European Peace Institute / News

On Friday, September 28th, IPI together with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland are cohosting a policy forum during the UN High-Level Week to present the main conclusions and recommendations from the third Regional Conversations on “Investing in Peace and the Prevention of Violence in the Sahel-Sahara.” These conversations were organized in Algiers on June 24 and 25, 2018, by the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, IPI, the FDFA of Switzerland, and the African Union’s African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), with support from the government of Algeria.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

Opening remarks:
H.E. Mr. Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)

Speakers:
H.E. Ambassador El Haouès Riache, Ambassador and Counterterrorism Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Algeria
H.E. Mr. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, African Union Special Representative for Counterterrorism and Director of the African Union’s African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT)
Ms. Lori-Anne Théroux-Bénoni, Director, Dakar Office, Institute for Security Studies, Senegal
Mr. Mohamed Anacko, President of Agadez Regional Council, Niger
Ms. Omezzine Khélifa, Executive Director, Mobdiun, Tunisia

Moderator:
Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute (IPI)

Following similar Conversations in Dakar in 2016 and N’Djamena in 2017, the Algiers gathering aimed to further identify and strengthen local, national, and regional approaches to preventing violent extremism and addressing its causes in the Sahel-Sahara. The focus was on the gap between the state and its citizens, engagement by civil society, the role of the media and security and defense forces, and the contribution of culture, citizenship, and education to prevention. Participants in the Algiers conversation called for a multidimensional approach to prevention that involves all stakeholders. They formulated recommendations on actions practitioners from the region could take, both within states and through regional and subregional groupings, and in some cases with support from the UN and other partners.

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On Thursday, September 27th, IPI together with the Government of Sweden are cohosting a Global Leader Series discussion with H.E. Margot Wallström, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

Remarks will begin at 2:45pm EST*

Despite two decades of policy development and commitments intended to support women and girls affected by armed conflict, women’s participation in all levels of peace and security decision-making lags due to structural barriers, lack of access to political arenas, and even threats to women who attempt to participate in these processes. In efforts to build and sustain peace, there remains a widespread neglect of local-level women peacebuilders’ expertise, and formal peacemaking efforts continue to be resistant to women’s meaningful participation and to women’s rights. This problem persists despite increasing recognition that efforts to build and sustain peace are dependent upon the full participation of women and respect for their rights. This Global Leaders discussion will draw on the minister’s years as an advocate for women’s rights, including in conflict zones, and will include her insights on how the international community can better live up to its obligations to women and girls globally.

H.E. Ms. Wallström has been the Foreign Minister of Sweden since 2014. She has had a long career in politics, which began in 1979 when she first served as a member of the Swedish Parliament. Her ministerial career began in 1988 when she was appointed Minister of Civil Affairs, responsible for consumer, women, and youth matters. She subsequently assumed the position of Minister of Culture, and then Minister of Social Affairs. In 1998, she retired from Swedish politics to become Executive Vice-President of Worldview Global Media, a non-governmental organization based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. From 1999 until 2004, she served as European Commissioner for the Environment. In 2004, when the Barroso Commission took office, she was appointed its first vice president responsible for inter-institutional relations and communication.

Ms.Wallström has been an advocate for the rights and needs of women throughout her political career, perhaps most notably as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict from 2010 to 2012, and in her promotion of Sweden’s feminist foreign policy in her role as Foreign Minister. She is currently a member of the High-Level Panel on Humanitarian Financing, appointed by the UN Secretary-General in May 2015. She has received several honorary doctorates and awards for her work on sustainable development and climate change, and has also done extensive work to endorse a European Union-Africa partnership on renewable energy, and to champion equal opportunities. She was also co-founder of the European Union inter-institutional group of women and a key supporter of the 50-50 Campaign for Democracy by the European Women’s Lobby, where she worked to promote a more gender-balanced European Union.

This event will be moderated by Mr. Terje Rød-Larsen, President of IPI.

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On Thursday, September 27th, IPI together with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are cohosting the eleventh annual Trygve Lie Symposium on “Human Rights Defenders: A Global Movement for Peace.”

Remarks will begin at 8:15am EST*

Speakers at this event include Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Norway, H.E. Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Tunisia, H.E. Mr. Khemaies Jhinaoui, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, H.E. Ms. Michelle Bachelet, as well as other distinguished speakers. This conversation will be moderated by the President of the International Peace Institute, Mr. Terje Rød-Larsen.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 20th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Throughout 2018, various events and activities around the globe are being held to highlight the importance of these declarations at an increasingly crucial time for human rights, including the “stand up for human rights” campaign being organized by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

According to OHCHR, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders tells us that we all have a role to fulfill as human rights defenders and emphasizes that there is a global human rights movement that involves us all.In November of last year, Norway, along with 75 other countries, co-sponsored the Human Rights Defenders UN Consensus Resolution in consultation with civil society, which was unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly. This resolution recognized “the substantial role that human rights defenders can play in supporting efforts to strengthen conflict prevention, peace and sustainable development, including…in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

This year’s Trygve Lie Symposium will bring together high-level UN and government officials, experts, and civil society representatives to discuss and address how the international community can further promote the positive, important, legitimate, and necessary role of human rights defenders and how this work helps to create a world where sustainable peace is possible.

