain unimplemented. Threats posed by violent extremists and intercommunal violence exacerbate an already tense political environment, impeding the political process and the restoration and extension of state authority. These violent dynamics have claimed the lives of civilians, […]
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Over the past year, political and military actors and agendas in South Sudan have increasingly fragmented, and the political process has stalled. These developments have undermined the security of civilians, the stability of the country, the humanitarian situation, and the viability of efforts to pursue sustainable peace. The population’s mistrust toward international actors has further […]
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The Central African Republic (CAR) is currently experiencing an increase in violence against civilians and a slide toward instability, while attempts to find a solution through a political process have stalled. Despite efforts to strengthen state authority outside Bangui, the state is not present in most of the country, and Central Africans do not trust […]
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The political crisis related to President Joseph Kabila’s stay in power has provoked instability, political violence, and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and fueled conflicts in the country. Economic problems, a deepening humanitarian crisis, and destabilizing regional dynamics have exacerbated these problems. These developments have implications for the political […]
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Recent changes in the situation on the ground present an opportune moment for the international community to shift its political strategy in Darfur. Despite ongoing tensions, the relationship between the Sudanese government and the international community is showing signs of improvement. Moreover, while security has improved in some areas of Darfur, the human rights situation […]
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The security situation in Mali remains volatile, and violence has spread from the north to the center and south of the country. This persistent instability and spread of violence has undermined the implementation of the peace agreement, which has also suffered from low levels of trust between the signatories and a lack of ownership by […]
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Despite the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) and the appointment of the Presidency Council of the UN-backed Government of National Accord in December 2015, the situation in Libya remains precarious. The political process is extremely fragile, and security threats are ever-present and unpredictable. It is in this context that the Security Council is […]
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The past year has seen significant progress in Mali, with the signing of a peace agreement in June 2015 and the ensuing decrease in violence between the signatory parties. These achievements have allowed the UN to shift from prioritizing cease-fire monitoring to focusing its efforts on the implementation of the peace agreement. In the wake […]
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The International Peace Institute is an independent, international not-for-profit think tank with a staff representing more than 20 nationalities, located in New York across from United Nations headquarters. IPI is dedicated to promoting the prevention and resolution of conflicts between and within states by strengthening international peace and security institutions. To achieve its purpose, IPI employs a mix of policy research, convening, publishing and outreach.
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