European Peace Institute / News

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The ability of the United Nations to successfully reform itself and deliver on promises to sustain peace will ultimately depend not only on the primacy of politics but also on effective management of and support to a full spectrum of peace operations in the field. This was the view shared by experts and practitioners at a recent IPI Seminar on UN Field Support for Peace Operations, opened by Olivier Landour, from the Directorate general for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) of the French Ministry of Defense, and Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support at the United Nations.

There is broad consensus that the UN currently has a unique window of opportunity to undertake reforms, and that the new Secretary-General is committed to moving towards greater decentralization, simplification, flexibility, transparency, and accountability. Participants from across the Secretariat, UN member-states’ missions, and academia convened for a closed-door discussion (under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution) on the nature of the challenges faced and the objectives reforms should aim at, and to suggest what steps could be taken to ensure UN field support becomes better “fit for purpose.”

In introducing the seminar, Arthur Boutellis, Director of IPI’s Center for Peace Operations, noted that the 2015 High Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) had stressed the need for more agile field support. “The HIPPO Report pointed to the fact that mission requirements are still treated as exceptions to headquarters-focused policies, even though field missions account for over 80 % of UN Secretariat spending, 55 % of its staff, and 90 % of its procurement,” he said. He also quoted Secretary-General António Guterres saying that “the United Nations needs to be nimble, efficient and effective. It must focus more on delivery and less on process; more on people and less on bureaucracy.”

The four sessions of this day-long seminar delved further into specific aspects of field support, starting with a session framing the “broader picture” by asking the question, “What does UN field support fit for purposes look like?” This was followed by sessions on human resources and staffing, UN field support to African Union and other non-UN operations, and the role of key enablers such as medical, engineering, and aviation capabilities.

The ambassadors from Canada, the United States, Norway, Ethiopia, the Republic of Korea, and France guided the conversations throughout the day. Fabrizio Hochschild, Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG) delivered a lunchtime keynote speech highlighting how effective leadership and field support are two of the most needed resources in field missions.

A consistent theme to emerge from these discussions was the need to learn from past attempts to reform the UN system, many of which were undertaken in response to concerns regarding issues such as recruitment, terms of service, and collaborative delivery. In particular, more than one speaker emphasized that the UN is ultimately a political body comprised of member-states, whose cooperation is as essential to the adoption and implementation of reform as that of Secretariat and field staff. Accordingly, the Secretary-General and senior UN staff can play a key role in generating and presenting options for reform that can align the interests of states, UN staff, and the individuals and communities that field missions are intended to serve.

Participants endorsed the idea that field support needs to be accountable for outcomes, rather than exclusively for compliance with rules, many of which were set up when the UN was primarily a conference-servicing organization with negligible field presence. In sequencing reforms to bring about such changes, key speakers emphasized the idea that “form should follow function.” Bureaucracies tend to address problems by expanding and undertaking structural reorganizations; instead, the UN today will be best served by a focus on people and delivery.

The seminar was organized with support from the French Ministry of Defense’s Department for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS), as part of a three-year “New Issues Observatory” project. Ongoing research undertaken as part of this project was presented on a number of panels, and discussions will inform policy reports which will be published in coming months on different field support themes. Previously, as part of the New Issues Observatory project, IPI hosted various seminars including “UN Peace Operations in Violent and Asymmetric Threat Environments,” and “UN Peace Operations Reform.”

On Tuesday, February 28th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, are cohosting the launch of IPI’s forthcoming report, “Made in Havana: How Colombia and the FARC Agreed to End the War” by Renata Segura and Delphine Mechoulan.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST.

The signature of a peace agreement between the government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia- Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP) brought an end to the longest-running conflict in the Western hemisphere. The case study evaluates the peace process in Colombia after decades of failed attempts, examines the mechanics of the peace process, and looks in detail at the role of the international community in Havana. It is the result of research carried out in the context of IPI’s Lessons from Mediation project, including dozens of interviews in New York and Colombia.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Ms. María Emma Mejía Vélez, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations

Speakers:
Ms. Teresa Whitfield, Officer-in-Charge, Policy and Mediation Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs
Dr. Renata Segura, Associate Director, Social Science Research Council
Ms. Delphine Mechoulan, Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute
Mr. Daniel García Peña, Professor of Political Science at the National University of Bogota

Moderator:
Mr. Arthur Boutellis, Director of IPI’s Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations

On Wednesday, March 1st, IPI together with Humanitarian Outcomes cohosted a policy forum event on strengthening humanitarian response in insecure contexts.