As we celebrate the anniversaries of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, presentations at this year’s Trygve Lie Symposium will reflect on the progress that has been made, new obstacles that those working to protect and defend human rights face, and the challenges that remain.

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On Wednesday, September 26th, IPI in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, are cohosting a conversation with Liberian President, H.E. Mr. George Manneh Weah, as part of its Global Leader Series.

Remarks will begin at 8:30am EST*

Following President Weah’s presentation, there will be a discussion moderated by IPI’s president, Terje Rød-Larsen, with Sweden’s Permanent Representative to the UN and Chair of the Liberia Configuration of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, H.E. Mr. Olof Skoog, and the Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of UNDP, Ms. Ahunna Eziakonwa, on Liberia’s peacebuilding objectives and development priorities. The event will take place at IPI on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, from 8:15am to 9:45am.

Liberia’s presidential and legislative elections at the end of 2017 and the successful transfer of democratic power two months later marked a significant accomplishment in the country’s history. Following this peaceful transition and the end of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), Liberia now embarks on the next stage of its development trajectory. As part of this process, President Weah and the Liberian government are finalizing the country’s new development framework, the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD). At this Global Leader Series event, President Weah will reflect on Liberia’s current opportunities and challenges while also addressing how best the international community can sustain and amplify its support to the country.

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United Nations Counter-Terrorism Architecture (Click for full graphic)

In the past decade, counterterrorism measures have had an increasingly adverse impact on the provision of medical care and the conduct of principled humanitarian action in armed conflict settings. Whether inadvertently or not, they have impeded, and at times prevented, the provision of essential and lifesaving aid, often in violation of international humanitarian law (IHL).

This paper aims to assist the Security Council, relevant UN organs, UN member states, and other stakeholders in upholding their obligations under IHL. It maps the UN counterterrorism framework and looks into the extent to which it guides states in complying with these obligations. In doing so, it offers several recommendations for the way forward:

• All UN resolutions and other UN and national policies that pertain to counterterrorism should contain an exemption for humanitarian activities.
• Every relevant UN counterterrorism measure should continue to reiterate that counterterrorism efforts need to comply with international law.
• Humanitarian actors should engage with UN counterterrorism structures more actively, strategically, and systematically.
• UN bodies that engage in counterterrorism should systematically include humanitarian actors in relevant conversations.
• The UN Counter-Terrorism Committee’s Executive Directorate and Office of Counter-Terrorism should better integrate IHL considerations into their work.
• Member states, UN entities, humanitarian actors, counterterrorism and sanctions experts, and other stakeholders should step up efforts to start a wide political discussion on tensions between counterterrorism and humanitarian action.

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In recent years, there have been increasing calls to ensure local ownership of peacebuilding design and practice, to take local knowledge fully into account in designing peacebuilding programs and assessing conflicts, and to strive for the meaningful participation of local peacebuilding actors. In the search for new approaches to connect local-level initiatives to international programs and to move local knowledge from the bottom up, community-led peacebuilding networks may have a key role to play.

This volume includes case studies of community-led peacebuilding networks in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Colombia, Kenya, Liberia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe to identify approaches for more inclusive and integrated peacebuilding. The cases underscore the organizational, political, and financial advantages and risks to operating as part of a broader network. Better understanding how these networks operate in their communities and the challenges they face can help better support and strengthen local efforts to build and sustain peace.

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Incoming President of the General Assembly, María Fernanda Espinosa, was honored at an evening reception at IPI on September 12th. IPI’s president, Terje Rød-Larsen, introduced her, pointing out that she is the fourth woman president in the history of the General Assembly and the first woman ever from Latin America to preside over the assembly.

He reviewed her career, noting that she was the foreign minister of Ecuador, and before that, the first woman permanent representative of Ecuador to the UN in New York, after having served as ambassador in Geneva.

In Ms. Espinosa’s remarks, she mentioned three points on the status of multilateralism. “Even in the face of headwinds, I believe [multilateralism] remains the only tried and trusted means by which peace and prosperity can be secured,” she said. “Secondly, I would argue that a revitalized United Nations, with a dynamic and reliable General Assembly is central to maintaining and strengthening multilateralism…Thirdly and finally, that leadership and courage of conviction are necessary if we are to take the steps that are needed.”

Multilateralism, she said “is not an option, but a necessity for survival…Whether this involves peaceful solutions to conflict and peacebuilding, human rights and women’s empowerment, building resilience and promoting inclusion, tackling the AIDS epidemic, addressing the global threat to climate change, the evidence is the same. Only multilateral action brings sustainable results.”

