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Peacekeeping General Articles - UN Security Council - Global Policy Forum Analysis and Articles on Peacekeeping
The future of the UN in peacekeeping is at a crossroads. The release of the Brahimi report on UN peacekeeping was welcomed for its blunt assessment of the struggle of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. This page looks at the role of peacekeeping and its future, analyzing successes and failures and posts news on the process of peacekeeping. For articles on specific peacekeeping missions, also visit our Index of Specific Countires and Territories page.
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2008 Peacekeeping Grows Yet International Support Uneven – UN Official (March 11, 2008)
UN Member states have not adequately supported the increase in UN peacekeeping operations, says Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping. Guéhenno notes that progress in conflict areas such as Congo, Liberia and Timor Leste will be lost without more troops, logistics and technical support from UN members. Guéhenno indicates that the propensity of the Security Council to mandate complex peacekeeping operations without pledging material support undermines the credibility of the United Nations. The UN currently manages 20 operations with over 130,000 peacekeeping personnel. (UN News)Annual Review of Global Peace Operations 2008: Briefing Paper (March 2008)
UN peacekeeping operations face severe logistical and operational challenges, according to the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Despite an “overstretch” in peacekeeping resources, Security Council member states continue to approve complex missions without adequate financial or material support. The article also illustrates that the US and UK prefer to deploy troops in the multilateral operations of NATO rather than in UN peacekeeping missions.
2007 UN Finds Fraud, Mismanagement in Peacekeeping (December 18, 2007)
In 1994 the UN created the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to investigate internal affairs. But Secretary General Ban Ki-moon created another UN task force that discovered a pattern of corruption and mismanagement. The force found UN officials had been bribed with contracts for fuel, food and construction, among other materials, especially in Congo and Haiti. OIOS hasen’t been successful in holding corrupt officials accountable, therefore tainting the UN's reputation. (Washington Post)Ethiopia Bogged Down in Somalia (November 27, 2007)
Somalians want Ethiopian troops out of the country, but Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi claims it can’t withdraw its troops because they act as a substitute for the limited peacekeepers. Due to growing instability, the UN shows uncertainty about taking over the peacekeeping mission in the country. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon called the Somali situation “too dangerous,” because Somalia hasn’t had an official government for more than a decade. (BBC)First Officers from UN Specialized Police Unit Deploy for Chad to Start Key Training Role (November 21, 2007)
The UN in cooperation with the African Union and the EU started training a specialized Chadian police unit, to provide safety to those affected by the regional conflicts. Officials from the UN Standing Police Capacity (SPC) and the UN Police (UNPOL) will arrive to support the UN peacekeeping mission in Chad and CAR (MINURCAT). The new Chadian police will also assist the UN-AU hybrid force in Darfur to stabilize the whole region. (UN News)UN’s Political Department to Expand Its Preventive Diplomacy Efforts (November 7, 2007)
Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon addressed the Fifth Committee on the expansion of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA). The DPA’s diplomatic role involves conflict prevention and resolution. He claimed that the extra US$21 million planned for the DPA’s expansion represents the UN’s “smartest investment,” because it would diminish peacekeeping and post-conflict costs. The Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe during a briefing, proposed that the expansion should include an increase of employees, department re-organization and the establishment of more regional offices. (UN News)UN Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia Not Realistic or Viable, Says Ban Ki-moon (November 12, 2007)
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has recognized that the situation in Somalia remains too violent and unstable to deploy a UN peacekeeping mission. Somalia hasn’t had a “functioning national government” since 1991, and its people face suffering and displacement. The United Nations started planning for a mission in cooperation with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The UN also urged Ethiopia, Somalia’s neighbor to withdraw troops from the country. Ban insists on a dialogue between Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and opposition groups, in order to end hostilities and create a foundation for stability. (UN News)UN Security Council Extends Peacekeepers Mandate in Western Sahara, Urges Negotiations (November 1, 2007)
