Session 2 Flashcards
How should UN peacekeeping answer the realities of modern conflict?
- More flexible approach.
- Clear when and how to use force.
- Better mandate creating.
- More regional ownership w. support from UN
How can UN strike a balance between protecting civilians and upholding core principles of impartiality?
- Important for UN legitimacy.
- Deep understanding of situation on the ground.
- Address underlying problems. Bandaid solutions fail.
- Building trust, institutions that work etc. Stabilization.
- More prevention work.
What does UN peacemaking require?
- Prevention the better option. UN needs to adapt.
- Right people
-Training - Logistics
- Accountability
What were the traditional principles of UN peacekeeping?
Traditionally UN peacekeeping based on principles:
1) Impartiality
2) Consent of main parties
3) Minimum use of force
Typically Chapter VI
What happened in the DRC (MONUSCO & Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in 2013 regarding UN involvement?
- First UN mission with a mandate to “neutralize and disarm” specific armed groups.
- Used offensive military action against M23 rebels, setting a precedent for UN war-fighting.
- Raised concerns about the UN’s impartiality and the safety of peacekeepers.
What are the negatives of UN increasingly engaging in combat?
- Impact on civilians - Militarisation enhances.
- Discredits UN as picking sides.
- UN might not be trained
What are the major risks of greater use of UN force?
- Loss of Impartiality - Challenges to UN Neutrality
- Militarization of Peacekeeping
- Undermining Statebuilding. The UN increasingly focuses on statebuilding in fragile states, but using force on behalf of weak governments can undermine these efforts.
Example: UNMISS in South Sudan became too closely aligned with the government, reducing its ability to mediate impartially.
If UN force is only used against NSAs - What problems does that create?
- Host states often need to give the UN permission to be there which makes the UIN biased and creates a challenghes to impartiality.
What are the main recommendations of the Clingendael Institute Brief? (
- UN needs to be realistic about what force can or cannot achieve.
- Importance of investing in non-state military capabilities (intel, plan, capacity building)
- Careful that force does not overshawdow everything else.
- UN needs to be more transparent and consistent in use of force to avoid apprearance of bias.
What is the main focus of UN peacekeeping operations with protection of civilians (POC) mandates?
Prevention and mitigation of imminent threats to civilians (use of force, alleviate suffering).
Example: South Sudan UNMIS. Different
What are the main reasons peacekeeping forces avoid using force to protect civilians?
Conflicting political views, dual command structures, unclear obligations, limited resources, and fear of penalties.
How often do UN peacekeeping missions intervene with force when civilians are under attack?
Almost never, despite legal authorization and Security Council mandates.
What peacekeeping mission saw a shift towards offensive operations under Security Council Resolution 2098 (2013)?
MONUSCO, which used force against M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What were the key recommendations of the report to improve POC implementation?
Strengthen command control, clarify tactical guidelines, and improve cooperation with humanitarian actors.
What did the report conclude about the overall effectiveness of POC mandates?
While prevention efforts are successful, missions fail to act decisively when civilians are under direct attack.
What does the report suggest about the role of the Security Council in POC mandates?
It must clarify its expectations and ensure that its intent on using force is properly implemented.
Why does the report call for a high-level dialogue on the use of force in peacekeeping?
To address the systemic failures preventing effective civilian protection and ensure mandates are fully implemented.
What is the advantage and disadvantage of having a broad mandate for a peace support mission?
+ Greater Flexibility to Address Emerging Threats
+ Enhanced Protection of Civilians
+ Strengthened Authority in Post-Conflict Stabilization
+ Legitimacy for Use of Force in Peace Enforcement
- Mission Creep and Lack of Clear Objectives
- Dependence on Political Will and Host-State Cooperation
- Increased Risk to Peacekeepers
- Resource and Logistical Challenges
- Potential Loss of Neutrality
What may be the consequences, if the mandate to use force does not cover all tasks of the military component of the mission?
- Inability to Respond Effectively to Threats
- Loss of Credibility and Legitimacy
- Increased Risk to Peacekeepers
- Mission Paralysis and Fragmentation
- Strengthening of Armed Groups
- Erosion of Host-Nation and International Support
How do you address the gap of a use-of-force mandate not covering all tasks of the military component of the mission?
- Unified Command Structure: Avoid confusion by ensuring that all military components operate under a single, coherent authority
- Clear Legal Frameworks: Define what level of force is authorized for each task, avoiding contradictory interpretations.
-Realistic Political Expectations: Ensure that political considerations do not impose unrealistic operational constraints on peacekeeping forces.
What is the difference between neutrality and impartiality?
Impartiality implies not taking sides and treating parties the same. Neutrality immplies not being a party but does not mean equal treatment
What are Chapter 6.5 missions?