Secure Access in Volatile Environments (SAVE)—a three-year research program carried out by Humanitarian Outcomes and the Global Public Policy Institute—explored how to deliver an effective humanitarian response amid high levels of insecurity. Based on fieldwork in four of the most insecure aid settings—Afghanistan, south-central Somalia, South Sudan, and Syria—the project identified good practices and recommendations on how organizations can improve their operations. The SAVE study and its findings are particularly relevant in light of ongoing debates at the UN regarding the safety of aid workers and related issues of access and quality of humanitarian operations in conflict settings.

This event builds on the findings of SAVE’s research on Presence and Coverage and those of other recent studies on the impact of insecurity on humanitarian operations, such as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ To Stay and Deliver study, Médecins Sans Frontières’ Emergency Gap: Insecurity study, and the Independent Commission on Multilateralism’s Policy Paper on “Humanitarian Engagements.” Based on this research, the event seeks to identify lessons learned, best practices, and operational and policy recommendations on how to improve humanitarian access and coverage of needs in insecure settings.

Speakers:
Dr. Abby Stoddard, lead researcher, Secure Access in Volatile Environments (SAVE), Presence and Coverage; Partner, Humanitarian Outcomes
H.E. Ms. Joanne Adamson, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations
Mr. Pete Buth, lead author, Emergency Gap: Insecurity; former Deputy Director of Operations, Médecins Sans Frontières Holland
Mr. Simon Butt, Senior Security Advisor, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Moderator:
Dr. Els Debuf, Head of Humanitarian Affairs, International Peace Institute

The United Nations’ peace and security pillar has prevented the recurrence of conflict and protected civilians in many countries around the world. However, the peace and security architecture now faces deep challenges, with three reviews in 2015 pointing to the need for organizational reform. In one of his first decisions, the new Secretary-General António Gutteres tasked an Internal Review Team (IRT) to make recommendations on organizational change, following the recommendations of the high-level independent panel on peace operations, the advisory group of experts on peacebuilding and the 1325 review. As an interim measure, he gave initial instructions on the co-location of regional groupings of Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and the creation of an Executive Committee (EC) in his office.

Against this background, the Center on International Cooperation (CIC) has produced a report entitled “Restructuring the UN Secretariat to Strengthen Preventative Diplomacy and Peace Operations” that analyzes managerial and structural challenges at UN headquarters that reduce performance on the ground, and assesses options for organizational change. On February 21st, the findings of this report were presented by Sarah Cliffe and Alexandra Novosseloff at a recent IPI closed-door roundtable event on “Restructuring the Peace and Security Pillar of the UN Secretariat” held under Chatham house rule.

The report identified that there are many operational challenges of large missions overwhelming a broader “culture of prevention”; the fragmentation of the system and of UN actors into silos, which undermines coherent action; the absence of clear political strategies to guide peace operations and enable sustainable solutions to crises; the lack of authority and resources for peacebuilding; competition between the departments of political affairs and peacekeeping operations; the multiplicity of UN actors and fragmented initiatives for political, security and justice institutional support; and the disconnect between operations and field support.

The paper presents four clusters of options for restructuring: (1) dedicated management options (e.g. second Deputy Secretary-General); (2) fusion models (e.g. merging DPKO/DPA and/or DPKO/DFS); (3) form-follows-function models (e.g. clearly delineating political, operational and “institution building” functions); and (4) peacebuilding options (e.g. integrating peacebuilding more closely with other EOSG cross pillar functions). The authors underlined that no one model is perfect, with competing pros/cons and various levels of political feasibility associated to each. The authors also described the paper’s analysis of budget issues and of practical policy considerations in selecting the most appropriate option.

Participants agreed with the paper’s conclusions that strong leadership and management are key factors to implement reform of the peace and security pillar. The authors noted that, in consultations on the paper, there had been general agreement on this, but that on the other hand when asked whether stronger leadership and management was enough to resolve the problems without organizational change, the clear conclusion was “No. The structures also need to be improved to deliver the functions needed.” Participants further stressed the need to overcome silos and to ensure coherence among departments to bring an end to the competition between the departments of peacekeeping operations, political affairs and field support, in particular; as well as to better link the capacities of agency, funds and programmes with those of the peace and security pillar, as has been done in the global focal point for police, justice and corrections.. The “static” UN work culture and its rigid rules and procedures were also mentioned; participants called for greater flexibility in order to adapt to the realities missions are confronted with on the ground. They stressed the need to rebalance the relationship between the Security Council and the Secretariat and to ensure timely and effective information-sharing.