Since the 1991 UN-negotiated cease-fire in Western Sahara, the Moroccan government and Polisario Front (PF) rebels have held two rounds of peace talks without reaching any agreement. Morocco only agrees to give the Saharawi people limited autonomy. But, the PF rebels want independence, or at least greater autonomy. The UN Security Council extended its peacekeeping force in Western Sahara until April 2008, and Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon asked for greater productive negotiations. Inside the Council, South Africa defends the right to self-determination of the Saharawi people, while the US and France support the Moroccan government. (Associated Press)UN: Security Council’s Troop Plan in Chad/CAR Risks Failing Many (September 27, 2007)
Human Rights Watch calls UN attention to the unprotected people living in Chad and Central African Republic. The deployment of the UN peacekeeping troops (MINURCAT), focus mainly on refugee camps and large internally displaced people sites, without considering the suffering of civilians from violence in their home communities. Also, the EU peacekeeping force and MINURCAT should work with local governments to stop local abuse against civilians.Will The Failed Abuja Diplomacy Be Repeated in Libya? (September 26, 2007)
The author argues that “coercive diplomacy” does not work, and that the peace talks in Libya on October 27 will not succeed without an established common position among Darfur Rebel Movements. The UN Security Council Resolution on Darfur will remain ineffective if the Sudanese government continues its military operations. (Sudan Tribune)UNMIL Gets Yearlong Greenlight (September 24, 2007)
The UN Security Council expanded its mission in Liberia, UNMIL, with a mandate that lasts until September 30, 2008. Although Liberia has greatly improved after fourteen years of civil war, the country still faces the challenges of post-conflict transitions. Even though the resolution 1777 (2007) prolongs UN assistance for one more year, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has recommended a gradual reduction of the troops, avoiding the risk of instability. (Analyst-Monrovia)UN Told It Must Do Better in Conflict Prevention (September 24, 2007)
During a UN Security Council meeting in August 2007, nations agreed on increasing conflict prevention in Africa. In spite of all the money spent on peacekeeping operations in African countries, the Council proposed to change its “approach and working methods,” resulting in an emphasis on preventing conflicts. Better coordination among the UN and regional groups, such as the African Union, would help complement UN efforts to help the region. (Final Call)UN Peacekeepers Cracking Down on Violence in Haiti (September 17, 2007)
UN Forces crackdown on armed groups loyal to former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide as violence rates fall in Haiti. But many Haitians denounce the heavy-handed approach and want the UN to create jobs and development in the country. Support for the UN peacekeeping force diminishes as residents claim they suffer, but Haitian President Rene Preval relies on international support. (Voice of America)UN Security Council Gives Green Light to New Deployment in Chad and Central African Republic (August 27, 2007)
The UN Security Council, backed by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, approved a joint EU-UN force to operate in Chad and the Central African Republic. The Security Council believes the international community should take action in these two devastated countries. A possible 3,000-strong peacekeeping mission will offer support and security to displaced people and refugees. France’s deputy UN ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix thinks that this Council initiative should be considered as a “political signal” of support by the EU for deployment in these regions. (International Herald Tribune)UN Will Not Turn ‘Blind Eye’ to Peacekeepers’ Misconduct, Vows UN Official (July 25, 2007)
UN investigations confirm that Moroccan peacekeepers in the Ivory Coast sexually assaulted minors, while Indian peacekeepers in DR Congo participated in gold and weapons smuggling. To address such misconduct, the recently formed Department of Field Operations will establish a subsidiary Conduct and Discipline Unit. But Jane Lute, Officer-in-Charge of the Department of Field Support, stresses that troop-contributing states, and not the UN, must ultimately work to prevent and punish misconduct. To that end Lute plans to visit troop-contributing countries to personally review with them the UN’s “zero tolerance” standards for its peacekeepers. (UN News)Trust Cannot Be Bought by Weakness in Sudan - Guehenno (July 17, 2007)
UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guehenno, stresses that the UN Security Council should not reduce the AU-UN hybrid force’s strength in an effort to win Khartoum’s blessing. He acknowledges that the mission’s success depends on the consent of all parties involved. But Guehenno says an explicit Security Council mandate will earn the trust of Khartoum and the rebels. Still, a resolution proposing 26,000 peacekeepers faces opposition in the UN Security Council as some member states object to the authorization for peacekeepers to “use all necessary means.” (Reuters)UN Troops 'Traded Gold for Guns' (May 23, 2007)
