At the heart of every peacekeeping operation is the peacekeeper, the populace, and the mandate. In an international community that is currently supporting 12 United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKOs) across three continents, with over 97,000 peacekeepers, it is imperative we ask ourselves if we are fielding the appropriate technological advantages to mitigate risk in the pursuit of regional peace and stability. One key capability found in nearly every military and police force across the globe is the drone (the unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV), or unmanned aerial system (UAS), when considering the entire package. While the UAS cannot replace the interpersonal relationships of working alongside a populace during a PKO, it can provide a variety of critical capabilities to revolutionize peacekeeping and humanitarian relief. The thesis of this article is that the UN has a proven track record of successful UAS integration to add value for UN Force Commanders. However, many leaders in le
At the heart of every peacekeeping operation is the peacekeeper, the populace, and the mandate. In an international community that is currently supporting 12 United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKOs) across three continents, with over 97,000 peacekeepers, it is imperative we ask ourselves if we are fielding the appropriate technological advantages to mitigate risk in the pursuit of regional peace and stability. One key capability found in nearly every military and police force across the globe is the drone (the unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV), or unmanned aerial system (UAS), when considering the entire package. While the UAS cannot replace the interpersonal relationships of working alongside a populace during a PKO, it can provide a variety of critical capabilities to revolutionize peacekeeping and humanitarian relief. The thesis of this article is that the UN has a proven track record of successful UAS integration to add value for UN Force Commanders. However, many leaders in le
Can the UN Security Council enhance the effectiveness of the G5 Sahel Force?
Format
By Cedric de Coning and John Karlsrud
At the United Nations Security Council, and in other forums in Africa and Europe, diplomats are debating different options for increasing international support to the Group of Five Sahel (G5 Sahel) Force. The aim is to enhance its operational capacity and effectiveness in an effort to restore stability in the Sahel. Despite the presence of the UN Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), the G5 Sahel Force, and French and European Union missions, the security situation in the Sahel has significantly deteriorated over the last few years.
Unpacking how peacekeeping affects violence – what the data can tell us
Format
Lisa Hultman
For peacekeeping to be successful, it is essential to evaluate the impact of peacekeeping activities on the conflict dynamics. There are two reasons for this. First, for the mission itself, it provides an understanding of how to prioritize and best make use of limited resources. Thorough analysis can aid the planning and make peacekeeping more effective. Second, in UN headquarters, it provides an argument for policy makers for why they should fund peacekeeping. Spending money on peacekeeping makes sense only if peacekeeping actually works to enhance security, since this is often one of the main tasks. Therefore, objective analyses of how peacekeeping works are of great political relevance. Any such assessment of the efficiency of peacekeeping requires data. Our conclusions are never better than the data we base them on.