The responsibility of Member States on the Security Council, particularly the P5, and their relation to the UN Secretariat was also discussed. The Council is often paralyzed and fails to take necessary action because of division amongst its members. This is particularly true in the case when preventative action is required, as was the case in Burundi. Among the participants, there was a broad consensus on the need to shift the UN’s work to more upstream conflict prevention.

Lastly, the need to change the way the budgets are negotiated was strongly acknowledged by all participants, as well as the need for a better strategic discussion between the Secretariat and the members of the Fifth Committee prior to the negotiations. The strategic budget analysis in the report was noted as useful, and participants felt that this type of more strategic-level analysis is urgently needed for the next budget discussions.

Participants welcomed strong leadership and direction from the office of the Secretary General and encouraged the work of the Internal Review Team (IRT) on the Secretariat’s Peace and Security Architecture due to report in June 2017. They however cautioned that reform will require the sustained support from a broad range of Member States at a time when there is pressure for budget reductions from major financial contributors.

The roundtable event was moderated by Arthur Boutellis, Director of the IPI Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations.

The Ebola outbreak of 2014–2016 was a fast-moving, multidimensional emergency that presented unprecedented challenges for the multilateral system. In response to the outbreak in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, the UN established the first-ever emergency health mission, the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER).

UNMEER is an important case study of how the UN, with member-state support, can provide a whole-of-system response through coordination, partnership, and creative use of existing tools. This report, therefore, asks three questions about this groundbreaking mission: was it needed, was it properly structured, and did it deliver? In answering these questions, it offers eight broad lessons for UN crisis response:

• A sequenced approach and flexible mandate allow for better responses to unanticipated challenges.

  Ebola cases by month (Click to view full graphic)

  UNMEER Response Timeline (Click to view full graphic)

• Effective responses draw upon the full range of UN tools and implementing partners based on the principle of comparative advantage, but they must take into account the challenge of integrating distinct organizational cultures.
• Flexible and predictable funding is critical for rapidly scaling up responses to multidimensional crises.
• Local engagement with key stakeholders during the peak of a crisis enhances long-term effectiveness.
• A system-wide communications strategy, bolstered by strong communications capacity in the field, is required from the outset.
• High-level coordination and oversight can provide flexibility and quick reaction.
• Close proximity to frontline responders and the site of the crisis enhances field coordination.
• A regional office can improve coordination across borders, but it must be joined with a strategy to account for the specificity of national and local contexts.

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A workshop on “Life Below Water” was held at IPI on February 13th, 2017 to gather advice and counsel for participants in an Ocean Conference to be held at the United Nations in June.

The Ocean Conference is the first of its kind, providing a forum for member states to adopt a call to action outlining concrete, action-oriented commitments to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. SDG 14 outlines the UN’s commitment to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

The workshop was co-sponsored by Secure Fisheries, One Earth Future Foundation, the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the United Nations, the World Ocean Council and the International Peace Institute. The discussion was conducted under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution.

The key takeaways from the event were:

June’s Ocean Conference should establish multi-stakeholder, expert working groups for SDG 14 to work in coordination with UN agencies. These working groups would allow for multi-stakeholder engagement by matching the specific needs and capabilities of member states–such as access to technology, capacity building and funding–with the services of the relevant stakeholders.

The forum further recommended that the international community strengthen data-sharing initiatives between stakeholders. Specifically, it endorsed the establishment of a data-collection hub for the purpose of better identifying gaps and avoiding overlapping efforts, while building trust and creating synergies between the various communities, including governments, scientists and industry.

The workshop also highlighted the importance of incentivizing the implementation of SDG 14 to finance ministries and industry representatives worldwide. It was suggested that an expert working group be established in order to “make the case” for the economic benefits of sustainable interaction with the world’s seas and oceans.

Lastly, the workshop advocated a global communication strategy that would lay out an aspirational vision for the oceans. This strategy would employ a “naming and faming” approach, putting the emphasis on ocean success stories that support bringing the aims of SDG 14 to bear at all levels–global, regional, national and municipal–and would be targeted towards civil society, the private sector, academics, practitioners, and ordinary citizens.

Welcoming remarks were made by IPI Vice President Adam Lupel.

Jimena Leiva-Roesch, IPI Research Fellow, served as a chair during the discussions. 