She elaborated on the concern that multilateralism is under threat and said that “we must do our very best to alter this perception.” To work towards achieving this goal, she listed seven priorities for the seventy third session of the General Assembly:

• Promotion of gender equality;
• Support for migration and refugees;
• Insuring decent work;
• Protecting the environment
• Supporting persons with disabilities;
• General Assembly reform; and
• Improving upon the delivery, accountability, relevance, and efficiency of the UN General Assembly.

In conclusion, she said, “Let us raise the bar on what we can do and change the narrative before it is too late.”

On Monday, September 17th, IPI in cooperation with the Norwegian Nobel Institute is pleased to invite you to a discussion on “The Nobel Peace Prize: Past, Present, and Future” featuring Dr. Asle Toje, a member of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

The Nobel Peace Prize is world-renowned as the most prestigious recognition of achievements in the pursuit of peace. This event will focus on the history of the prize, how it currently serves to contribute to the promotion of peace in today’s world and how it will do so in the future.

Asle Toje is the former Research Director at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo and a current member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. He is also an influential public intellectual and commentator. Since completing his PhD at Cambridge in 2006, Toje has lectured and taught at universities in Europe and beyond. His research focuses on the intersection of security studies and European studies. Among his scholarly works are America, the EU and Strategic Culture (2008); The European Union as a Small Power (2010); Neoclassical Realism in Europe (2012); and Will China’s Rise Be Peaceful? (2018).

The event will be moderated by Terje Rød-Larsen, President of IPI.

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On Monday, September 10th, IPI together with the Office of the President of the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly are cohosting an interactive discussion with members from the Team of External Advisors to the President of the General Assembly.

Remarks will begin at 9:30am EST*

The Team of External Advisors to the President of the General Assembly is a pro bono group of sixteen globally respected individuals dedicated to multilateralism who have been remarkable in their service—both to their country and in the international arena. The team was formed with the aim of discussing and sharing views on strategic questions, including the scope and depth of the work and engagement of the UN, as well as the role of the General Assembly.

As the theme for the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly was “Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet,” the Team focused on peace, conflict prevention, and mediation. At the event at IPI on September 10th, members of the Team will highlight ideas and recommendations that emerged from their discussions with the President of the General Assembly throughout his term. These discussions were summarized in the Final Report of the Team of External Advisors, which will be available at the event. The meetings covered a wide range of topics, including global political issues, multilateralism, sustaining peace, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on climate change, human rights and human dignity, and the future and reform of the United Nations.

Welcoming Remarks:
Mr. Terje Rød-Larsen, President of the International Peace Institute

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the 72nd Session of the General Assembly and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia

Session 1: The Future of a Rule-Based System: Multilateralism Under Threat

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Francisco José Pereira Pinto de Balsemão, former Prime Minister of Portugal and Chairman of the Board of the group IMPRESA
Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Sustainable Development Goals
Mr. Jean-Marie Guéhenno, former President and CEO of the International Crisis Group and former Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. Nik Gowing, British Television Journalist and Co-author of Thinking the Unthinkable

Moderator:
Ms. Femi Oke, International Journalist and Co-founder of Moderate the Panel

Session 2: A Stronger General Assembly for a Stronger United Nations

Speakers:
H.E. Ms. Amina Mohamed, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Kenya
H.E. Mr. Antonio Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil to Italy, former Foreign Minister of Brazil, and former Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN
Professor Carlos Lopes, Professor at the University of Cape Town and former Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa

Moderator:
Mr. Nik Gowing, British Television Journalist and Co-author of Thinking the Unthinkable

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A new geopolitics of energy is transforming the Middle East and North Africa. Energy importing countries are turning into exporters, and exporter countries are relying more on energy-related imports. Liquefied natural gas has changed the nature of the game, and investment in renewable energy is at an all-time high.

Meanwhile, the flipside of energy abundance is water scarcity. No region in the world suffers from a greater dearth of water than the Middle East and North Africa.

Energy and water are essential to the functioning of modern societies. Competition for energy resources, the politicization of energy delivery, and threats to energy infrastructure can create international tensions and lead to instability. In times of conflict, scarce water resources and fragile water infrastructure can become weapons of war and targets of attack. On the other hand, water diplomacy and energy cooperation can lead to greater economic integration, sustainable development, and long-term peace and stability.

The challenges for the region are all well known. What is less known is what comes next. How can the region find a new mix of cooperation?

This was the main question addressed at the fifth annual IPI Salzburg Forum: “Beyond Oil and Water: A New Mix of Cooperation in the Middle East,” held from September 2-4, 2018 at the Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg, Austria.

Improved regional cooperation will be essential to the development of any concrete response to the transnational problems affecting the Middle East and North Africa. The key will be to build upon what works. Can cooperation over water help to point the way forward? Could the changing context of energy security lead to opportunities for improved regional cooperation? Or will geopolitical divisions continue to limit the region’s ability to fulfill its natural comparative advantages?  