The BBC reports that a previous battalion of Pakistani UN peacekeeping troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo were illegally trading in gold and reselling weapons to militia groups that they were supposed to disarm. A UN official connected with the inquiry says that there may have been a plan to cover up reports of the trade in order not to alienate Pakistan – the largest troop contributor to the UN. Ambassador William Swing, the UN's senior representative in Congo, denies the weapons accusations and says that the gold trading is still being investigated.Head to Head: Good Peacekeeping? (April 19, 2007)
The BBC interviews John Bolton, former conservative US representative at the United Nations, and Jean-Marie Guehenno, head of UN peacekeeping operations, on the morals, logistics and effectiveness of peacekeeping. Amongst other things, Bolton criticizes the Security Council for renewal of peacekeeping mandates without reviewing changing situations which may need new solutions. Guehenno says that whilst peacekeeping creates conditions for political dialogue to take place, the power to achieve lasting peace lies with sovereign states and their people.When the Gloves of Peace Come Off (April 18, 2007)
The BBC investigates the increasing use of force by peacekeepers, drawing on the operations in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo as examples. Former commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Gen Augusto Heleno Ribeiro, says that he was under "extreme pressure from the international community to use violence." Dr Paul Higate, who studied peacekeeping in DR Congo and Sierra Leone, worries that Commanders’ fears that losing a soldier on a peacekeeping operation might be seen as something of a failure may encourage greater use of force.UN Peacekeeping Paramilitarism (February 15, 2007)
ZNet asserts that despite their supposed role as peacekeepers, UN Blue Helmets are often in reality used by outside powers as paramilitary enforcers of social control as a means of imperial exploitation. The article draws Haiti as a particular example of peacekeeping abuse saying that the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti has no right to be there and that the presence of the force is against the will of the country’s majority. Other examples given are the Blue Helmet deployments in Lebanon, Kosovo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan.United Nations: Skepticism Greets Plan to Split Peacekeeping (February 2, 2007)
Several countries have expressed grave doubts over UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s proposal to split the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) into two entities: a Department of Peace Operations and a Department of Field Support. While some are concerned that the change in structure will not follow established procedures of consultation with member states and budgetary committees, others fear it would expose soldiers to great danger by separating operational and logistical planning and control. Rumours are already circulating that one of the two Under Secretary General positions may be given to a US national. (Inter Press Service)
2006 UN Conference to End Sexual Exploitation Held as Abuse Incidents Multiply (December 4, 2006)
In response to revelations of child abuse carried out by UN peacekeepers, member states, UN staff and non-governmental organizations gathered for a Conference on Eliminating Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Conference participants discussed best practices and the establishment of reporting methods to expose abuses. Yet, the UN system cannot discipline about 80 percent of the peacekeeping force because troop contributing countries retain this responsibility. In addition, the solution lies not only in the hands of troop contributing countries but also in host countries that have to criminalize sexual exploitation, observers say. (Associated Press)UN Troops Face Child Abuse Claims (November 30, 2006)
Despite UN efforts to combat the problem, a BBC investigation uncovered new cases of child abuses by UN peacekeepers while operating in Haiti and Liberia. These cases of sexual violence demonstrate the incapability of the UN to effectively control peacekeepers’ actions as only home countries can discipline any infractions committed by the troops. The article points to the impunity of UN soldiers who rarely face punishment for their acts and instead are simply repatriated back to their country.The Security Council Sets Massive New Challenges for UN Peacekeeping (September 8, 2006)
Within a period of twenty days, the Security Council mandated three new ambitious peacekeeping missions, which raised the number of personnel deployed around the world by 50 percent at a cost estimated to reach US$8 billion per year. This report addresses challenges of the United Nations in managing this significant increase of peacekeeping operations. (Security Council Report)Peacekeeping Boom Strains United Nations (August 25, 2006)