Read the Meeting Brief

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey called on the nations of the region to cement regional cooperation and leadership in the fight against terrorism and instability in the Middle East. President Erdoğan was speaking at the International Peace Institute (IPI) Global Leaders Series presentation in Manama, Bahrain, that brought together an audience of more than 400 people from government, civil society, media, and the private sector.

Highlighting his concerns about the situation in Syria, President Erdoğan said, “We do not want Syria to be torn apart, we are against it, and you should know that there are those who work on dividing Syria and Iraq at the same time, by exploiting sectarian differences.”

President Erdoğan disclosed plans to “create a terror-free safe zone 4,000 to 5,000 square kilometers inside Syria.” This zone will enable those who have been displaced from their homes to find refuge. He called on Turkey’s Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) partners to provide support and invest in infrastructure, so that those affected by violence can begin to rebuild communities.

The Turkish leader reiterated that regional cooperation was also required to address conflicts in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and occupied Palestinian territories. He emphasized that regional stability could not be achieved in the long run if the longstanding Palestinian crisis is not addressed first. He reiterated that regional partners have a responsibility to actively define a collective approach to these conflicts in order to secure peace in the region. He stressed the importance of cooperation and integration across various sectors.

Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa also expressed his gratitude to the International Peace Institute for organizing the event and providing the forum for Mr. Erdoğan to share his vision for peace in the Middle East.

The event was moderated by Nejib Friji, Director of IPI’s Middle East and North Africa Office (IPI MENA).

Related Coverage:
“Erdogan lays out Turkish plan to create safe zones in Syria” (Xinhua , February 14, 2017)
“Erdogan urges joint anti-terror efforts from GCC countries” (Famagusta Gazette, February 14, 2017)
“‘On This Geography, Both Our Sufferings And Fates Are Joined‘” (Public, February 14, 2017)
“Erdogan calls for safe zone in northern Syria” (The Peninsula, February 13, 2017)
“Turkey aims to create Daesh-free zone in northern Syria, Erdogan says” (Daily Sabah, February 13, 2017)
“Erdogan lays out Turkish plan to create safe zones in Syria” (TRT World, February 13, 2017)

In Arabic:

Al Wasat, February 14, 2017
Akhbar Al Khaleej, February 14, 2017
Akhbar Al Khaleej Online, February 14, 2017
Al Bilad, February 14, 2017
Al Bilad Online, February 14, 2017
Al Watan, February 14, 2017
Al Ayam, February 14, 2017
Al Ayam Online, February 14, 2017
Al Wasat Online, February 13, 2017

In Turkish:

Turkiya Manset, February 14, 2017

Authorized in January 2009, the UN Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia (UNSOA) was an unprecedented operation. Through UNSOA, the Department of Field Support used the UN’s assessed contributions to directly support a non-UN regional peace operation (AMISOM). Although this significantly enhanced AMISOM’s capabilities and increased its overall effectiveness, UNSOA faced numerous challenges that severely inhibited its ability to deliver on all its mandated tasks.

This report analyzes five sets of challenges that UNSOA faced from 2009 through to 2015. These challenges revolved around the expanding scope of UNSOA’s tasks, the clash between the UN and the AU’s organizational cultures, the highly insecure operating environment, the size of the theater of operations, and some of AMISOM’s idiosyncrasies.

On the basis of these challenges, the report offers several lessons for future UN support for regional peace operations:

• It is unwise to separate control over logistics from control over operations.
• The UN’s current bureaucratic rules and procedures are not quick or flexible enough to support forces dispersed over large distances in conducting sustained maneuver warfare.
• Regional organizations must put in place mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency when using the UN’s assessed peacekeeping contributions.
• All stakeholders must share information better.
• The UN should explore how best its field missions can support the development of host-state national security forces.
• UN and AU field operations and planning processes need to be better linked.

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On Friday, February 3rd, IPI together with the Sustainable Development Goals Fund are cohosting a meeting on New Partnerships for Digital Education: Rising to the Challenge of SDG4. The panel discussion will focus on education, SDGs and technologies and how public and private actors can find new ways to partner in using digital education technologies.

Remarks will begin at 8:45am EST.

Raising quality education is at the core the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. More than 50 million children in the world are out of primary school and it is estimated that 24 million children will never go to school. Education is a key driver for social change and poverty eradication. Every US$1 million invested in education translates into US$10 million in economic growth.

