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Daniel Forti, Senior Policy Analyst at IPI’s Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, presented an analysis of the United Nations (UN)–African Union (AU) partnership at a retreat organized for the three African members of the UN Security Council (A3). This retreat, “The A3: Enhancing Africa’s Role within the UN Security Council and the Future of Plus,” was convened by the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN in early March 2022. The retreat aimed to support the A3 in strengthening their cohesion so that they could more effectively engage in the UN Security Council and advance collective African positions and decisions. This retreat was the second initiative of its kind.

IPI was invited to present its research during a dedicated session that focused on the UN-AU partnership and opportunities for enhanced collaboration between the UN Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council. Mr. Forti presented analysis based on IPI’s work on the UN-AU partnership, some of which has been recently undertaken in partnership with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Mr. Forti’s presentation focused on an in-depth assessment of the UN-AU partnership, interrogated the role of the A3 as a bridge between the two organizations, and identified possible thematic areas that will define the partnership in 2022.

With country-specific or regional situations on the African continent comprising nearly 50 percent of the UN Security Council’s agenda in 2021, collaboration between the UN and AU remains necessary for effective multilateral engagement in the peace and security space. Initiatives to continue improving the coherence between these organizations and their member states will be central to these efforts.

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On Tuesday, March 22nd, IPI together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is cohosting a virtual policy forum on “Triangular Partnerships in UN Peacekeeping Operations: Promoting Innovation and Sustainability.”

Remarks will begin at 5:30am PST / 8:30am EST

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This virtual policy forum aims to discuss triangular partnerships and how they can contribute to effective and sustainable UN peacekeeping operations. It will analyze how these partnerships can help improve mandate delivery by responding to specialized technical and operational needs. The virtual policy forum will provide opportunities for member states and UN officials to discuss their experiences with triangular partnerships and consider areas for prioritization in the coming years. The policy forum will also reflect on the outcomes of the 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial and how various pledges will help the UN Secretariat address critical capabilities gaps. Finally, it will consider suggestions for improving the sustainability of these triangular partnerships and discuss ways they can provide platforms through which member states can contribute to UN peacekeeping more innovatively.

Opening remarks:
Ambassador Motosada Matano, Deputy Director-General and Deputy Assistant Minister, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

Keynote remarks:
Mr. Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Operational Support (DOS)

Speakers:
Brigadier Joyce Sitienei, Director, International Peace Support Training Centre
Major General Hoàng Kim Phụng, Director of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Ministry of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Dr. Omowunmi Omo, Head of the Field Training Support Team, Policy, Evaluation and Training Division, UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO)
Mr. Yoshimitsu Morihiro, Senior Operations Coordinator, Joint Staff, Ministry of Defence of Japan

Moderator:
Dr. Jenna Russo, IPI Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in March 2022. Deliberations on UNMISS’s mandate arrive as South Sudanese stakeholders and the UN are accelerating preparations for crucial governance milestones at the heart of the country’s political transition, as outlined in the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS). Yet despite this crucial moment in the transition, international attention and support for the country are wavering.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on February 2, 2022, to discuss the mission’s mandate. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in South Sudan in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of UNMISS’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Workshop participants largely agreed that UNMISS’s mandate, strategic vision, and priorities remain relevant for the coming year. Considering that the country’s transitional period is expected to conclude in 2023, discussions gravitated toward identifying concrete actions that UNMISS and the Security Council can take to support South Sudanese stakeholders in meeting crucial milestones in these final stages of the political transition. Based on this workshop, suggestions for revisions to the UNMISS mandate include:

• Detailing the mission’s support to the upcoming constitution-drafting process and election cycle;
• Reinforcing language on the mission’s role in promoting inclusive dialogue and protecting civilians through diverse approaches, including enhanced mobility and political dialogue; and
• Integrating climate and security analysis across all mandated priorities.

