Sustainable Political Solutions for Successful Peace Operations

To successfully implement mandates,peace operations need to be grounded in effective and inclusive political strategies which are regularly reviewed. Accountability should to a higher degree be shared between the UN Security Council, host countries, and peace operations.

1. Security Council’s role. The Security Council’s inability to agree and actundermines the legitimacy of the UN and of peace operations. The authority of the Security Council should be restored by instituting broader consultations with member states, diversifying penholders and relying more on regional arrangements under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter.
2. Regular and inclusive stocktaking. The UN must ensure sustained political support for peace operations by the active involvement of troop, police and resource-contributing countries, along with key stakeholders. Regular stocktaking should take place, identifying areas of mandate implementation that require adjustment.
3. Supplementary mandating by the General Assembly. While the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security lies with the Security Council, there is substantial scope and proven potential for the General Assembly to use its role to mandate peace operations and possibly enforce binding decisions bythe International Court of Justice. A shadow penholdership mechanism in the General Assembly should proactively prepare coordinated responses in case of Security Council blockages and vetoes.
4. More systematic engagement with the Peacebuilding Commission. Mandating peace operations should automatically lead to a consent-based inclusion of host countries on the Peacebuilding Commission’s agenda. This would facilitate sustained, long term peacebuilding support and funding while incentivising cooperative relations between host countries and the international community.
5. Cooperative relations with host countries. The UN and host countries should build and maintain mutually supportive relationships through demand-driven and inclusive political strategies. Shared commitments should be formalised in a compact between the Security Council, host governments and peace operations, including mutual accountability frameworks.