The two-day gathering, conducted under the Chatham House rule of non-attribution, brought together former prime ministers and foreign ministers, diplomats, journalists, academics, experts on the Middle East and Europe, and representatives of civil society. The meeting included an introductory working dinner, which featured a keynote address by Danilo Turk, former president of Slovenia. Participants also observed one minute of silence for the late UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, a close colleague of many in attendance, who passed away on August 18th.

The following day included three discussion sessions and an interactive visual presentation.

The first session, titled “The New Geopolitics of Energy and Water,” painted the big picture of geopolitics related to energy and water today. Alternative energy and new modes of extraction; liquified natural gas; desalination; and access to energy supplies were all discussed.

Session two, “Energy and Security: Cooperation or Conflict?”, addressed whether competition for resources will continue to threaten global political stability, or if the global transition to a new energy economy could provide the basis for new forms of cooperation, especially in the MENA region. Energy demand is growing, as is the means of production. Renewable energy is the fastest growing source, but still relatively small. Demand for oil and other liquid fuels is expected to continue expanding, driven by population growth and increased wealth in Asia and Africa. Competition is fierce as countries seek to access natural resources and tap new markets, in part to power expanding electrical grids.

In the third session, “Water Politics and the Pathways to Peace,” participants discussed the potential role of water in preventing conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Recently, rapid population growth, increased rural-to-urban migration, and the physical effects of climate change have further exacerbated the region’s historic water scarcity. A large portion of the region‘s water resources are shared by more than one country through transboundary aquifers or surface water. Water, therefore, plays a critical role in relations between and within states in the region.

Access to water requires cooperation. Yet, across all sessions, many speakers expressed concern in the lagging interest in multilateralism, as countries prefer to go it alone or work bilaterally.

Europe’s cooperation on the Rhine river was offered as an example to demonstrate the importance of multilateral institutions for water. Participants cited the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine, Europe’s oldest international organization, which emerged from common values and has regulated navigation, fisheries, pollution, and construction on the river since the late 1800s. All of these factors presented the potential for conflict, but diplomacy, a sound legal basis, monitoring & assessment, and public participation overcame it. The positive example of the Senegal River basin was also discussed.

While the conference title embraced both oil and water, it was water which dominated the discussions, perhaps because, as one speaker said, there is “already an emerging system of cooperation” on gas and oil. No war regarding water has resulted in a situation that is better,” one speaker stressed. “It furthers problems for all concerned.”

Several speakers noted that investment in water is not high enough up in the list of national priorities. “Infrastructure, energy, and education are all invested in before water,” one speaker said. This is especially problematic given water issues cut across all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). None of the education or development SDGs will be met by 2030 without water, several participants stressed. “We speak often about alternatives to energy,” one speaker said, “but there is no alternative to water.”

Trying to pinpoint what has made this issue so difficult to address, one speaker explained, “Water takes political will.” One reason it is essential to start this conversation now is because scarcity is being exacerbated by climate change, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Illustratively, the Jordan River basin provided the Dead Sea more than 1 trillion cubic liters of water in the 1960s. Today the amount is less than 10% of that. There is a “dire need for improvement,” one speaker said, noting many environmental consequences.

To that end, there are some really impressive scientific and technological advances being made. Participants discussed Singapore’s recycled sewage water, which was supported by a campaign for public acceptance that even saw its Prime Minister drink from a water bottle of purified urine to end the societal stigma. Saudi Arabia, the largest desalinator of water in the world, meets its populations’ water needs with cutting edge technology. This is essential given the lack of rivers and minimal rainfall on the Arabian Peninsula. Even more high tech proposals, such as tapping air to produce H2O, are in their infancy stages.

But sometimes, a more low-tech solution is just as functional. For years, Guatemalans and other Latin Americans have harvested fog for water using relatively simple mesh structures. Zarith Pineda, an Architectural and Urban Designer based at Columbia University, shared her interactive presentation, “No Man’s Land: A Water Commons.” She proposed the use of such fog-harvesting structures to meet the daily water needs of refugees in the northeastern border zone between the Syrian and Jordanian berms. She estimated that just a $110,000 investment could build what is needed to provide water to the area’s refugee population of 77,000.

As for oil, the shale revolution boosted US natural gas production from 1% to 50%. What then, are the geopolitical consequences of the US as a major producer of oil and “new energy superpower?” It certainly has implications for Russia, now facing competition for the European market. It was also noted that Iran is a “wildcard” in the natural gas market, as it has the potential to be a major exporter of oil, though it is currently limited by sanctions.

Another speaker urged participants to develop contingency plans for “what if” scenarios related to the resources discussed, including how terrorist groups could target oil fields or poison water resources.

The discussion broadly centered on solutions for the MENA region, as it was the focus of the conference. But as one speaker remarked, participants should remember that the “water crisis is a humanity crisis, and it could happen anywhere.”

