Understanding Peacekeeping Missions

Presented By Mr. Cosmas Nkhara BAHALI

Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies ( IPCS)
Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
An Overview of the UN
Authority and Principles
 The UN Charter

Peace
Peacekeeping enforcement

Chap VI Chap VII

Article 33 Article 42

No consent
Consent No mention of peacekeeping required
or peace enforcement

Chap VIII
Regional Orgs
 Peacekeeping operations are established by a
Security Council Resolution.
 The Secretary-General, through a Special
Representative is responsible for the Mission.
 UN has neither Military nor Police of its own.
 To this
From this
 The Space for UN Peacekeeping
x=y
y
Hostile
(No consent)
Enforcement Operations

Danger

Multi-dimensional Missions
Mission
Environment

Traditional PK

Benign Observer missions

(Consent) x
Low Level of Required Capability High
What is a Mandate?

“A request or a direction for action by the United

Nations Secretariat which originates in a
resolution of the General Assembly or one of the
other Organs of the United Nations.”
Security Council Permanent Members

China
France
Russian Federation
United Kingdom
United States
Functions and Powers of the SC

 Maintain international peace and security

 Investigate any dispute or situation that…
 Call on members states to take measures…
 Authorize the use of force to maintain or
restore international peace and security
• Press statement
• Presidential Statement
• Resolution
 Some Security Council Facts

 The Security Council has a limited number of

members, but acts on behalf of all UN members
 All members of the UN agree to accept and carry out
the decisions of the SC (UN Charter, Art 25)
 The 5 permanent members (P-5) have a veto
 The Security Council must be able to function at all
times (24/7/365)
The Compression of UN Levels of Command
Structure of Peacekeeping Mission HQ

SRSG

Civil Force Police

Components Commander Commissioner

SC Criteria for Deploying a UNPKO
 Is there a threat to long term international peace and security?

 Do regional / sub-regional organizations exist, can they assist?

 Is there a cease-fire and have the parties committed

themselves to a peace process intended to reach a political
settlement?

 Is there a clear strategic goal? Can it be reflected in the

mandate?

 Can a precise and deliverable mandate for a UN operation be

formulated?

 Can the safety and security of UN personnel be reasonably

ensured?
Core Business of UN PK Operations
 Create a secure and stable environment while
strengthening the State’s ability to provide security with
full respect for the rule of law and human rights.
 Facilitate the political process by promoting dialogue
and reconciliation and supporting the establishment of
legitimate and effective institutions of governance.
 Provide a framework for ensuring that all UN and other
international actors pursue their activities at the country
level in a coherent and coordinated manner.
Traditional Principles of UN Peacekeeping
Consent
 UN PKO deployed to support will of parties. A
peace to keep through a political process
 But consent is dynamic and operates differently
at different levels.
 So where potential for opposition exists military
component must be resourced and equipped to
deal robustly.
 Needs strong cultural awareness to sustain and
build plus analysis capability to monitor
Impartiality
Mandate must be applied even-handedly.
Does not mean inactivity or neutrality. Violations
of the peace must not be ignored under guise of
impartiality (analogy of referee).
The UN will proscribe parties, sometimes with
armed force if elements are working against the
peace process.
But impartial action must be accompanied by
transparency and good communication
strategies.
Non-Use of Force Except in Self Defence /
Defence of the Mandate

 UN will use force to protect itself, its mandate and the

people embraced by it. “All necessary means”.
 But use of force should be calibrated in a precise,
proportional and appropriate manner within the principle of
minimum force necessary to achieve the desired effect.
 This effect rooted in political mandate of mission, to
influence behaviour, not destroy/neutralise an enemy).
Different from peace enforcement.
 Use of force always a last resort and governed by ROE
and international humanitarian law (law of armed conflict).
Other Success Factors

 Legitimacy

 Credibility

 Local and National Ownership

 Legitimacy

At strategic level based on united SCR and will of

international community. Broad contribution of
funding and personnel. Deployment of UN Force
seen to be just.
At mission level linked to behaviour, discipline,
activity, and impartiality of Mission. Seen to be fair
and decent.
Loss of perceived legitimacy leads to erosion of
consent.
National and Local Ownership
Fundamental capacity building principle
throughout spectrum of UN Missions.
Application will vary according to availability of
local, credible, sustainable and legitimate
capacity.
Nevertheless PK and PB programs and activities
must be geared towards building local capacity
based on genuine and credible partnerships.
 Peacekeepers should avoid displacing local
capacity and try keep footprint as light as
possible.
United Nations Peacekeeping
Missions - Past and Present
UNAMID Darfur Sudan

MONUSCO- DRC

ONUCI – Cote d;ivoire

UNMSIL- Sierra Leone

UNMIL- Liberia

UNMISS- Sudan

UNMIR – Rwanda
Regional Security Arrangements AU -APSA
Peace & Security Organisational ASF
Framework Structures Capabilities
Common
African
Defence and
Security
New
Policy Military Staff Military
Partnership •Standby Brigades
Committee
for Africa’s
(MSC) •Rapid Deployment
Development
(NEPAD) Peace and Mandate Chairperson AU •Military Liaison
Security
Commission Officers
Police
Council (PSC)
African PSOD •Military Observers •Police
Panel of the
Wise (PW) Standby •Advisors (PSC & •Gendarmerie
Force (ASF) FC)
•Observers
Continental Civilian
Planning
Early Warning •Advisors (PSC & •Rule of Law
System PC)
(CEWS) •Civil administration

Direct HoM
•Humanitarian affairs
African Peace and Security Architecture •Good Governance
(APSA) •Advisors

REC/Region NASF
PLANELMs
RECs/
UN Regions WASF
Agencies, EASF
Mission CASF
partners,
NGOs

SASF
AU and Peacekeeping Operations
ASF African Standbys Force

AU led Missions such as

AMIB, AMIS, AFISMA AMISOM

AU-UN UNAMID and MONUSCO FIB-DRC

 ;Summary

 Role of Regional Organisations under Chapter VIII

 Success calls for united SC / positive regional engagement.

 End states are political - military solutions alone are illusory.

 PSOs are complex and require a comprehensive approach.

 Moral authority / legitimacy of UN PKOs and UN authorised missions

 Security Council has primary responsibility for peace and security

 Short-termism is a blight. Peace is more than absence of war.

 THE END
ASANTENI SANA
/ THANK YOU ALL