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Dr. Phoebe Donnelly, Research Fellow and Head of IPI’s Women, Peace and Security Program, moderated a roundtable on March 1st entitled “Priorities for the next UNAMA Mandate: Protecting and Promoting Women’s Human Rights and Political Participation.” This roundtable, hosted by The Dutch Permanent mission, served to reassess the priorities of UNAMA in four key areas. In collaboration with Afghan women activists and experts, participants discussed the upcoming mandate renewal of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) by the UN Security Council. The renewal provides an important opportunity to assess how the mission could be recalibrated, with a particular focus on securing women’s rights and implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

This event offered a unique space for UN Security Council members to tap into the expertise of Afghan women and learn about their experience with UNAMA as well as their recommendations on the future mandate. Additionally, it opened up conversation around how to strengthen Afghan women’s political representation, rights, and access to justice, and how this should be reflected in the next UNAMA mandate. Especially given the current situation in Afghanistan, this was a timely and critical discussion that highlighted the challenges for and roles of Afghan women in the country’s future.

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IPI’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, moderated a roundtable discussion hosted by the United Nations General Assembly entitled “Gaps and Challenges” as part of the “Galvanizing Momentum for Universal Vaccination” event series. This roundtable, which took place on February 25th, served to highlight and review existing challenges in vaccine production and distribution such as optimizing quality, improving absorption capacity and delivery rates in low-coverage countries, and ensuring supply predictability. In the midst of the pandemic, this discussion provided a critical platform to examine the pace and reach of COVID-19 vaccinations, which have been described as “uneven, unfair, and unbalanced.”

Although the main focus of this roundtable was to discuss strategies in which to ensure vaccine access across the world, it was also a critical day in the world of peace and security, with the recent news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In solidarity with those being impacted by this conflict, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein gave a brief reflection on the events of the past few days, and asked the participants to join him in a moment of silence for Ukrainians and all those who suffer from violence.

Panelists included Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organisation; Dr. Seth Berkley, CEO, GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance; Dr. Nicole Lurie, Director of CEPI-US and Strategic Advisor to the CEO at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI); Dr. Tonya Villafana, Vice President, Global Franchise Head, Vaccine & Immune Therapies at AstraZeneca; Mr. Kirill A. Dmitriev, Chief Executive Officer of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF); and Dr. Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Co-Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.

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In a webinar hosted by IPI MENA on February 23, key experts, policymakers, and practitioners highlighted the importance of good governance in upholding human rights in order to achieve regional integration.

The event, entitled “Good Governance for Regional Integration,” was opened by IPI MENA Director Nejib Friji stating that “we are at a critical juncture of history’s timeline into a new era: the importance of cooperation and integration as a region has never been more pertinent.”

In his keynote speech, Mr. Abdelbasset Ben Hassan, President of the Arab Institute for Human Rights raised the importance of education policies in the promotion of human rights. Further to education system reforms in the Arab world, the chairman of the Tunisian National Committee for the support to Refugees also emphasized the need to “move from vague ideological approaches of regional integration and one to realistic policies based on trying to achieve human rights, democracy, and integration in the region.”

Mr. Abdelbasset Ben Hassen called upon the cooperation of the MENA countries on this matter, which he states “begins with human rights,” recommending first steps as the development of human rights systems and reforming policies that include as well as recognize all groups of civil society.

Mr. Ali Ahemed Alderazi, Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights in Bahrain, stressed the central role that education plays in the promotion of human rights both nationally and regionally. “[Regional Integration efforts] won’t happen without a proper education of human rights.”

Ms. Myriam Sfeir, Director of the Arab Institute of Women based in Beirut, Lebanon, highlighted the need to implement a gendered lens in political activity – referring to specific successes in Lebanon. She offered recommendations which are to look at human rights holistically, making sure that the mechanism for policy implementations exists, and prioritize gender rights. “We need to make sure that women are included in decision-making bodies.”

Dr. Pierette Essama, Doctor of Law and Professor at the University of Yaounde II in Cameron, explored the concepts of governance, human rights, and regional integration in the context of Africa. She stressed that “regional integration is part of the solution” to the rising social and political grievances in the region, noting many of national and regional shortcomings were due to the laxity of the rule of law. She emphasized the need for cooperation to achieve common objectives. “When we have concerted efforts at the regional level, we can fully attain our objectives.”

Ms. Ansam Abayechi, Regional Gender Advisor at OHCHR based in Beirut, Lebanon, underscored the importance of regional integration in the promotion of human rights in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. She highlighted the significance of the GCC as a subregional body for the MENA region for regional integration efforts. “They have a weight in decision making for this regional organization.”

