United Nations

African Regional Organizations, Peace Operations and the UN : Legitimacy and Disengagement

Upphovsperson:	Gelot, Linnéa
Utgivare:	| Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Göteborgs universitet | Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY
År:	2015
Ämnesord:	United Nations, Regional organizations, Peacemaking, War, Armed Conflict, Peacekeeping, conflicts, Peace and conflict research, Freds- och konfliktforskning

This book analyses the new and difficult roles of regional organizations in peacemaking after the end of the Cold War and how they relate to the United Nations (UN). Regional organizations have taken an increasingly prominent role in international efforts to deal with international security. The book highlights the complex interaction between the regional and sub-regional organizations, on the one hand, and their relations with the United Nations, on the other. Thus, the general issues of UN and its authority are scrutinized from legal, practical and geopolitical perspectives. Taking on a broad geographical focus on Africa, the Arab world and Europe, the book also provides an extensive range of case studies, with detailed analysis of particular situations, organizations and armed conflicts. The authors scrutinise the heterogeneous relationship between the different organizations as well as the challenges to them: political resources, legal standing, financial assets, capabilities and organizational set up. Moreover, they investigate whether regional organizations, as compared to the UN, are better suited to deal with today’s intra-state conflicts. The book also aims to dissect the evolution of these institutions historically – in relation to Chapter VIII of the UN Charter which mentions the resort to 'regional arrangements’ for conflict management – as well as more generally in relation to the principles of international law and UN principles of peacemaking. This book, written by a mixture of established scholars, diplomats and high-level policymakers, will be of great interest to students as well as practitioners in the field of peace and conflict studies, regional security, international organisations, conflict management and IR in general.

Strategic Options for the Future of African Peace Operations 2015-2025 : Seminar Report

Upphovspersoner:	Gelot, Linnéa | Karlsrud, John | de Coning, Cedric
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Conflict, Displacement and Transformation | Oslo : Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
År:	2015
Ämnesord:	African peace operations, strategic relationships, mission support, multidimensional missions, African Union, United Nations, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP

An African model of peace operationsIncreasingly complex security environments are placing high demandson African peace operations, and complicating efforts at long-termpeace- and statebuilding. From the experiences of the African Union(AU) and the sub-regions over the last decade, an African model ofpeace operations has emerged that is at odds with the missionscenarios and multi-dimensional assumptions that underpinned theoriginal framework of the African Standby Force (ASF).

Options Stratégiques pour l'Avenir des Opérations de Paix Africaines 2015-2025 : Rapport de Séminaire

Medarbetare:	Gelot, Linnéa | Karlsrud, John | de Coning, Cedric
Utgivare:	NUPI:Oslo : Institut Norvégien des Affaires Internationales
År:	2015
Ämnesord:	African peace operations, strategic relationships, mission support, multidimensional missions, African Union, United Nations, Opérations de paix africaines

La complexité grandissante des environnements sécuritaires impose unhaut niveau d’exigences vis-à-vis des opérations de paix africaines etcomplique les efforts de long terme pour la consolidation de la paix etle renforcement de l’État. Les expériences de l'Union africaine (UA) etdes sous-régions au cours de la dernière décennie montrent qu’unmodèle africain des opérations de paix a émergé, qui est en contradictionavec les scénarios et les hypothèses multidimensionnelles demission qui sous-tendaient originellement le cadre de la Force africaineen attente (FAA).

The African Union and the challenges of implementing the “responsibility to protect”

Upphovsperson:	Kuwali, Daniel
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År:	2009
Ämnesord:	United Nations, African Union, Regional security, African organizations, Regional cooperation, International relations, Foreign intervention, Dispute settlement, Peacekeeping, Defence policy, Crime prevention, Human rights, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP

The concept of the “responsibility to protect” (“R2P”) was endorsed by the world’s leaders sitting at the 2005 World Summit level in the UN General Assembly. The World Summit Outcome Document affirmed that every sovereign government has a responsibility to protect its citizens and those within its jurisdiction from genocide, war crimes, “ethnic cleansing” and crimes against humanity (UN 2005 paras. 138–139). The concept of R2P is cast in the three core pillars: first, an affirmation of the primary and continuing obligation of individual states to protect its population from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity, as well as incitement thereof; second, a commitment by the international community to assist states in meeting these obligations; and third, acceptance by UN member states of their responsibility to respond in a timely and decisive manner through the UN Security Council, if national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from these mass atrocity crimes. R2P is a restatement of positive binding obligations of states to protect their citizens from mass atrocity crimes; and the collective responsibility to the international community to prevent mass atrocity crimes. R2P is about taking effective action at the earliest possible stage (Evans 2008). These obligations are particularly relevant to Africa in the face of crises such as those in Sudan (Darfur), parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia. It is, however, rather early to pass definitive judgement on the relatively young notion of R2P without addressing some of the challenges confronting its implementation in Africa.

Sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeeping operations in contemporary Africa

Upphovspersoner:	Rudén, Fanny | Utas, Mats
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Urban Dynamics | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År:	2009
Ämnesord:	Africa, United Nations, Peacekeeping, Peace corps, minitary personnel, Hiv, Social implications, sexual abuse, Human rights violations, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP

In international peacekeeping operations (PKOs) some individuals are involved in sexual exploitation and abuse of the host country’s population, buying of sexual services and trafficking of prostitutes. Far from being a new phenomenon it goes back a long time, and reports on the issue have increased over the years. All too frequently we read about peacekeepers visiting prostitutes, committing rape, or in other ways sexually exploiting host populations. Some peacekeepers are taking advantage of the power their work gives them, and becoming abusers rather than protectors in situations where the host population is powerless and in dire need of protection. Peacekeepers’ abuse of their mandate is inflicting severe damage on host societies and often results in a number of unintended consequences such as human rights violations, rapid spread of HIV, decreased trust in the UN as well as other international aid agencies, and harmful changes to gender patterns. Women and children, both girls and boys, are especially exposed. Having already suffered from war and instability they risk becoming even more physically and mentally wounded. Peacekeeping operations risk doing more harm than good in African war zones, and if they cannot learn from previous mistakes maybe they ought to stay at home. We do not argue for the latter; rather, we point towards the urgent need to change explicit and implicit patterns and habits in international peacekeeping operations in relation to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) in Africa. In this Policy Note we focus predominantly on military staff, but acknowledge that the civilian staff of PKOs, and international aid workers, are also implicated. On the other hand it should initially be pointed out that most PKO staff are not sexual exploiters and abusers.

The UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs in Angola : a model for the coordination of humanitarian assistance?

Upphovsperson:	Lanzer, Toby
Utgivare:	Nordiska Afrikainstitutet | Uppsala : Nordiska Afrikainstitutet
År:	1996
Ämnesord:	Angola, Southern Africa, Emergency relief, Diplomacy, Government, Internal security, UNITA, United Nations, SOCIAL SCIENCES, SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP

This report describes the activities of the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) in Angola from April 1993 to April 1995. It starts with the creation of DHA Angola in 1993 and continues to describe how relations were established with the Government and UNITA. It covers the different ways in which main concepts and roles and responsibilities could be discussed and agreed to. It presents the day-to-day activities including the crucial information exchange. It shows how DHA organised the preparation and launching of inter-agency appeals. It describes how DHA promoted and monitored the safety of humanitarian agency personnel and how capacity building was made one of the important strategies of DHA.