The meeting will focus on the following questions: What are concrete examples where the UN, Governments and the private sector are working together in making the best use of digital education? How can digital education contribute to intercultural dialogue and provide opportunities in conflict situations? What kind of partnerships have the greatest impact?

Speakers:
Ms. Paloma Durán, Director Sustainable Development Goals Fund
H.E. Mr. Anthony Bosah, Chargé d’Affaires, the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the UN
Ms. Madhavi Ashok, Senior Advisor and Team Leader, UN Partnerships at UNICEF
Mr. Cesar Alierta, President Foundation Telefonica

Moderator:
Ms. Jimena Leiva Roesch, Senior Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute

On Monday, February 6th, IPI together with Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, and the government of Estonia are cohosting a policy forum on child protection in peace processes. Speakers at the event will share their insights on how mediators and their teams can better protect the rights and security of children in the drafting of ceasefire and peace agreements.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST.

The use and abuse of children in conflict situations is widely documented including in recent and ongoing conflicts. In Somalia, over half of the fighters in al-Shabaab may be children, according to the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Security Council this month. In the Central African Republic, the Secretary-General has reported frequent use of schools and hospitals by armed groups, denying children access to education and healthcare.

Many efforts to resolve conflict overlook the rights and needs of affected children. A study of 431 relevant documents from the UN Peacekeeping Database revealed that between 1999 and 2015 only 75 documents included references to children protection. According to Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, this gap led to a new guidance for mediators and their teams: the Checklist for drafting children and armed conflict provisions in peace agreements.

At this policy forum, speakers will discuss the Checklist, and how it can help ensure that future peace agreements include relevant, context-specific child protection provisions. Among other issues, they will reflect on the importance of release, disarmament, and psychosocial support for child soldiers. Drawing on specific examples of peace talks, such as the recent negotiations in Colombia, panelists will consider how mediators and envoys can better integrate children and armed conflict perspectives and concerns in peacemaking.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Estonia to the United Nations

Speakers:
Ms. Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
Ms. Eva Smets, Executive Director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict
H.E. Mr. Kai Sauer, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations

Moderator:
Ms. Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, Senior Policy Analyst, IPI

On Tuesday, January 24th, at 1:15pm EST, IPI is hosting the latest event in its SRSG Series, featuring SRSG Michael Keating will discuss challenges facing Somalia, in light of its electoral process and political transition.

IPI Live Event Feed

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) was established on June 3, 2013, by UN Security Council Resolution 2102 to provide strategic policy advice to the Federal Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on peacebuilding and state building. UNSOM was also mandated to help build the capacity of the Federal Government to promote respect for human rights and women’s empowerment, promote child protection, prevent conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, and strengthen justice institutions.

As the mandate of UNSOM comes up for renewal, Somalia continues to face significant security concerns—as a result of increased attacks by al-Shabaab and the rise of ISIS-affiliated militant groups—and ongoing humanitarian challenges. On December 27th, 283 members of Somalia’s tenth parliament took their oath of office. The presidential election, which has been delayed, is due to take place later this month.

Speaker:
Mr. Michael Keating, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of UNSOM

Moderator:
Ambassador John Hirsch, Senior Adviser at IPI

On Wednesday, January 25th, at 1:15pm EST, IPI is hosting the latest event it its series featuring United Nations humanitarian coordinators and other senior humanitarian leaders from the field. Toby Lanzer, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, will engage in a conversation with the audience on the situation in the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, the Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal) with a particular emphasis on Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. The event is an opportunity to identify the main challenges facing affected communities in the short term and discuss ways to ensure a more stable and prosperous future—in essence, to move “from providing aid to ending need.”

IPI Live Event Feed

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is responsible for bringing actors together to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. A key pillar of OCHA’s mandate—including through its in-country humanitarian coordinators—is to coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Such coordination is becoming ever more important, as the number of people affected by humanitarian crises has skyrocketed over the past decade, the cost of helping those most in need is steadily rising, and the number and diversity of actors on the ground engaged in humanitarian activities is steadily increasing.

Lake Chad is currently the scene of one of the world’s biggest crises. What are the factors behind it? How can the international community work with communities and governments of the concerned countries (Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria) to tackle issues of the day and of tomorrow? To what extent is the situation in Lake Chad a microcosm of the broader Sahel region?

