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Evolving UN Peace Operations

The presentation began with a definition of the Complex Emergency Model developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Group of the United Nations, the keypoint of which is the "dramatic disruption in the political, economic and socialsituation... which requires a consolidated, multi-sectoral international response."  Diagrams illustrated the overlap of civilian and military activities within the broad range of disruptive events from natural disasters to traditional war.  A review followed of the differences between traditional peacekeeping and modern peacekeeping and peace enforcement, the political dynamics inherent in the use of Chapters VI and VII of the UN Charter in establishing and/or maintaining peace and stability, validation for the use of force in specific circumstances, the pivotal role of the UN Security Council, political dimensions, limitations on the role of the UN, operational challenges in UN missions, and the limitations of purely military solutions.

The Humanitarian Role in Peacekeeping Operations

The objectives of this brief were to gain a better understanding of the components of the humanitarian community, to better understand the various roles and responsibilities of the players, and to identify possible coordination mechanisms for providing humanitarian assistance.  The humanitarian players are comprised of a broad spectrum of organizations: UN departments/offices/agencies, NGOs, Members of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, donors, the host nation's government and individuals, and even military forces as they are required. Strategic, operational and tactical levels were illustrated through a matrix, and discussion focused on where the lack of capacity in different levels within organizations often cause communication and coordination problems amongst the players.  A discussion of humanitarian principles offered insights into the culture of the humanitarian community, and a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of NGOs contributed to increased understanding.  Other topics were recent efforts to improve accountability and dilemmas in providing aid in conflict situations.

The Role of the Military in Peace Operations

Using text and diagrams, this presentation provided essential detail on the differences between war and conflict relevant to troops and commanders, UN peacekeeping mission structures, strategic level issues, command relationships, operational level command and control issues, problem areas, and the characteristics of future peacekeeping operations.

Policy and Political Factors in Shaping the Civil-Military Relationship

Using the advice to do peace operations "wisely and well," as a guide, this presentation examined the policy and political factors at work in and surrounding a peace operation.  It began with two lessons: 1) UN peace operations are implicitly political and raise many controversial policy issues, and 2) The mission's internal civil-military relationship is largely determined by how these political dimensions are treated by the international community.  Factors covered were the threat of local conflicts to international security and stability, assessing the politics of the local conflict and of the international response, the complexity and controversial nature of the "Battlefield of the 21rst Century," response trends in the 1990s, coalitions, response limitations, recurring peacemaking issues, emerging needs in regional peacekeeping arrangements, political challenges, and decision-making and execution as they relate to "doing [complex peace operations] wisely and well."

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