European Peace Institute / News

On May 19th, IPI together with the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI) cohosted a policy forum event to launch the report “Plug and Play: Multinational Rotation Contributions for UN Peacekeeping Operations,” which was recently published by NUPI and IPI with funding from the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence.

In 2016, Norway spearheaded the multinational rotation contribution (MRC) of a C-130 transport plane to MINUSMA, together with Belgium, Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden. This innovative partnership seeks to complement traditional force generation by enabling a predictable and cost-effective supply of capabilities to UN peace operations.

With a keynote address by Norway’s Minister of Defence, H.E. Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide, speakers discussed the concept of MRCs, outlining early lessons from Norway’s rotation, which concluded in November 2016, and providing key recommendations on the broader applicability of MRCs in the context of UN peacekeeping reform. How can smaller nations better cooperate and coordinate joint peace efforts? How can the MRC model lower the threshold and increase the incentives for member states to contribute? What are some key features that make MRCs work?

Keynote Address:
Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide, Minister of Defence, Norway

Speakers:
Arthur Boutellis, Director, Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute
Jean-Paul Deconinck, Force Commander, United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
Jorge Torres, Military Adviser, Permanent Mission of Portugal to the United Nations
Adrian Foster, Deputy Military Adviser, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations

Moderator:
Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute

Read the report>>

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Emphasizing the link between humanitarian efforts and preserving world heritage, Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, congratulated IPI on its “Women in Art for Peace” exhibition, which she visited, May 18, 2017.

Addressing the press, Ms. Bokova said, “I am delighted to be here and to see women painters being encouraged about art for peace.”

The exhibition, which features peace-themed works by seventeen international female artists, “resonates very deeply with UNESCO’s mandate,” she said. “We are working to empower women to be full partners in this quest for peace.”

Addressing world heritage and humanitarian challenges in the region and beyond, the UNESCO Chief turned to Security Council Resolution 2347. The resolution, she said, is important and historic because it makes the connection between humanitarian concerns and the protection of heritage. “The protection of heritage is not just a cultural concern. It is a security imperative,” she said. Speaking in Manama, she also noted, “Bahrain is known for protection of heritage.”

On the education of refugees, Ms. Bokova said, “the issue has been there for a long time. UNESCO published in 2011 the Global Monitoring Report on Education, and this was dedicated to the education in emergencies.” However, at the time, “it wasn’t very high on the agenda of the international community. Then of course came the Syrian crisis. Millions are displaced within the country or outside.”

Bokova pleaded for more efforts on refugee education. With mass displacement spurred by crises like the Syrian conflict, “Education is the best way for building the future for the refugees and host communities,” she said.

Education is also one of the strongest “barriers to stop extremism,” she said. “When this generation is lost in the making, they are very easy prey for extremist ideologies.”

Ms. Soha Elfar, Ambassador of Egypt to Bahrain, also visited the “Women in Art for Peace” exhibition. She appreciated “the idea of getting painters from countries affected by crises” to illustrate a call for peace. Hailing the “expression used in artwork,” she said “women have a lot to say and a lot to contribute to peace.”

The exhibition is organized by IPI-MENA in collaboration with Europe’s Art Gallery and Art.

Diplomats, government officials, members of civil society, media professionals and artists were present during the visit.

The current wave of technological change has created new opportunities for multilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including sustainable development, conflict prevention, humanitarian responses, peace operations, and state-society relations. At the same time, however, it has created an enduring “digital divide,” raised questions about Internet governance and privacy, and led to new forms of warfare that challenge existing international human rights and humanitarian laws.

The UN has at times struggled to keep up with the pace of change, in part because private sector and civil society actors are often in the lead when it comes to technological innovation. This policy paper explores where the UN can play a useful role and where existing mechanisms and other actors are better placed. Based on extensive consultations with representatives of states, various UN entities, and civil society, as well as subject-matter experts, this paper details recommendations laid out in the ICM’s final report, published in September 2016. These include to:

• Consolidate a multilateral space for innovation and new technology; and
• Recognize the Internet and big data as global public goods.

To stand with those who are committed to working multilaterally and reforming the international community, we are asking people to use the hashtag #MultilateralismMatters. For more, including sample tweets and graphics, read IPI’s Social Media Toolkit here.

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On May 23rd, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations, and the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre are cohosting a policy forum event on internal displacement.

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST.

IDMC’s Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) provides decision-makers and others actors working on displacement-related issues with the latest data and trends of internal displacement caused by conflict and disasters. The 2017 edition of the report also explores the connections between internal displacement and cross-border movement, including factors that force internally displaced persons (IDPs) across borders, and the impact of refugee returns to countries with high numbers of internal displacement. It suggests a better understanding of these connections is necessary for global agenda setting and policy-making, as well as for national preparedness and planning, to prevent and address the consequences of internal displacement.

The findings and data in the 2017 GRID are particularly relevant in light of ongoing debates at the UN, other multilateral fora and within states, with regard to human mobility. The 2016 New York Declaration on Refugees and Migrations has set in motion a process aimed at addressing large flows of refugees and migrants. At the same time, however, it is also necessary to refocus attention on the plight of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The protracted and increasingly repetitive nature of internal displacement crises also makes it a relevant topic to discuss challenges and opportunities for increased coordination and strategic cooperation between humanitarian and development sectors.