Speaker:
Mr. Toby Lanzer, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel

Moderator:
Dr. Els Debuf, Senior Adviser and Head of Humanitarian Affairs at IPI

The preservation of human dignity and the desire to reduce human suffering are at the core of the contemporary international order and underpin all three pillars of the multilateral system anchored in the UN. Yet never before has the world witnessed humanitarian needs on such an epic scale and in so many simultaneous crises around the world. And never before has the gap between those needs and the international community’s capacity to deliver an adequate response appeared greater than it does today.

This policy paper aims to identify the main reasons for this reality and put forth a set of ideas and recommendations as to how the multilateral system anchored in the UN can better prevent and respond to humanitarian crises in the twenty-first century. This is part of a series of fifteen policy papers produced by the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), a two-year project launched by IPI in September 2014 to identify how the multilateral system can be made more “fit for purpose” for twenty-first-century challenges.

Based on extensive consultations with representatives of states, relevant UN entities, other humanitarian actors, and civil society, this paper details recommendations laid out in the ICM’s final report, published in September 2016. To address the main contemporary challenges to humanitarian action, it recommends that the UN, its member states, donors, and civil society take action in a number of areas:

• Conflict prevention, disaster risk deduction, and compliance with international law
• Access and delivery of humanitarian responses to people in need
• Adequate, timely, effective, efficient, and sustainable humanitarian responses

For other IPI news, events, and publications about humanitarian affairs, see here.

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United Nations Secretary-General-Designate António Guterres, Deputy Secretary-General-Designate Amina Mohammed, and members of the Secretary-General’s Transition Team met with civil society leaders in an event co-hosted by the International Peace Institute (IPI) and the United Nations Foundation at IPI on December 19, 2016.

The 90-minute meeting was the first gathering in what is meant to be the beginning of a constructive, ongoing working relationship between members of civil society and the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.

Represented at the discussion, billed as “A Conversation with United Nations Secretary-General–designate António Guterres,” were organizations from the peace and security, human rights, humanitarian affairs, development, climate change, and gender equality sectors.

The meeting was held under the Chatham House Rule of non-attribution. Among the subjects discussed were:

• promoting gender parity and respect for women’s rights across all sectors and particularly in conflict settings;
• promoting women’s health including in relation to sexual and reproductive rights;
• focusing UN humanitarian efforts on prevention;
• raising the visibility of the problem of violence against children;
• bringing evaluation and accountability to UN activities;
• confronting the threat that rising nationalism and populism pose to the UN and the human rights agenda;
• addressing the closing of civic space, particularly in conflict;
• pressing for measures to assure the end of sexual abuse by UN peacekeepers, including those in civilian roles;
• using the Secretary-General’s good offices to bring influence on the Security Council;
• stopping the erosion of respect for International Humanitarian Law in conflict settings;
• spearheading an effective and human rights-centered approach in sharing the responsibility of hosting forcibly displaced people.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by Adam Lupel, Vice-President of IPI, and Elizabeth Cousens, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the UN Foundation. Minh-Thu Pham, the Foundation’s Executive Director for Policy, moderated the discussion.

Mr. Guterres and Ms. Mohammed started off the conversation, and then after listening intently to the civil society proposals, they each gave closing remarks. Mr. Guterres, a former Prime Minister of Portugal and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, becomes Secretary-General, succeeding Ban Ki-Moon, on January 1, 2017.

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The International Peace Institute (IPI) held a thronged farewell reception on December 15, 2016 for outgoing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who responded by saying, “Even though I am leaving, my heart will never leave the United Nations. I will always be with you.”

Mr. Ban took the occasion to praise his successor, Secretary-General–designate António Guterres, also an honored guest at the IPI event, as someone particularly well equipped for the job. He said he had been reviewing the careers of some past secretaries-general and reasoned that Mr. Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, would be beginning with a distinct earned advantage.

“I was a complete outsider when I came here, a complete outsider,” Mr. Ban said. “Kofi Annan has been the complete insider. Guterres is a complete outsider, but he has longer than 10 years’ experience inside the UN. It would be very difficult to find someone who is combining both the qualities of insider and outsider.”

Consequently, he predicted, “he will be able to deliver.”

He also lauded the manner in which Mr. Guterres had been selected. “For the first time in UN history, we had an open SG process,” he noted. His reference was to the requirements for formal nominations, mission statements and open hearings in the General Assembly that were instituted this year. As a result, Mr. Ban said, the Security Council was able to make “the best choice” for the new secretary-general.

With Mr. Guterres standing by his side, Mr. Ban said he had profited from advice and critiques from IPI and other close observers of the UN and urged the crowd to “please make him accountable. He said that by the end of his term, there will be 50% gender parity. Please make sure that he is able to deliver what you really want.”

