High Level Panel Discussion on International Day of UN Peacekeepers on this year’s theme: “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships in Peacekeeping”

Concept Note

 

The International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers is celebrated annually on 29 May. During the commemoration, the UN pays tribute to all the women and men who have served in UN peacekeeping operations to recognize and honour their sacrifice, dedication and courage. This year’s commemoration was held under the theme “People. Peace. Progress. The Power of Partnerships”.

Indeed, partnership between multilateral actors, such as the African Union and the United Nations, remains central to the advancement of the global peace and security agenda. The UN Charter recognizes the role and mandate of regional mechanisms in the maintenance of international peace and security. Similarly, the Constitutive Act of the African Union commits to “promote peace, security, and stability on the continent,” and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) Protocol recognizes and articulates the relationship with the UN to promote peace, security and stability in Africa.

Peacekeeping constitutes one of the strategic areas in which the partnership between the AU and the UN is anchored and it remains an important tool for managing conflicts. African countries are not only among the top contributors of police and troops to UN peacekeeping operations, but also several African countries have been beneficiaries of UN peacekeeping. Out of the current 12 UN peacekeeping operations six are deployed in Africa and from around the 87,000 personnel serving in these peacekeeping operations 85% are from the continent.

Given the centrality of Africa’s role and the significant presence of peacekeeping in the continent, the partnership can be further refined in facilitating a more meaningful inclusion of critical stakeholders in decision making and in managing peace operations on the continent. The extent to which the perspectives and voices from affected communities, civil society organizations, multi-lateral and bi-lateral partners, troop and police contributing countries (TCCs/PCCs), as well as perspectives from academia and researcher are integrated into decision making and mandate implementation of peacekeeping has a direct impact on the effectiveness of the missions.

Providing space for effective partnerships and inclusion of all actors does not only strengthen collective ownership, but enhanced implementation of mission mandates.  The  UN Secretary General’s Action for Peace (A4P) initiative echoes the importance of strategic partnership and recognizes the importance of collective action, service to the receiving parties, and security of peacekeepers  to increase the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.

It is against this background that the United Nation Office to the African Union (UNOAU) jointly with  Amani Africa will be hosting a public virtual seminar on the Power of Partnerships in Peacekeeping as part of the commemoration of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.

Experts presenters from diverse backgrounds will contribute to this timely discussion to reflect on UN peacekeeping, and the importance of partnership in enhancing the effectiveness of peacekeeping.

Objectives

  1. Assess the challenges and lessons learned in peacekeeping and identify recommendations on ways to improve partnership towards a more effective peacekeeping architecture including in Africa
  2. Provide the institutional context in which the partnership between the AU and UN was established and evolved in the area of peacekeeping
  3. Examine the role and contributions of various stakeholders in enhancing the performance and impact of peacekeeping
  4. Examine the role of policy and research institutions as well CSOs in supporting and facilitating the partnership

AGENDA

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