Among the speakers and panelists were Danilo Türk, former President of Slovenia; Mahmoud Gebril, Former Prime Minister of Libya; Fuad Siniora Former Prime Minister of Lebanon; Amre Moussa, Former Secretary-General of the Arab League; Abdelelah AlKhatib, Former Foreign Minister of Jordan; Mustafa Ismail Elamin, Former Foreign Minister of Sudan; Prince Turki Al Faisal, Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies; Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director-General for Democracy, The Council of Europe; Vuk Žugić, Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Affairs, OSCE; Agnia Grigas, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; Christian Strohal, Special Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Austria to the OSCE; Léna Salamé, Trustee, Water Witness International & Geneva Water Hub; Bai-Mass Taal, Former Chair, African Ministers’ Council on Water.

Speaking for IPI were its President, Terje Rød–Larsen; Vice President, Adam Lupel; Director of the IPI MENA Office, Nejib Friji; and Senior Adviser, Nasra Hassan.

On Wednesday, September 5th, IPI together with the Al-Babtain Foundation are cohosting a policy forum during the annual UN High-Level Forum entitled “The Culture of Sustaining Peace.” This event seeks to provide input into the high-level forum by building upon the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace adopted by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 53/243 in 1999.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

Thanks in part to high-level discussions at the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, 2018 has seen marked progress in understanding what it takes to sustain peace. Increasingly, international actors and analysts are looking at the positive elements of peace. Instead of asking, “What causes war and how can we fight it?” people are asking, “What makes a peaceful society and how can we build and sustain it?”. Exploring the connections between culture, peace, security, and development is key to answering this question.

In the multilateral system, the concept of the “culture of peace” originated in 1992 in a program of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The concept of “sustaining peace” came out of the 2015 Advisory Group of Experts Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture and was affirmed in dual resolutions by the UN General Assembly and Security Council on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in 2016. How do these two concepts relate? How can they work together? On the sidelines of the 2018 High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, participants at this policy forum will discuss the connections between these two agendas and how they can be used to advance peace worldwide.

Welcoming Remarks:
Hon. Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, President of the UN General Assembly
Mr. Abdul Aziz Saud Al-Babtain, Director and Founder of the Al-Babtain Foundation

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Masud Bin Momen, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the United Nations
H.E. Ms. Maria de Jesus dos Reis Ferreira, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations (TBC)
Mr. Fabrizio Hochschild, Assistant Secretary-General for Strategic Coordination, United Nations Executive Office of the Secretary-General
Ms. Rosa Emilia Salamanca, Director of the Corporación de Investigación y Acción Social y Económica (CIASE)

Moderator:
Hon. Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

Dynamic geopolitical shifts directly impact European countries’ perceptions of, and re-engagement with, UN peacekeeping, while broader international security threats are likely to influence how Europe engages with UN peacekeeping in the coming years.

In this context, the International Peace Institute’s (IPI) 2018 Vienna Seminar examined diverse perspectives on present and future European engagement in UN peacekeeping. It assessed lessons and experiences that could help better understand Europeans’ collective impact on the effectiveness of UN operations and strived to identify different roles European countries can assume in supporting the UN to tackle contemporary challenges across peacekeeping.

The 2018 seminar marked the forty-eighth iteration of IPI’s annual event and built upon the Vienna Seminar’s legacy of grappling with pressing concerns for UN peacekeeping. Participants discussed a range of interconnected issues concerning European engagement in UN peacekeeping, ranging from examining the nature of contemporary peacekeeping operations and the impact of global and European geopolitical shifts to identifying the modalities and impact of recent European contributions to specific UN missions.

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Scenario-based learning for senior leadership teams in UN field missions can greatly improve strategic thinking, decision making, and crisis management in increasingly uncertain operational environments. IPI’s Scenario-Based Learning for Senior Leadership project therefore aims to develop eight training scenarios to be used by senior leadership in peace operations. To integrate these scenarios into existing training being undertaken by the United Nations, the International Peace Institute (IPI) and the UN Integrated Training Service (ITS) within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations/Department of Field Support hosted a closed-door roundtable on July 11, 2018, as part of a continued collaboration between IPI and ITS.

Specifically, the event focused on the idea of developing an in-mission leadership retreat as a means of supporting current leadership teams approach challenges environments, the viability of such an idea, and practicalities involved. The meeting resulting in five main takeaways:

• Teambuilding is an important priority for senior leaders.
• Training is most relevant and needed in anticipation of transition or change.
• Leadership within the UN is different than in other contexts, and these differences should be stressed in training.
• Topics covered in trainings should be tailored to the needs and requirements of each mission.
• In-mission training for senior leadership needs support from UN headquarters.

This event forms part of IPI’s project on Scenario-Based Learning for Senior Leadership Teams in UN Field Missions. Within this project, IPI, with support from the Government of Canada, is developing eight scenario-based-learning modules over the course of this year for UN leadership teams in field missions, as well as for tabletop exercises in UN headquarters and capitals. IPI believes that scenario-based learning for senior leadership teams in UN field missions can greatly improve strategic thinking, decision making, and crisis management in increasingly uncertain operational environments. IPI’s Scenario-Based Learning for Senior Leadership project therefore aims to develop eight training scenarios to be used by senior leadership in peace operations. The modules, which include addressing instances of sexual exploitation and abuse, difficult host-state relations, protection of civilians, a security crisis, issues of election support, among others, reflect real-world challenges that confront senior UN leadership teams in most missions. The modules will also address the main leadership skills required for managing complex multidimensional missions.