Saying he was particularly aggrieved at not having been able to secure peace in the Middle East, he told Mr. Guterres, “I’m certain I’m leaving this Middle East peace process, I hope I’m not giving you too much homework.”

In opening remarks, IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen introduced Mr. Ban as “a man who is humble, gracious, patient, and thoughtful, and who has committed his life to public service and who truly believes that no one should be left behind.”

He singled out his achievements like the adoption of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development—“a historic agenda that integrates the three founding pillars of the UN: peace and security, human rights and development”—his “tireless” effort to put climate change at the forefront of the global agenda, resulting in the historic Paris Agreement, and his “receptiveness to new ideas for change and his openness to thoughtful analysis.”

“Thank you,” Mr. Rød- Larsen concluded, for “having taken on ‘the most difficult job in the world’ and for being a symbol of hope to people across the globe.”

The IPI President also thanked Mr. Ban for having served for the past 10 years as the honorary chair of IPI and announced that Mr. Guterres would succeed him in that role.

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“Sustaining Peace in an Urban World” was the subject of a series of four panels ranging across challenges that urban environments present for UN activities, on December 14, 2016, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Explaining the sessions’ purpose, Jimena Leiva-Roesch, Policy Analyst at the International Peace Institute (IPI)—one of the organizations co-sponsoring the event—said that, “What we’re trying to do here is embed principles in UN Charter that are now in the 2030 Agenda and in the Sustaining Peace Agenda in cities throughout world.”

She posed a few questions for consideration. “Can cities of today and the future offer sanctuary for those seeking protection? Hubs for political, economic inclusivity? Magnets attracting young to study and learn? Can they remain open to offer welcome to strangers from a long journey?”

Izumi Nakamitsu, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), said that a new approach must be designed which reaches beyond the UN system.

People working in the UN “have a tendency to think the UN is center of the world,” she said. “This is not the case. We need to reinforce national and local authorities, and partner with civil society.”

Yu Ping Chan, Special Policy Advisor, UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), suggested ways to take up the call “to get out of the UN bubble.” She said member-states and civil society must “look for more effective partnerships beyond the UN,” in order to “forge a global partnership of entities and stakeholders.”

Sarah Cliffe, Director of the NYU Center on International Cooperation (NYU-CIC), suggested the UN look to Africa, where an unprecedentedly fast pace of urbanization has been met with a “very consistent pattern in successfully reducing violence by using partnerships with civil society and municipalities.”

She encouraged the UN to partner with local actors, rather than impose a program, based on the African example. This success “would never have been achieved through a top-down approach,” she said.

Malkit Shoshan, Founder of the architectural think tank Foundation for Achieving Seamless Territory (FAST), emphasized the need to design UN bases to make them more compatible with urban areas and populations. “UN bases are engineered based on strict factional requirements, resulting in bases that sustain only the mission and its forces. How can the UN better advocate for sustaining peace when it builds bases without considering local context?” she asked.

Design and urban planning should be part of the mission planning conversation, as new structures can have disruptive effects, she said. “Bringing new structures into conflict-ridden cities disturbs the circulation of the city, collapses markets, and pollutes the ground. At the end of the mission, you’re left with rubble. Structures can be turned around if the UN reforms their planning process.”

However, just better design is not enough, Michael Sorkin, President, Terreform, indicated, continuing on the urban planning theme. “Cities are juxtaposition engines. Good cities are those that strike a balance between planned and accidental encounters,” he said.

Deen Sharp, Principal Researcher, Terreform Urban Research, said that better planning is about more than substituting municipalities for national actors. “We don’t necessarily just want a simple shift from engagement of state actors to municipal,” he said. “When you get at the municipal level, there are many levels of governance that intertwine. It is vastly complex.”

The event was hosted by the Permanent Missions of Australia and the Netherlands to the UN.

Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia, Caitlin Wilson, delivered opening remarks and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Netherlands, Lise Gregoire, delivered closing remarks.

The event was co-organized with UN Peacebuilding, UN Habitat, the Global Alliance for Urban Crises, Terreform, and NYU-CIC.

Ms. Leiva-Roesch and Gizem Sucuoglu of NYU-CIC moderated the panels.

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Has the United Nations system sufficiently adapted to the challenges of the 21st century world? If not, how does it need to change? These were the central questions addressed during on the launch of the summary report of the Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM), entitled “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and its Future”, which was held in Vienna on December 14 at the International Peace Institute (IPI).