The webinar concluded with a short question-and-answer segment, where Mr. Friji acknowledged the call for further interaction with regional bodies and asked about what the realistic approaches to do so would be in the MENA region. Mr. Abdelbasset Ben Hassan stressed the need to adopt a holistic approach to human rights. He noted that “in our region, there are many initiatives activated” but there is a more important need to share a common responsibility to promote human rights. “We need a real regional dialogue in which we develop an inclusive program for the region.”

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On February 22nd, a panel entitled “Frameworks for a Peaceful World–Promoting Peace, International Law and Digital Cooperation” was held at the UN Trusteeship Council Chamber. IPI’s Vice President, Dr. Adam Lupel moderated the panel, which was part of the third thematic cluster in a series of informal consultations on the Secretary-General’s report, “Our Common Agenda.” These consultations provide member states with further thinking on the follow up to the recommendations in the report, which represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation and reinvigorating inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism. This third thematic consultation focused primarily on inter alia proposals in chapter IV of the Common Agenda report. The session was dedicated to the inputs and perspectives of civil society, youth and the private sector.

Speakers participating in the debate included former Poland Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka and Dr. Amandeep Gill, President of the International Digital Health and Artificial Research Collaborative. Among the participants from the floor was John Frank, Vice President for UN Affairs of Microsoft.

Given recent events in Ukraine, Dr. Lupel said this discussion served as a reminder of “the importance of strengthening our commitments to multilateral cooperation and international law for the prevention of conflict and the maintenance of international peace and security for our common good.”

Speakers included Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Director, Institute for Social and Economic Research and Action (CIASE); Dr. Peter Martinez, President Secure World Foundation; Hanna Suchocka, Club de Madrid, former Prime Minister of Poland; Dr. Amandeep Gill, President, International Digital Health & AI Research Collaborative (I-DAIR); and Shadi Rouhshahbaz, Founder of PeaceMentors, Regional Coordinator of MENA, United of Young Peacebuilders.

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Initiatives to increase gender equality or implement the women, peace, and security agenda in peace operations routinely fail when they lack support from leadership. Gender-responsive leadership is thus essential to the UN’s efforts to promote gender equality in UN missions and the countries where these missions are deployed. While the phrase “gender-responsive leadership” is not yet widely used by the UN, its fundamental principles have been integrated across several peacekeeping priority areas and policy frameworks, including training and mentoring programs, accountability frameworks, and data collection and monitoring. Yet significant shortcomings remain.

This issue brief examines the concept and practice of gender-responsive leadership and assesses its potential to contribute to UN peace operations. It begins by examining the concept of gender-responsive leadership, the approaches and strategies envisioned by policymakers, and what outcomes it can achieve. It then outlines why gender-responsive leadership is important to UN peace operations and how it could bring about new approaches and challenge barriers to gender equality. It also considers the steps the UN has taken to implement gender-responsive leadership at both the mission and headquarters levels.

The paper argues that gender-responsive leadership has the potential to change gender-unequal outcomes in peacekeeping if it is supported through training, mentoring, online resources, and assessment frameworks. Ultimately, the paper recommends a more inclusive, intersectional view of gender-responsive leadership—one that pays attention to issues such as race, ability, and sexual orientation—to ensure that leaders do not operate according to homogenized or essentialized understandings of women’s experiences.

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Conventional arms control and disarmament efforts have historically been framed as a humanitarian cause to limit human suffering. However, activities with an arms control component have only featured to a limited extent within the protection of civilians (POC) mandates of United Nations peace operations. Both issues feature on the agenda of the UN Security Council, which mandates missions, but the linkages between the two have not been well explored at the policy, strategic, and operational levels.

Produced in conjunction with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, this brief provides an analysis of the actual, and potential, contribution of conventional arms control and related activities to POC within the context of UN peace operations—both peacekeeping operations and special political missions. There has been limited research conducted on this topic, and it has been addressed in only a cursory manner in relevant policies, guidelines, and strategies.

This paper therefore attempts to demonstrate the existing linkages between these two mandated tasks, as well as to pinpoint some of the barriers and challenges to why arms control has not featured more fully within the POC efforts of missions. It then identifies relevant entry points based on concrete examples of how arms control-related activities can be better leveraged by UN peace operations to ensure the more effective protection of civilians.

