Summary Report from High-level Seminar held at the launch for ‘Designing Mandates and Capabilities for Future Peace Operations’
The Challenges Forum Report Launch and High-Level Seminar was held in New York, 27-28 January 2015. It was designed as an opportunity for the Challenges Forum Partners to present to the United Nations Secretary-General the Report: ‘Designing Mandates and Capabilities for Future Peace Operations’, and for the findings and recommendations to be discussed by key stakeholders convening at United Nations headquarters. The present Summary Report highlights key points raised in the discussions during the high-level seminar, rather than the presentations of the Report content as such.
The for UN peace operations is greater than ever before. The security environments in which they operate are becoming increasingly more complex and challenging. The resources and tools available are insufficient to meet the needs. In repsonse to the changing nature of conflict, there is a need to rethink and transform the approaches to UN peace operations, not only operationally and tactically, but also strategically and doctrinally, in order to ensure best possible effect on the ground.
Two years in the making, the report Designing Mandates and Capabilities for Future Peace Operations is a truly collaborative and global effort by the Challenges Forum Partner Organizations to address the current needs and challenges of international peace operations. Drawing upon the expertise of both policymakers, practitioners and academicians, 24 targeted recommendations are presented, which you can find in this brief. The report and its recommendations also represents a contribution to ongoing United Nations review efforts, in particular the Independent High-level Panel on Peace Operations appointed by the UN Secretary-General. The Challenges Forum Partnership will continue to provide suggestions and input to this process as it unfolds, on how to enhance the policies and practice, as well as effective implementation, of UN peace operations.