As the UN extends its peacekeeping operations in Lebanon, uncertainty over financing sources, a lack of staff and procedural constraints cause many observers to question whether the organization can handle the load. UN peacekeeping "requires more commitment from the 192 UN member-nations" according to British Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry. However, Parry pointed out how UN peacekeepers make up a "very small percentage" of troops available to member states and stressed their “value for money.” (Reuters)Economic Impact of Peacekeeping (March 2006)
This groundbreaking study by the Henry L. Stimson Center and the Peace Dividend Trust attempts to quantify the economic impact of UN peacekeeping operations on the strained economies in which peacekeepers operate. The report concludes that UN missions “do less harm,” in economic terms, than commonly believed. But there is also considerable room to promote local economies, especially in procurement practices and in how missions hire and pay local personnel. The report warns that if missions don’t acknowledge the economic impact of their presence and the need to manage them, UN peacekeeping operations may actually hinder the long-term development prospects of the fragile economies that international institutions and donors are trying to help.Who Guards the Guards? The International Criminal Court and Serious Crimes Committed by Peacekeepers in Africa (February 2006)
This paper addresses civilian abuse at the hands of UN peacekeepers, and it asks whether the ICC can play a role in their prosecution. The authors conclude that the role of the ICC itself will be marginal as it has limited jurisdiction, and the court is meant as a complement to national jurisdictions. However, the authors hope that the very existence of the ICC will encourage domestic institutions to “prosecute all those guilty of international crimes, including peacekeepers.” (Institute for Security Studies)
2005 The Dogs that Never Barked (November 22, 2005)
A multi-government study reports that the number of deadly conflicts around the world has decreased by forty percent since the early 1990s. According to the president of the International Crisis Group, the reason for this turnaround lies in the huge increase in peacekeeping efforts to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. In fact, he argues, the international community is much better now than it ever used to be at preventing conflict. For example, peacekeeping missions prevented Burundi, Indonesia and Macedonia from relapsing into large-scale violence. Human rights and humanitarian organizations reacted very critically to the report, contesting its thesis and debating its selection of "conflicts." The controversy will continue, but the report has charted new and interesting territory. (Los Angeles Times)Putting the Warlords Out of Business (September 11, 2005)
UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guehenno cites economic growth and improved peacekeeping efforts by the international community for what he considers a "wider trend away from war." Indeed, peacekeeping missions increasingly help the authorities stabilize a dangerous and fragile situation by organizing the disarmament of former fighters, assisting in setting up elections and providing humanitarian and economic aid. He mentions a number of success stories, from Burundi and Sierra Leone to East Timor and Afghanistan. (International Herald Tribune)UN Peacekeeping More Assertive, Creating Risk for Civilians (August 15, 2005)
A July 2005 raid by UN peacekeepers against gang members in a Haitian slum ended with several injured civilians and increased criticism over UN failures in Haiti. The operation, along with others in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone, also reflects a shift towards more aggressive peacekeeping tactics. UN peacekeeping official Jean-Marie Guehenno says “You don’t want any Srebrenica, and you don’t want Mogadishu,” but the Washington Post warns that increasingly robust tactics could come at the high price of civilian casualties.UN to Integrate Blue Helmets and Humanitarians (July 9, 2005)
In response to a May 2005 externally commissioned report on integrated missions, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland says that these types of missions “are here to stay.” Though Egeland says he is “mindful” of critics who say integrated missions endanger impartiality and safety of humanitarian workers, he nevertheless fails to question whether the UN is capable of handling the difficult task. (Inter Press Service)UN Peacekeeping Mandate Stretched to the Limit (June 25, 2005)
In the 60 years of its existence, the United Nations has increasingly overstretched its capacity to fulfill effective peacekeeping missions, says this San Francisco Chronicle article. The author accurately depicts the changing nature of peacekeeping missions over the years—from the “classic” Kashmir case to the lack of support and consensus on the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo—but fails to address any real solutions.UN Tackles Sex Abuse by Troops (June 21, 2005)