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On January 11th, IPI’s Women Peace and Security team hosted a virtual policy forum to launch the recently published policy paper, “From Female Engagement Teams to Engagement Platoons: The Evolution of Gendered Community Engagement in UN Peace Operations.”

This forum featured panelists who discussed the paper’s findings and policy recommendations for UN military decision makers and troop-contributing countries. Panelists considered the operational challenges, gendered assumptions and stereotypes that negatively impact the work of engagement teams and engagement platoons and gendered and racialized assumptions and stereotypes about host communities. The broad goal of the policy forum was to meaningfully discuss and develop a shared understanding of the evolution of gendered community engagement in UN peace operations.

This event and the related research are part of IPI’s Women in Peace Operations (WIPO) project, a multi-year initiative funded by the Government of Canada’s Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations.

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President
Ms. Gwyn Kutz, Director-General of the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, Global Affairs Canada

Speakers:
Gretchen Baldwin, Senior Policy Analyst at IPI’s Women Peace and Security Program
Col. Stephanie Tutton, Chief of the OMA Policy and Doctrine Team, United Nations Department of Peace Operations
Col. Gonzalo Mila, Adviser, Uruguayan Armed Forces
Lt. Yumae Amicone, Uruguayan Army

Moderator:
Dr. Phoebe Donnelly, Research Fellow and Head of IPI’s Women Peace and Security Program

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The concept and implementation of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) have evolved as DDR-related activities have increasingly occurred in environments where armed conflict is ongoing, no peace agreement has been signed, and armed groups designated as terrorist organizations (AGDTOs) are operating. In parallel, reintegration has increasingly been discussed in the UN counterterrorism architecture through the concept of prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration (PRR). The changing context has raised challenges related to reintegration, especially reintegration of former members of AGDTOs.

This policy paper analyzes the risks faced by individuals taking part in reintegration processes and by the communities they are reintegrating into. In particular, it analyzes how the designation of an armed group as a terrorist organization by the UN Security Council or by a state impacts these risks while acknowledging that these risks largely depend on the broader context. The paper examines three case studies of current reintegration processes: (1) the process for reincorporating former combatants from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia–People’s Army (FARC-EP); (2) the defector program for former members of al-Shabaab in Somalia; and (3) the reintegration process for individuals associated with Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin.

The paper concludes by recommending several steps the UN could take to help ensure that reintegration processes address protection risks, especially for former members of AGDTOs:

• Tailor reintegration programs to the context, not to whether a group is labeled as a terrorist organization;
• Design reintegration programs to be gender-sensitive and human rights–compliant;
• Ensure that PRR and DDR programs are complementary and adopt the Integrated DDR Standards module on AGDTOs; and
• Keep reintegration and counterterrorism goals distinct.

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On December 15th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the UN cohosted a virtual policy forum on “Legal Avenues to Fight Climate Change.”

COP26 marks a critical moment to update humanity’s plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Although a growing number of countries are establishing carbon neutrality targets and low-carbon solutions, the international community is still way off the 1.5-degree target set by the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change are accelerating around the world – in an increasingly devastating manner. The UN Secretary-General has called for far-reaching changes, the need for bolder plans to reduce emissions and to live up to the promises made.

While efforts are underway to reach the goals set in the Paris Agreement, there is also an increasing trend to resort to legal action to address climate change. Climate litigation is on the rise at the international, regional and national levels. Currently, there is a call by some for an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the rights of present and future generations to be protected from negative impacts of climate change as well as the possibility of requesting an advisory opinion on oceans and climate change from the plenary of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The International Law Commission (ILC) also included the topic of sea-level rise in relation to international law in its program of work and addresses possible legal effects or implications of sea-level rise in the areas law of the sea, statehood and protection of persons affected by sea-level rise. Moreover, a road for international criminal proceedings once a crime of ‘ecocide’ has been codified and included in national penal laws and possibly the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Regional as well as domestic courts are also facing an increasing number of cases on climate change leading to landmark cases – most notably the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands that the Dutch government has an obligation under the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the rights to life, private and family life from the real threat of climate change.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Christian Wenaweser, Permanent Representative of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the UN

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Odo Tevi, Permanent Representative of Vanuatu to the UN
Ms. Christina Hioureas, Chair of UN Practice, Foley Hoag
Ms. Kate Mackintosh, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
Ms. Patricia Galvao Teles, Member of the International Law Commission