- UN peacekeeping operations do not have a specific chapter in the UN Charter. They are often described as operating in a “Chapter VI½” framework, a term coined because traditional peacekeeping falls between Chapter VI (Pacific Settlement of Disputes) and Chapter VII (Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace).
- Requires consent of the parties to the conflict.
- Impartiality—UN forces do not take sides.
- Minimal use of force, typically restricted to self-defense and defense of the mandate.
What is the challenge of UN payments per soldier to contributing countries?
Each UN soldier results in money delivered to the country in question which is then used by poorer countries to boost their economy but which is very bad for mission success.
What is peace enforcement operations?
Peace Enforcement (Chapter VII)
Peace enforcement is explicitly authorized under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which allows the Security Council to take action, including the use of force, against threats to international peace and security.
Does not require consent from the parties to the conflict.
UN or a coalition of states can use coercive military force to restore peace.
Aimed at compelling compliance with international law or UN resolutions.
Examples:
Intervention in Libya (2011) under UNSC Resolution 1973
UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC) in the 1960s
UN-authorized intervention in Somalia (UNITAF, led by the US, 1992)
Is a reference to Chapter VII required for a binding resolution calling for a ceasefire?
No, not necesarrily. It is partly related to the wording of the resolution such as “demands”.
What is the Chapter 6.5 Mandate and where does it stem from?
Failure of Srebenica and Rwanda.
Brahimi Report was made concluding that there needs to change something.
What does the term of Mandate Holders mean?
UN Lead Mission - UN appoints force commanter and TCC makes contributions. State maintains full command meaning that nations can withdraw. you normally hand over operational control to the UN. Sending states usually maintain the national jurisdiction over the national in question. SOFA is relevant often giving immunity to individual soldiers which then creates possible issues.
Coalition Lead Mission -
What are the challenges of UN-lead operations?
- TCCs with poor HR records
- Economical incentive for poorer TCC due to fixed refund for each soldier deployed.
- UN is formally not allowed to conduct intelligence operations.
- TCC sometimes have interests in the conlict that are not consistent with UN mission tasks (Example: Egyptians in Sudan UN Mission).
- Jursidcition for crimes are with TCC. Force Commander can demand suspected perpetrators are re-patriated.
UN Civilian Staff: neither Misison nor territorial state has jurisdiction.
Why was it a problem that there were egyptian soldiers as part of the UN mission in Sudan?
Because of Sudan’s tentsions with Egypt ADD MORE.
Poor HR records.
What is the UN Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA)?
UN launched C-SEA campaign in 2005. Almost 10% of civilian staff were dealing with this issue.
What is the UNSCR 1325: Women in Peacebuilding?
Cornerstone in adresseing role of women both as capacities and as victims.
Nations should have implementation plans.
Should be incorporarted in mission modus operandi.
Women can serve as facilitators in communication and reconsilitation between the parties.
What is the Brahimi Report (2000)?
The Brahimi Report (2000) called for stronger mandates, robust rules of engagement, faster deployment, better intelligence, and increased funding for UN peacekeeping. It emphasized civilian protection and urged peacekeepers to use force when necessary. Its impact led to more proactive and integrated missions, a shift toward “robust” peacekeeping, and improved deployment mechanisms, though implementation remains challenged by political and resource constraints.
The Brahimi Report, officially titled the “Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations”, was released in 2000 and led by Lakhdar Brahimi, an Algerian diplomat and former UN envoy. The report was commissioned by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in response to the failures of UN peacekeeping in the 1990s, particularly in Rwanda (1994) and Srebrenica (Bosnia, 1995).
What does a direct reference to Chapter VII in a UNSC resultions such as 2304 mean for its binding effect?
A direct reference to Chapter VII in a UN Security Council resolution, such as Resolution 2304 (2016), significantly strengthens its binding effect under international law. A direct Chapter VII reference makes a UNSC resolution legally binding and authorizes enforcement measures, including the use of force if necessary. This gives the resolution more weight compared to those adopted under Chapter VI, which focus on peaceful dispute resolution without coercive measures.
What lessons did MINUSMA (Mali) in 2013 give us regardiong UN envolvement?
- Tasked with stabilizing northern Mali and preventing armed groups’ return.
- Operates alongside French counter-terrorism forces (Operation Serval/Barkhane).
- Employs intelligence-gathering technologies, including drones and special forces, resembling NATO’s counterinsurgency tactics.
- Risks turning into a counter-terrorism rather than a peacekeeping operation.
What principles are typical for recent UN peace enforcement missions?
- Targeting of armed groups.
- Answer to Brahimi Report (2000)
- More proactive use of force