The overall objective of IPI’s engagement with senior leadership training is to better equip senior leadership within UN missions to manage contemporary crises, lead teams, make decisions while being confronted with competing objectives and priorities, and effectively deliver the mandate of the United Nations. This will ultimately improve senior leadership training and foster team building within missions.

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Thursday, July 12, 1:15pm EST
Bringing Words to Life: How Are the SDGs Supporting Peace, Justice, and Inclusion?
This event focuses on early successes of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—not only in regards to SDG 16 but across the agenda (SDG16+)—to foster peace, justice, and inclusion at the local and national level.

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Monday, July 16, 1:15pm EST
Fostering Entrepreneurship & Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals
Taking place during the High-Level Political Forum, this event will discuss the role of entrepreneurship in realization of social and economic gains, and showcase success stories from entrepreneurs working on these issues.

Watch Live Register to Attend

Tuesday, July 17, 8:15am EST
Affordable Housing for All
This event examines ongoing and future government efforts to improve access to adequate housing, seeking to increase the awareness of UN member states of the challenges of housing from a more holistic perspective and their commitment to repositioning housing at the center of national development strategies.

Watch Live Register to Attend

Tuesday, July 17, 1:15pm EST
Reaching Internally Displaced Persons to Achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
In this event, participants will discuss the link between development policies and internal displacement by sharing tangible examples of actions that governments, civil society, and the international community are taking to help implement the SDGs by including IDPs.

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Further Reading

Policy Reports and Issue Briefs:

• Advancing Sustainable Development between Conflict and Peace in Myanmar, by Mona Christophersen and Svein Erik Stave
• Pursuing Sustainable Development under Sectarianism in Lebanon, by Mona Christophersen
• A Greek Recipe for Overcoming Crises: Can the SDGs Be Used as Ingredients? by Jimena Leiva Roesch and Cheryl He
• Humanitarian Action and Sustaining Peace, by Alice Debarre
• Aligning Agendas: Drugs, Sustainable Development, and the Drive for Policy Coherence, by the International Expert Group on Drug Policy Metrics
• Toward a New Gambia: Linking Peace and Development, by Lesley Connolly and Cheryl He
• A New Way of Doing Business: Partnering for Sustainable Development and Peace, by Jimena Leiva Roesch, Stefanía Doebbel, and Masooma Rahmaty
• The SDGs and Prevention for Sustaining Peace: Exploring the Transformative Potential of the Goal on Gender Equality, by Delphine Mechoulan, Youssef Mahmoud, Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, and Jimena Leiva Roesch
• Entrepreneurship for Sustaining Peace, by Youssef Mahmoud, Anupah Makoond, and Ameya Naik

Global Observatory Articles:

• Development in Myanmar, Building Peace or Generating Conflict? by Mona Christophersen
• Sustainable Institutions Critical for Lebanon’s Sustainable Development, by Mona Christophersen
• Does Peace Always Produce Development? Guatemala Offers Some Clues, by Jimena Leiva Roesch and Mona Christophersen
• Is UN Goal 16 on Peace Being Misused to Justify Securitization? by Anna Möller-Loswick
• The Unaddressed Plight of Internally Displaced Persons, Alice Debarre
• The Gambia: An Ideal Case for Prevention in Practice, by Lesley Connolly

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On Tuesday, July 17th, IPI is hosting a policy forum event entitled “Reaching Internally Displaced Persons to Achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are among the most vulnerable people in the world. Many are forced to leave their belongings and their work behind, and their physical and mental health is often affected by the events that led to their displacement. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which pledges to “leave no one behind” and specifically mentions IDPs as a vulnerable group that must be empowered through efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), provides an opportunity to put the particular plight of IDPs back on the radar of the international community.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. This anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on what needs to be done and to foster multi-year action aimed at protecting IDPs and preventing and solving internal displacement (as highlighted in the Multi-stakeholder Plan of Action for Advancing Prevention, Protection and Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons 2018–2020).

In this event, participants will discuss the link between development policies and internal displacement by sharing tangible examples of actions that governments, civil society, and the international community are taking to help implement the SDGs by including IDPs.

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On Tuesday, July 17th, IPI together with the Kingdom of Bahrain and co-organized by the Governments of Angola, Bulgaria, Malaysia, and Paraguay in collaboration with UN-Habitat and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), will cohost a policy forum event aimed at sharing experiences and strengthening political commitment to the provision of adequate housing for all.