Moderator:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in December 2021. Discussions on MONUSCO’s mandate come at a crucial moment for both the country and the mission. Recent political developments have given new momentum to efforts by the Congolese government to implement its comprehensive reform agenda, but continued political competition and persistent insecurity in the country’s eastern region present serious risks. The UN presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is also undergoing a significant reconfiguration, driven by MONUSCO’s phased and progressive transition.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on November 23, 2021. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in the DRC in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of MONUSCO’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Workshop participants felt that MONUSCO’s mandate and existing activities position the mission to advance its strategic priorities while also managing its own transition. With a somewhat improved domestic political environment and the growing alignment between the Congolese government, its neighbors, and international partners, the UN has a valuable opportunity to consolidate and build on this progress. Based on this workshop, suggestions for revisions to the MONUSCO mandate include:

• Integrating the mission’s transition plan and benchmarks into the new mandate;
• Ensuring that the mission has the mandate and resources to undertake the transition in a flexible, integrated, and inclusive manner;
• Capitalizing on the mission’s good offices to maintain dialogue between political coalitions prior to the 2023 election cycle;
• Encouraging international and regional support for the Congolese government’s 2021–2023 program of action;
• Balancing robust protection responsibilities in eastern DRC with flexible and responsive approaches to protection in other parts of the country; and
• Prioritizing inclusive and locally led approaches to stabilization and transitional justice.

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On December 2nd, IPI hosted a Global Leaders Series event featuring H.E. Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

The African Union Commission (AUC) is integral to the promotion of sustainable peace and democratic governance on the African continent. These priorities and initiatives serve as a foundation for collective action, from pursuing regional integration at the political and economic levels to championing governance, development, and peace as interrelated normative and policy agendas. To further support these priorities and advance Africa’s interests on the global stage, the AUC has strengthened its partnerships with Africa’s regional economic communities and mechanisms, the United Nations, and other regions and countries.

The AUC’s upcoming twentieth anniversary and its recently completed institutional reforms offer a moment for reflection on recent progress and ongoing challenges. Despite tangible progress in recent years, African countries continue to confront structural and proximate threats to collective peace and security. Exclusive political leadership detracts from the consolidation of democratic-governance institutions and inclusive economic development, testing social contracts and giving rise to civic unrest. The COVID-19 pandemic is still reverberating across the continent and straining already fragile economies and domestic social structures. Climate degradation is exacerbating already significant humanitarian needs and amplifying the pressures of rapid urbanization and a majority-youth population. The continent’s aspirations to silence all guns and end armed conflicts have been weakened by fragile political agreements, transnational security and criminal threats, and rising geopolitical tensions that undermine the prospects for sustained multilateral action.

IPI’s Global Leaders Series discussion with H.E. Mahamat will focus on contemporary peace and security trends on the African continent as well as opportunities and priorities for strengthening sustainable peace and democratic governance over the coming years. It will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the African Union’s role as a multilateral institution supporting continental peace and security and its efforts to strengthen Africa’s geopolitical effectiveness and unity.

H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, now in his second term as Chairperson of the African Union Commission, has held this position since January 2017. H.E. Mahamat has previously served in multiple official capacities for the Republic of Chad, including as Prime Minister and Head of Government, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director of the presidential cabinet, and President of the country’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council. He also chaired the Security Council in December 2014, including the general debate on December 19, 2014 on “threats to international peace and security: cross-border terrorism and crime.” H.E. Mahamat chaired the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in September 2013 and steered the Extraordinary Summit on Antiterrorism in Ouagadougou.

This event was moderated by Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President and CEO of IPI.

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IPI in partnership with the Government of Qatar, hosted on December 2nd a virtual policy forum entitled “From Glasgow to Sharm El Sheikh: Accelerating Climate Finance.”

