INTRODUCTION

TO
UNITED NATIONS
PEACEKEEPING

www.ccopab.eb.mil.br CPT. POSADA

 Why is this important for me?

As peacekeeping personnel you…

- Represent the UN, and
- You carry out decisions made at UN
Headquarters in New York.
 Learning Outcomes

- List the main bodies involved in United Nations

(UN) peacekeeping;

- List the five types of peace and security activities

used by the Security Council (SC); and

- Explain the main differences between traditional

and multidimensional peacekeeping operations.
 Scope

1. Introduction
2. Development
- The United Nations
- The United Nations Charter
- The United Nations Bodies in Peacekeeping
- The Spectrum of Peace and Security Activities
- Different types of United Nation
Peacekeeping Operations
3. Conclusion
 The United Nations (UN)

The UN was founded after

World War II in order to:
- Maintain international
peace and security
-Develop friendly relations
among nations
- Promote social progress
and better living standards
- Promote human rights
 Members of the UN

- UN is made up of 193 Member States who

discuss common problems and vote on major
issues.
-The Member States work together as as
universal and impartial international
organization.

- South Sudan (2011)

 United Nations Charter

- The Charter is an international treaty that guides the work of

the United Nations, including peace and security activities.

- An International Treaty to which our nations are signatories

- Sets out the rights and obligations of Member States

- Establishes the United Nations organs and procedures

- Codifies the Major Principles of International relations

Main UN Bodies in
Peacekeeping
Adapted from UN Peacekeeping Operations
Principles & Guidelines, pg. 67
 UN-Specific Use of Terms
as defined in DPKO/DFS policies

• High level political decision-making and

Strategic management of a UN peacekeeping
operation at UN HQ

• Field-based management of a peacekeeping

Operational
operation at Mission HQ

• Management of military, police and civilian

operations below the level of Mission HQ

• Supervision of individual personnel

Tactical
• Exercised at various levels by subordinate
commanders of specific components and civilian
heads at levels below the Mission HQ
 General Assembly (GA)

• The General Assembly is made up of

representatives of all the UN Member States

• Each Member State has one vote in the GA

• The GA meets annually and also for special

sessions as needed

• There are several

committees within the
GA, including one that
focuses on PKing
 UN Security Council

• The Security Council is the UN body with primary

responsibility for maintaining peace and security

• The Security Council may investigate and

recommend peaceful measures to resolve
disputes between States

• If the Security Council

determines a threat to
peace and security, it may
take coercive measures
 Secretary-General
and UN Secretariat

• The Secretary-General (SG) is the “Chief

Administrative Officer” of the Organization;

• The UN Secretariat is the administrative arm

of the UN and is led by
the Secretary-General.
 The Department of
Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)

• Led by the Under-Secretary-General (USG) of

DPKO
• Responsible for executive direction and
administration of all UN peacekeeping operations
 The Department of Field Support (DFS)

• Responsible for delivering dedicated support to UN

field operations, including peacekeeping operations
and special political missions
• E.g. personnel, finance, procurement, logistical,
communications, information technology and other
administrative
support
 The Department of Political Affairs (DPA)

• Provides substantive direction to many Special

Political Missions
• Collaborates with peacekeeping missions as a
partner, particularly on political analysis and
electoral assistance
UN Peacekeeping Operations
Principles & Guidelines, pg. 19
UN Peacekeeping Operations
Principles & Guidelines, pg. 19
 Conflict Prevention

• The use of diplomatic measures or other tools to

prevent inter/intra state tensions from turning into
violent conflict
 Peacemaking

• Measures to deal with existing conflicts

• Usually involves diplomatic action to bring hostile

parties to a
negotiated
agreement
 Peace Enforcement

• Coercive measures, including military force, used to

restore international peace and security

• Only with the authorization of the Security Council

• May be authorized without consent of conflict parties

if there is a threat to international peace or for
humanitarian & protection
purposes

• Important differences between

‘robust peacekeeping’ and
peace enforcement
 Peacekeeping

• Designed to preserve the peace, where fighting has ended,

and to assist in implementing the peace agreement
• It may involve:
― mostly military
techniques of
observing cease-fires
or
― complex multi-
dimensional models
involving military,
civilian and police
 Peace-building

• Long-term process of creating conditions for lasting

peace by:
― working on root causes of the conflict
― supporting security sector reform
― assisting in
rebuilding of
justice systems
― supporting national
human rights
institutions
 Different Types of
UN Peacekeeping Operations

• Traditional Peacekeeping

• Multi-dimensional Peacekeeping

• Transitional Authority
 Traditional Peacekeeping

• Observation, monitoring and reporting – using

static posts, patrols, over-flights
or other technical means

• Supervision of cease-fire
and support to verification
mechanisms

• Interposition as a buffer
and confidence-building
measure
 Multi-dimensional Peacekeeping

• Deployed in dangerous aftermath of internal conflict

• Create a secure and stable environment

• Employ a mix of military, police and civilians to support

implementation of
a peace agreement

• Support establishment of
legitimate and effective
governance institutions
and Rule of Law
 Transitional Authority

• A UN multi-dimensional peacekeeping operation

that temporarily assumes the legislative &
administrative functions of the State:

― until sovereignty questions are resolved, or,

― to establish administrative structures that may

not have existed previously.

• A rarely used measure

 Special Political Missions (SPMs)

• Three types of SPMs:

– Field Missions
– Special Envoys
– Expert Panels to monitor Security Council
sanctions

• SPMs vary in mandate, size and duration

• Field missions have very few or no uniformed

personnel
Current peacekeeping operations
 Active Time

1. Learning Activity : Group Discussion on Types of

Missions

05 minutes for discussions in groups

05 Minutes for presentation ( flip chart)

- Each group will receive an UN mandate.

 Learning Outcomes

- List the main bodies involved in United Nations

(UN) peacekeeping;
- List the five types of peace and security activities
used by the Security Council (SC); and
- Explain the main differences between traditional
and multidimensional peacekeeping operations.
Conclusion