Remarks will begin at 8:15am EST*

Opening remarks are anticipated from high-level UN officials and the event will feature remarks from ministerial-level heads of delegation from Angola, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Bulgaria, Malaysia, and Paraguay. These five countries, representing five different regions of the globe, are currently working with UN-Habitat and UNDP to strengthen housing policy frameworks and improve access to adequate and affordable housing. The collaboration of these five countries with UN-Habitat and UNDP is a unique example of a partnership seeking to catalyze efforts to achieve the SDGs.

The objective of this side event is to discuss ongoing and future government efforts to improve access to adequate housing and to achieve SDG Target 11.1: “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums.” In addition, it aims to increase the awareness of UN member states of the challenges of housing from a more holistic perspective and their commitment to repositioning housing at the center of national development strategies.

Speakers:
Hon. Eng. Basim Bin Yacob AlHamer, Minister of Housing, Bahrain
Hon Ms. Ana Paula Chantre Luna de Carvalho, Minister of Territorial Planning and Housing, Angola
Hon. Mr. Nikolay Nankov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Bulgaria
Hon. Ms. Maria Soledad Nunez Mendez, Executive Minister National Secretariat of Housing and Habitat, Paraguay
Hon. Ms. Zuraida Kamarudi, Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, Malaysia

Moderator:
Mr. Warren Hoge, Senior Adviser for External Relations, International Peace Institute

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On Monday, July 16th, IPI together with the Kingdom of Bahrain, Tamkeen, Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and the Kauffman Foundation are cohosting a policy forum on “Fostering Entrepreneurship & Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals.”

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

The role of the private sector is recognized throughout the 2030 Agenda and particularly in SDG 17 which highlights the need for an inclusive partnership. The 2030 Agenda explicitly calls on the private sector to use creativity and innovation to address sustainable development challenges.

The private sector is the key driver of economic development. A strong driver to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) comes through the enablement of “Entrepreneurship”. Governments can greatly rely on the talent of innovators and entrepreneurs in the implementation of SDGs and to drive policy change to pave the way for break-through innovation. Government agencies, at all levels, play an important part in developing the right entrepreneurship eco-systems for their markets and cultures.

Taking place during the High-Level Political Forum, this event will discuss the role of entrepreneurship in realization of social and economic gains, and showcase success stories from entrepreneurs working on these issues.

Opening remarks:
Mr. Ahmed H. Janahi, Tamkeen
Ms. Safa Sharif, Tamkeen

Speakers:
Dr. Nasser Qaedi, Chief of Investment and Marketing, Tamkeen
Mr. Jonathan Ortmans, President, Global Entrepreneurship Network
Representative from Kauffman Foundation (TBC)

Moderator:
Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute

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On Thursday, July 12th, IPI together with Saferworld are cohosting an expert-level event on, “Bringing Words to Life: How Are the SDGs Supporting Peace, Justice, and Inclusion?” The event will take place at IPI on the margins of the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF).

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST*

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—and its crosscutting commitments to build peaceful, just, and inclusive societies—offers an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen and transform preventive action. However, the 2030 Agenda risks being seen as a disconnected policy framework that does not help those working for peace, justice, and inclusion at the national or local level to bring about meaningful change. Therefore, it is critical to showcase experiences from around the world that demonstrate the value of the 2030 Agenda in supporting existing initiatives and action to build inclusive and transparent institutions and expand access to justice at all levels.

Taking place during the 2018 High-Level Political Forum, this event seeks to showcase early successes in using these commitments—not only in Sustainable Development Goal 16 but across the agenda (SDG16+)—to foster peace, justice, and inclusion at the local and national level. Participants will also discuss how the UN and member states can learn from these experiences and better support those seeking to make the most of the 2030 Agenda to promote positive peace. The event format will encourage greater participation from all in attendance.

Opening Remarks:
Sandra Pellegrom, Head of Development, Humanitarian Affairs and Human Rights, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Netherlands to the United Nations
Member-state representative (TBC)
Conversation Leads:
Abdijalil Afqarshe, Saferworld
Katy Thompson, UN Development Programme
Zainab Hassan, Somaliland Non-State Actors Forum
Dr. Abdulhammed Suliman, Peace Research Institute, University of Khartoum

Moderator:
Jimena Leiva Roesch, Research Fellow, International Peace Institute

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While narratives around the conflict in Mali often focus on violent extremism and terrorist threats, particularly targeted attacks against the United Nations mission in the country (MINUSMA), there are increasing concerns related to the protection of civilians from different types of threats. Following the Secretary-General’s Strategic Review of MINUSMA and amidst the mandate renewal of the mission on Thursday, June 28th, the International Peace Institute (IPI) convened a closed-door roundtable entitled “Civilians at Risk: Threats and Drivers of Mass Atrocity in Mali.”

Co-hosted with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), the conversation was moderated by IPI Vice President Adam Lupel and gathered more than 40 participants, including academics and researchers, UN officials, diplomats, and representatives from the NGO community. Panelists included Namie Di Razza (IPI), Mollie Zapata and Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim (USHMM), Samuel Gahigi (UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations), Bruno Charbonneau (Centre FrancoPaix, University of Quebec in Montreal), and Alexandre Diebolt (French Permanent Mission to the UN). The discussion sought to identify the types of threats and physical violence faced by civilians, and how local, national, and international actors could address the risk of atrocities in the country.