COP 26 delivered an outcome representing incremental progress on climate change. While this outcome is a step in the right direction is not enough to avert the most devastating consequences of climate change. Climate and the COVID-19 pandemic has further increased the need for climate finance: the world now faces the worst economic crisis since the Second World War, causing loss of revenue and rising debt, especially in the countries that are most in need. At this event, we hope to discuss possible ways in which the financial system can align with the Paris Agreement. To stay below 1.5C, finance will be a critical component in unlocking greater ambition on mitigation and increasing trust among countries.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Osama Mahmoud Abdel Khalek Mahmoud, Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the UN
H.E. Mr. James Kariuki, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN
Mr. Selwin Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary-General for the Climate Action Team
Ms. Rachel Kyte, Dean of The Fletcher School at Tufts University
Ms. Jimena Leiva Roesch, IPI Senior Fellow and Head of the Peace and Sustainable Development Program

Closing Remarks:
H.E. Sheikha Alya Ahmed Bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN

Moderator:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President

To support UN Security Council members in their reconsideration of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) mandate this year, the Global Center on Cooperative Security (Global Center) and the International Peace Institute (IPI) undertook an extensive research and consultation process. This brief outlines findings and recommendations for the upcoming renewal of CTED’s mandate, building on this research and consultation process.

A broad range of stakeholders were consulted, including current CTC members and other UN member states, UN representatives, and civil society actors. Information was gathered through a widely distributed survey, bilateral interviews, three focus-group discussions, and two workshops held on 28 July and 3 November 2021. Along with providing analysis of the implementation of CTED’s mandate, the intention was to provide an informal Track II setting for member states and other stakeholders to engage on priorities for the mandate renewal and to solicit input into the formal negotiation process from underrepresented parties, including civil society.

The current mandate of CTED is due to be renewed by 31 December 2021. This takes place a few months after the UN General Assembly’s consensus adoption of the seventh review of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The renewal of CTED’s mandate coincides with a change in leadership; after four years, CTED’s Executive Director, Assistant Secretary-General Michèle Coninsx, will be leaving by the end of the year. It also coincides with the December renewal of the mandates of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team pursuant to UN Security Council Resolutions 1526 and 2253 and the Office of the Ombudsperson to the sanctions committee. The conjuncture of these processes occurs shortly after the 20th anniversary of the attacks of 11 September 2001 and the adoption of Resolution 1373, the council’s seminal counterterrorism resolution that created the CounterTerrorism Committee (CTC), which CTED was established to support.

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On November 16th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the UN cohosted a virtual policy forum on “The Road to Seoul: Previewing the 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial.”

The 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial will be held in Seoul, Republic of Korea on December 7-8, 2021. It will be the sixth high-level meeting in support of UN peacekeeping convened by member states and the UN Secretariat since 2014. These meetings are intended to sustain political support to UN peacekeeping and encourage member states to offer concrete pledges of uniformed personnel, enablers, financial resources, capacity building initiatives. The Ministerial process is formally co-chaired by twelve member states and the UN Secretariat and is open to member states on the UN General Assembly’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34).

The Ministerial has emerged as one of the flagship vehicles through which the UN can strengthen the inherently global partnerships that underpin peacekeeping operations around the world. The Seoul Ministerial also comes at a particularly crucial time for UN peacekeeping as it continues its efforts to implement reforms and evolve. Significant preparatory work has unfolded over the past year in the lead-up to this process. The co-chairs have convened four Preparatory Conferences, each discussing a specific topic that will feature prominently during the Ministerial Conference. The UN Secretariat has prepared a pledging guide for member states as well as a capabilities-assessment study.

This virtual policy forum provided a preview of the core issues that will be discussed at the 2021 Ministerial Conference. It will contextualize the importance of the Ministerial process within broader efforts to encourage the evolution of UN peacekeeping operations. It also highlighted the progress achieved over the past seven years and defined expectations for the upcoming summit. The policy forum offered summaries of the Preparatory Conferences convened over the past year. IPI also launched an issue brief, prepared by IPI Senior Policy Analyst Daniel Forti, on the Peacekeeping Ministerial.