Following reports of peacekeepers sexually abusing victims in conflict zones, the UN has addressed the accusations by investigating 152 cases since January 1, 2004, holding a Security Council meeting to demand accountability, and creating monitoring units in each UN peacekeeping mission. Regardless, the number of accusations has risen in recent years and the Christian Science Monitor says sexual abuse in the Congo is “the final straw.” For better results, the UN needs to protect whistle-blowers, prevent “obstruction by closed military cultures” and overcome “sensitivity over state sovereignty.”UN Forces Toughen Up (June 15, 2005)
Following several failed peacekeeping missions in the 1990s, the UN has shifted towards stronger troop mandates, allowing for a more “ferocious response” to conflict break-outs. Although UN representatives claim that its peacekeepers will remain impartial in enforcing peace agreements, critics highlight the increased “risk…that the UN may be identified with one side or another.” Other possible repercussions of this more “robust” peacekeeping model include the prospect of more violent exchanges with armed groups and hence a “greater threat to nonmilitary UN personnel.” (Christian Science Monitor)UN Forces Using Tougher Tactics to Secure Peace (May 23, 2005)
After failed missions in the 1990s and increased violence against peacekeepers, UN forces have begun to use force granted by their Chapter VII mandate to protect soldiers and civilians—more frequently than ever before. Peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Burundi and the Ivory Coast have embraced “robust peacekeeping.” Aggressive tactics are most apparent in Congo, where “it may look like war but it's peacekeeping.” (New York Times)Report on Integrated Missions (May 2005)
As UN peacekeeping becomes more robust, debate grows over the desirability of creating integrated missions - a system-wide UN response, subsuming security, political, and humanitarian aspects of crisis-management. This report notes the lack of “specific agreement” about what this concept comprises in practice and highlights the “humanitarian dilemma” of integrated missions: how can “the partiality involved in supporting a political transition process” ever successfully co-exist with “the impartiality needed to protect humanitarian space?” (Independent Study for the Expanded UN ECHA Core Group)From Keeping Peace to Building Peace (April 2005)
Increasingly, the Security Council has changed the nature and purpose of its peacekeeping from deployment of forces and monitoring of ceasefires towards post-conflict peacebuilding, involving “comprehensive governance of territories.” This Columbia Law Review article questions the legitimacy of Security Council involvement in peacebuilding, and suggests that it is more appropriate for a revived UN Trusteeship Council to administer post-conflict territories.Sex Abuse by UN Civilian Employees Harder to Stop Than That of Troops (March 16, 2005)
The UN has set out a "zero tolerance" policy on sexual misconduct by peacekeepers, but the world body still worries about enforcing the new rules. The challenge applies in particular to civilian UN workers who are not under military command and whose crimes often go unpunished upon return to their home countries. The UN is exploring different options for punishing sex offenders, including the possibility of court-martialing soldiers in the country where the allegations were made. (Associated Press)
2004 Sex Charges Haunt UN Forces (November 26, 2004)
Sexual misconduct has trailed UN peacekeepers from Kosovo to West Africa and East Timor. Although Secretary General Kofi Annan has adopted a "zero tolerance" policy, rules only apply to UN workers, not to peacekeepers under their national government's jurisdiction. Widespread impunity continues to encourage some peacekeepers to commit sexual violations. Assistant Secretary General for peacekeeping, Jane Holl Lute, says the UN must focus on prevention as long as its ability to punish offenders is restricted. (Christian Science Monitor)Ivory Coast Is a Case of Too Much UN Coordination (November 26, 2004)
The precarious situation in Ivory Coast has severely reduced the capability of humanitarian NGOs at a time when the country needs them most. Representatives of Save the Children UK say the UN’s integrated peacekeeping-humanitarianism approach, where the senior humanitarian official reports directly to peacekeeping coordinators, compromises the impartiality of aid workers. The authors hope the UN will reconsider integrated missions with the responses of independent NGOs in mind as well. (AlertNet)UN Mission Sets Up Units to Check Sexual Abuse (November 15, 2004)
The UN peacekeeping mission in Burundi has set up a Code of Conduct Unit and a Gender Unit to combat sexual abuse by peacekeepers and to promote gender equality. UN staff hope the Code of Conduct Unit can serve as a "model" for other peacekeeping missions given sexual abuse scandals in a large number of West African missions. (Integrated Regional Information Networks)Addressing the Sexual Misconduct of Peacekeepers (September 23, 2004)
Reports of sexual misconduct are widespread in UN peacekeeping missions. Although the UN espouses a "zero-tolerance" policy, "sovereign immunity, weak local capacity, and cumbersome bureaucratic procedures" prevent the UN from holding peacekeepers accountable. This Refugees International briefing asserts that member states must eliminate peacekeeper immunity to combat sexual abuse.UN Chief Seeks 30,000 More Troops for Peacekeeping (September 7, 2004)
