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Making UN peacekeeping fit-for-purpose

Helmet and flack Jackets of peacekeepers Helmet and flack Jackets of peacekeepers Flickr/UN peacekeeping

14 September 2020 

UN peacekeeping chief outlines reforms needed to keep operations fir-for-purpose

 On Monday 14th September, the United Nations Peacekeeping Chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, told the Security Council “we count on your support to strengthen our operations through Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) and beyond”. A4P is an initiative launched by the Secretary-General of the United Nations that aims to strengthen UN peacekeeping in 8 areas.

Over the next 10 years, the world could be transformed by potentially life-threatening new technologies, climate disruptions and disruption caused by expanding cities, the UN peacekeeping chief told the Security Council, outlining the changings required to keep the UN’s flag enterprise fit-for-purpose as it deals with daunting new security threats. He recommended reinforcing the strategic guidance and planning capacities by developing clear objectives that are known to all, deepening efforts to achieve a more robust and agile posture, including by using new technologies, and crucially, applying a gender perspective across all areas of work. “Gender is not only about numbers”, he stated. “It is about the meaningful consideration of the gender differentiated impacts of our work and what we hope to achieve”.

Describing areas where results have been achieved, the peacekeeping chief delineated political efforts in Sudan, where the peace accord between the Transitional Government and Darfur armed groups was facilitated by the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). In the area of women, peace and security, he said the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) worked with women’s groups and the Government to develop the first national action plan on Resolution 1325, one of several examples of expanded political space for women’s participation.

As the UN celebrates its seventy-fifth anniversary the need “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” remains as imperative as ever. “Only through strengthened joint and collective international action and solidarity we can ensure that progress continues to be made in the right direction”, he emphasized. 

 

To learn more, please read:

https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1072322

https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/action-for-peacekeeping-a4p

https://www.un.org/en/A4P/#:~:text=The%20A4P%20initiative%20aims%20to,intergovernmental%20and%20regional%20organizations%20and

 

Author: Leyla El Matouni

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