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President
Ambassador Bae Jong-in, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN

Speakers:
Mr. Jean-Pierre LaCroix, Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Peace Operations
Ms. Laura Grant, Deputy Head of the UN Peacekeeping Joint Unit, United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (on behalf of the co-chairs of the Preparatory Conference on Sustaining Peace and Peacebuilding)
Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Senior Advisor at the United States Mission to the UN (on behalf of the co-chairs of the Preparatory Conference on Performance and Accountability)
Ambassador Mark Zellenrath, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN (on behalf of the co-chairs of the Preparatory Conference on Protection of Civilians and Safety & Security)
Ambassador Mohammad K. Koba, Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN (on behalf of the co-chairs of the Preparatory Conference on Partnerships, Training and Capacity Building)

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President

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The UN peacekeeping ministerial process has emerged as one of the flagship vehicles through which the UN can mobilize concrete pledges of uniformed personnel, enablers, financial resources, and capacity building for peacekeeping operations. The 2021 UN peacekeeping ministerial in Seoul—the sixth ministerial since 2014—presents a valuable opportunity for member states to make pledges, focusing on four substantive areas: (1) peacebuilding and sustaining peace; (2) partnerships for capacity building and training; (3) performance and accountability; and (4) protection of civilians and safety and security. The conference also has two cross-cutting themes: technology and medical capacity building.

This issue brief offers a preview of the 2021 peacekeeping ministerial in Seoul. It discusses the motivation for and evolution of the ministerial format and its value to UN peacekeeping. It also highlights the issues discussed during the four preparatory conferences in the run-up to the conference and briefly summarizes topics raised in both the UN’s official pledging guide and independent white papers commissioned by the Republic of Korea.

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On November 12th, IPI hosted a Speaker Series event featuring Lieutenant General Dr. Dennis Gyllensporre, former force commander for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

LTG Gyllensporre reflected on his three-year experience as force commander, with a particular focus on the security and leadership challenges he encountered in the implementation of a mandate calling for a robust and active defense posture while protecting civilians. He shared some of the good practices and lessons learned during his time at MINUSMA.

LTG Gyllensporre (Swedish Armed Forces) served as the Force Commander for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) between October 2018 and October 2021. He came from a four-year appointment as the Chief of Defence Staff and Head of Special Forces of the Swedish Armed Forces. He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2014.

LTG Gyllensporre has multifaceted credentials in international cooperation as well as an extensive track record in interaction with political entities. This experience spans from operations at the tactical level to scientific publications in renowned journals.

LTG Gyllensporre served as a staff officer in the Swedish Armed Forces in various positions, including tours abroad in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Sudan, as well as Military Advisor in international crisis management at the Swedish Ministry of Defence. He also served as Chief of Staff at the Swedish Joint Forces Command and later as head of the Doctrine and Concepts Branch at the European Union Military Staff’s Policy & Plans Division. In 2008 he was deployed to Afghanistan as the Chief of Staff for the Regional Command North Headquarters of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Subsequently, LTG Gyllensporre has held several positions in the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters including Chief of Staff of the Supreme Commander’s staff and head of the Policy and Plans Department.

LTG Gyllensporre has studied at several military institutions and holds multiple academic degrees including a Master of Science in computer science and engineering (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden); Master of Business Administration (Warwick University, United Kingdom); Master of Military Arts and Science (US Army Command and General Staff College, United States); and a Ph.D. in Governance and Policy Analysis (Maastricht University, the Netherlands). He is also the author of several books and academic articles on military strategy and security studies, including UN peacekeeping operations. He is fluent in English and commands French at the working level.

This event was moderated by Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser at IPI.

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The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in November 2021. MINUSCA now confronts a more challenging environment compared with the period leading up to last year’s mandate renewal, particularly in the aftermath of the January 2021 armed rebellion that swept toward the capital, Bangui, following presidential elections in December 2020.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on October 20, 2021. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of MINUSCA’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Participants largely agreed that MINUSCA’s strategic priorities are still relevant to the context in CAR and that the current mandate offers the mission valuable flexibility, despite some concerns that it may be too long. They stressed that MINUSCA will need to continue to “prioritize its priorities” over the coming months as various political and security issues emerge. The mission will likely need to balance the following:

• Helping rebuild momentum for the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation;
• Facilitating inclusive processes for political dialogue and the extension of state authority;
• Supporting nascent cease-fire monitoring arrangements;
• Refining support to national security institutions;
• Strengthening its protection capabilities across the country; and
• Providing technical and logistical support to local elections scheduled for September 2022.

Participants emphasized that these points should all feature prominently in the upcoming mandate and should be reinforced with unified political support from the Security Council. Participants also stressed the value of closer cooperation between the mission and humanitarian partners to help mitigate the conditions facing internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees. They highlighted the value of more effective regional coordination between CAR and neighboring countries as well as strengthened coordination between the mission and other international organizations working in the country.

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