The ICM was established to identify threats and challenges to international peace and security, to assess the effectiveness of existing multilateral institutions, and to make recommendations on how to make the international system fit for purpose. This meeting brought together participants from governments, international organizations, and civil society.

Terje Rød-Larsen, President of IPI, welcomed the distinguished guests and briefed the participants about the work that has been done by the ICM over the two years. He thanked the UAE, Norway and Canada for their political and financial support.

Barbara Gibson, the current Secretary-General of the ICM, continued by giving a short overview of the ICM process, its activities and outcomes that are now summarized in the report. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President, presented the report by reviewing the ICM findings, including general principles for reforming the multilateral system, as well as key priorities for the next UN Secretary-General, which all can be found in the report.

The presentations were followed by a discussion, during which the participants all agreed that the ICM initiative has produced a timely, comprehensive and inclusive report that should be further promoted within and outside the UN.

IPI is now in the process of working on an implementation phase of the Commission. Fourteen additional policy reports that informed the work of the ICM will be published in 2017.

Read the report >>>

Despite the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) and the appointment of the Presidency Council of the UN-backed Government of National Accord in December 2015, the situation in Libya remains precarious. The political process is extremely fragile, and security threats are ever-present and unpredictable. It is in this context that the Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in December 2016.

In light of this situation, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-organized a workshop on October 19, 2016, to give member states and UN actors the opportunity to develop a shared understanding of the situation faced by the UN in Libya. This workshop was the second in the “Applying HIPPO” series, which brings together member states and UN actors to analyze how UN policies and the June 2015 recommendations of the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) can be applied to country-specific contexts.

Participants identified a number of challenges facing the UN mission in Libya and its ability to effectively support the Libyan Political Agreement and achieve its mandated activities, including social and political fragmentation, the UN-led political process’s lack of legitimacy, and the Presidency Council’s inability to deliver basic services. Given these challenges, participants identified six immediate priorities for UNSMIL that could be incorporated into its renewed mandate: (1) enhancing the legitimacy of the LPA framework; (2) supporting the delivery of basic services; (3) reinvigorating the constitution-making process; (4) supporting key Libyan institutions; (5) leveraging the lifting of sanctions and the arms embargo; and (6) coordinating international engagement.

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On Monday, December 12th at 12:30pm EST, IPI together with the Graduate Institute of Geneva, are co-hosting and event marking the launch of the ICM Final Report, “Pulling Together: The Multilateral System and its Future.” The event will take place at the Maison de la paix, Geneva.

Click here to watch the Graduate Institute’s live broadcast>>

The world is changing at unprecedented speed, putting great stress on institutions of global governance. Multilateral institutions are struggling to adapt to the breadth and pace of change, with the United Nations in particular being tested as never before. As each day brings new social, political, and economic challenges, this event addresses the question: is the multilateral system still fit for purpose?

Welcome remarks:
Gilles Carbonnier, Professor of International Economics and Director of Studies, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
Terje Rød-Larsen, President, International Peace Institute

Speakers:
Rosemary McCarney, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in Geneva
Ilona Kickbusch, Adjunct Professor and Director of the Global Health Centre, The Graduate Institute
Robert Mardini, Regional Director for the Near and Middle East, International Committee of the Red Cross
Cecile Aptel, Senior Legal Policy Advisor, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

How can open societies cope with threats that do not respect borders, from terrorist attacks, to cyber threats, to pandemics, to refugees and migrants? Is the fear caused by their “openness” fueling a rise in ideology and intolerance, and will this cause open societies to become more closed? And with open societies under attack, what are the consequences for the international system?

These were the questions addressed in a meeting the International Peace Institute (IPI) organized on the theme of “Open Societies under Attack: The Return of Ideology” from September 4 to 6, 2016, in Salzburg, Austria. The meeting brought together a high-level group of participants from diverse backgrounds, including the diplomatic, artistic, academic, and art communities, as well as current and former politicians, journalists, and representatives of civil society. It was part of the IPI Salzburg Forum, a major annual event to address the risks and challenges of today and contribute to more effective multilateral governance in the future.

Over a series of six sessions, participants discussed a variety of interconnected issues, including the governance of security, privacy and civic freedoms, manifestations of right-wing and Islamic radicalization, prevention of violent extremism and the incentives of terrorism, the spread of populism and authoritarianism, and the growing lack of trust in the political sphere.

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