Three main factors drive Secretary General Kofi Annan's request for a troop increase: the possibility of a peacekeeping force for Sudan and increases in peacekeeping numbers for Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo. If member states provide the troops, the total number of peacekeeping forces will be the largest ever. At present, poor nations provide the bulk of forces and Western states remain reluctant to "actively participate in peacekeeping operations." (Inter Press Service)A Job for the UN: A New Way to Prevent Conflicts (May 7, 2004)
Portugese Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso and Mozambique's President Joaquim Chissano argue that the UN should focus more on conflict prevention rather than peacebuilding in the aftermath of a crisis. To achieve this goal, the UN would need to identify the root causes and nature of conflict situations, develop a common conflict prevention policy, and create a new body responsible for peace and development and preventing the recurrence of conflict. (International Herald Tribune)A Plan to Strengthen UN Peacekeeping (April 19, 2004)
In this article, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, describes the challenges facing the UN to meet peacekeeping demands around the world. Guéhenno suggests four basic principles to guide the planning of future peacekeeping missions. (International Herald Tribune)UN Peacekeeping Chief Tells of Major Challenges Ahead as Missions Expand (March 29, 2004)
The UN is facing more political, logistical, recruitment and security challenges, as it creates or expands more of its peacekeeping missions "on an almost unprecedented scale." The UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, argues that "a clear and precise mandate" for any new or expanded mission is crucial to the effective allocation of "limited resources." (UN News Center)UN Troops Spread Across Africa (March 3, 2004)
As the UN is taking a more active role in the maintenance of peace and security across Africa, it is determined to learn from past mistakes and adopt a "more muscular approach to peacekeeping" in the continent, says the BBC.
2003 Blue Man Group (August 27, 2003)
Notable UN peacekeeping failures in Somalia, Bosnia and Rwanda overshadow several peacekeeping success stories. The UN receives little attention for its work in hotspots such as Cyprus and Namibia because “the successes are by definition quiet.” (New Republic)UN: Human Cost of Intervention (August 21, 2003)
An attack on UN headquarters in Iraq follows a trend of attacks against the organization since its earliest days. Former Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld as well as 1,500 peacekeeping troops lost their lives in the service of UN mediation and peacekeeping. (BBC)Peacekeeping Is Back, With New Faces and Rules (July 20, 2003)
The New York Times reports that recent UN peacekeeping operations (PKOs) mainly consist of troops from developing countries. More economically robust countries pay the peacekeeping budget. The Under-Secretary General for PKOs worries that this segregation “could cause some resentment.”An Almighty Force for the Congo and Liberia? (July 3, 2003)
Former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld envisioned peacekeepers as lightly-armed overseers of conflict mediation. Jonathan Power praises this venerable tradition, but argues that for Congo and Liberia, “something more heavy handed is immediately needed.” (Transnational Foundation for Peace and Future Research)Peacekeeping's Unsavory Side (June 10, 2003)
A UNIFEM report finds that instances of rape and human trafficking “often coexist alongside peacekeeping operations.” Barbara Crossette reports on the individuals who expose bad behavior among UN peacekeepers and the populations under their protection. (UN Wire)UN Will Send Peacekeepers to Ivory Coast (May 13, 2003)
A unanimous vote in the Security Council established MINUCI, the peacekeeping mission to the Ivory Coast. The mission will monitor January's ceasefire agreement and provide aid and advice to its military and civilian enforcers. (Reuters)"The Important Thing for Me is Being There" (May 9, 2003)
Freelance journalist Linda Polman records her observations of peacekeeping missions in Haiti and Somalia. She blames wealthy Security Council members for lacking the will to properly fund and equip these peacekeeping teams. (The Guardian)UN Council Backs Ivory Coast Peacekeeping Force (February 5, 2003)
The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing a peacekeeping force to ensure the protection of civilians for an initial six-month period. The conflict has left hundreds dead and fears of a regional catastrophe. (Reuters)China to Aid UN Peace Mission in Congo (January 31, 2003)
Despite its permanent seat on the UN Security Council, China did not take part in peacekeeping missions until 1989. Recently, Beijing announced plans to send more than 200 engineers and medics on a UN peacekeeping mission to Congo. (Associated Press)
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