Trends and risks

Among the factors of violence against civilians in Mali, experts identified the weakness of the central government, resource competition, predatory state practices, the rise of self-defense groups, tensions between and within communities, and the limited attention given to justice in the peace process. At the regional and macro-level, experts pointed to other key drivers including illicit trafficking, jihadist insurgency, and counter-terrorism operations.

Violent extremism was described as a growing concern. The threats posed by jihadist groups can take insidious, subtle and sophisticated forms, and are mostly indirect—through the use of mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs)—or targeted—through assassination or abduction of individuals accused of collaborating with Malian or international forces, or the harassment of communities resisting their control. On the other hand, counter-terrorism actors and their partners can also constitute a threat to civilians, due to collateral damage or, in certain cases, direct abuse of civilians perceived as colluding with terrorists. Experts highlighted issues of command and control among national security forces, which can lead to the commission of abuses by certain elements. Other threats to civilians include criminality and inter-communal tensions, which are aggravated in the context of radical extremism and counter-terrorism.

There was consensus among panelists that while all populations in Mali are potential victims of violence, the Fulani people are the most vulnerable, notably because of suspicions that they are either involved or in collusion with jihadist groups. Researchers identified two conflicts as particularly worrisome: tensions between Dogon and Fulani people in central Mali, and tensions between Tuareg and Fulani in the Ménaka region.

Participants highlighted the complexity of narratives in the country and the problematic use of labels and categories, some of which have a detrimental impact on the ground. Some suggested that framing the conflict as one of violent extremism and counter-terrorism may be doing more harm than good, as political motivations may underpin the usage of umbrella terms like “extremists” or “terrorists.” Others even noted that the use of rigid categories like “inter-communal violence” can do a disservice to analysis and conflict resolution efforts, especially when local communities attribute violence to ‘revenge’ or ‘settling of scores,’ rather than to “ethnic tensions.” Thus, experts stressed the importance of placing victims’ perspectives at the center of the analysis.

Exploring the protection of civilians (POC) toolkit in Mali

Recommendations included the need for counter-terrorism actors to refrain from collaborating with ethnically aligned self-defense militias and other armed groups with poor human rights records, and to further integrate POC in their military doctrine.

There was consensus that MINUSMA’s POC strategy must be further refined and adapted to a dramatically-evolving security context in central Mali and to the specific challenges posed by violent extremism. MINUSMA should diversify the use of tools at its disposal, including non-military protective approaches such as community engagement and dialogue, while balancing these with possible unintended consequences for civilians themselves, such as retribution killings or abductions of civilians suspected of talking with UN staff.

Panelists mentioned the possibility to further explore the UN’s added value in preventing violent extremism and to better link protection with political strategies. They also highlighted the need to improve strategic communication and public information to emphasize distinctions between MINUSMA and CT actors, in a delicate context of cooperation between all international actors.

Participants also pointed to the limitations of international interventions that would only focus on security, and highlighted the need to address grievances related to governance and justice. At the national level, efforts related to the “extension of state authority” will have to take into account the lack of trust towards the state among certain communities. Thus, some experts highlighted that while supporting the presence and extension of state authority in the country, considering the quality and utility of state services for the population will be key to address the root causes of instability.

At the local level, traditional chiefs and the prevalence of a moderate Islam among communities were identified as possible sources of resilience—unifying forces between and within communities. Researchers suggested that the Malian government should pursue reform more inclusively in the center of the country, while USAID, the European Union, and other development actors could further support peacebuilding programs that build on local resilience and leverage potential bridges among communities.

Experts were unequivocal that only a Malian-led dialogue could drive critical reforms for the country and its citizens. The UN, whose strategic priority is to support the implementation of the 2015 Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, and other partners may provide assistance in linking local and national political processes. Participants agreed that a more inclusive national dialogue, which will require listening to, understanding, and incorporating local demands, is crucial to build sustainable peace.

The UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) completed its mandate on June 30, 2017, after more than thirteen years. One year later, the secretary-general is set to release his “comprehensive study of the role of UNOCI in the settlement of the situation” in the country. This presents an opportunity to examine the many stages or “lives” of a peacekeeping operation, something often overlooked.

This report aims not only to contribute to this learning process but also to go beyond the scope of the secretary-general’s study to examine the trajectory of UNOCI over the years. It provides a historical account of the various phases of the Ivorian crisis and examines how UNOCI evolved and adapted to the circumstances and how the Security Council dealt with the Ivorian dossier.

Based on this assessment, the report draws lessons from UNOCI for other peacekeeping missions. These include the challenges missions face when the consent of the host state is fragile, a permanent member of the Security Council is heavily involved, they have a mandate to certify elections, they take a robust approach to a crisis, they undertake both disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration and security sector reform processes, and the UN applies sanctions or arms embargoes.

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