Based on the data and findings of the Global Report on Internal Displacement, which will be published the day before, this event will seek to identify lessons learned, best practices, and operational and policy recommendations on how to move forward concretely to prevent internal displacement, address the long-and short term needs and challenges it spurs, and address the connections between internal and cross-border displacement.

Opening remarks:
H.E. Mr. Geir O. Pedersen,Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations

Speakers:
Ms. Alexandra Bilak,Director, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Mr. Jan Egeland, Secretary-General, Norwegian Refugee Council
Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Vice-President, World Bank Group

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

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“Art is love and love is peace—art is the international language to convey a message,” Syrian painter Rehab Bitar told an IPI-MENA audience at the May 15th opening of an exhibition of artwork conveying messages of peace. Ms. Bitar, the Head of Peace and Culture Bridges Organization in the United States, was one of seventeen participating female artists in the “Women in Art for Peace” exhibition in Manama.

Other featured international artists included Marwa Rashid Al Khalifa (Bahrain), Karima Ben Otman (Libya), Miranda Rumina (Slovenia), Cezara Kolesnik (Belgium), Fatma Abdullah Lootah (UAE), Alexandra Nechita (USA), Alham Ali (Yemen), Unni Askeland (Norway), Cassandra J. Wainhouse (France), Hripsime Margaryan (Armenia), Eleonora Romanescu (Republic of Moldova), Mona Chouk (Tunisia), and Wedad Al-Bakr (Saudi Arabia).

The “Women in Art for Peace” exhibition adds to IPI-MENA’s cultural outreach activities to raise awareness about the importance of women’s participation in peacebuilding and peacekeeping. The initiative aims to encourage female artists to participate actively in the culture of peace.

“These inspiring women are the real ambassadors of peace—capable of conveying the message and the culture of peace through their artistic creation,” Nejib Friji, IPI-MENA Director, said in his opening remarks. “We are encouraged by their gathering in Bahrain.”

A large audience of diplomats, government officials, artists, private sector representatives, members of civil society and media attended the event.

Ms. Al-Bakr, a Saudi painter, peace advocate and co-founder of “Women in Art for Peace,” said, “Art is the strongest force in bringing people together. Let us celebrate it. Art serves to unite rather than divide.”

A reception gala followed the event and was attended by Sheikh Rashid Al-Khalifa, Honorary President of the Bahrain Fine Arts Association. Touring the exhibition with Mr. Friji, Shaikh Rashed, also a painter, interacted with the participating female artists. “There is nothing worse than families suffering from catastrophes and conflicts,” he said. “Eradicating such inhumane actions is the main goal.”

Sheikh Rashid added that the “Women In Art For Peace” exhibition should spread peace awareness. “It is very noble,” he said.

Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa, Chairperson of the Mother and Children Care Association, praised the exhibition’s laudable goal, saying, “I am very impressed that there is a lot of movement towards the culture of peace. Women who are participating have the potential to be leaders.”

The main event was concluded with Mr. Friji expressing his sincere gratitude to the female artists and his aspiration to see this initiative create momentum whereby women play a more meaningful role in conflict prevention, resolution and in post-war peacebuilding. “In that regard, women are social, cultural and political leaders,” he said.

The exhibition was hosted in collaboration with Europe’s Art Gallery and Art, and will be open to the public from 9 am-5 pm on May 16-18, and May 21-22, 2017 at the IPI-MENA offices.

On May 17th, IPI is hosting a Distinguished Author Series event featuring Steven A. Cook, author of False Dawn: Protest, Democracy, and Violence in the New Middle East. The conversation will be moderated by IPI Senior Adviser for External Relations, Warren Hoge.

Remarks will begin at 6:20pm EST.

Half a decade after Arabs across the Middle East poured into streets to demand dignity, representative government and economic empowerment, hopes for democratic change have evanesced. Despite appearances, there were no true revolutions in the Middle East five years ago; none of the affected societies underwent social revolution, and the old structures of power were never eliminated.

Egypt remains a repressive state, Syria and Yemen are in the midst of devastating civil wars, Libya has descended into anarchy, Turkey has abandoned an earlier shift toward openness and now more closely resembles an autocracy, and even supposed successes like Tunisia face significant barriers to progress because of the continued strength of old regime players. And the self-declared Islamic State, though embattled, still rules a large swath of territory.

After taking stock of how and why the Arab Spring uprisings failed to produce lasting change, Cook, a noted analyst of the Middle East, considers the diminished role of the US there and reasons that the Trump Administration and Western policy makers may have to adjust to thinking small and waiting for the world to turn again.

IPI’s Distinguished Author Series brings critically acclaimed writers to IPI to present on international issues and to engage in a lively discussion with experts from the permanent missions to the UN and other members of the foreign affairs community in New York.

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Because of war, poverty, and climate change, mass human mobility has become a fundamental feature of our time, and is testing the limits of the multilateral system, presenting extraordinary challenges for countries of origin, transit, and destination. While migration has been a feature of human history since its beginning, and societies around the world have benefited from it for centuries, there are more displaced people today than at any time since World War II. There are many reasons why people choose to move. Yet many people do not so much choose to move, but are rather forcibly displaced by conflicts, disasters, or other perils.

This was the topic of the 47th Annual IPI Vienna Seminar: “Moving Forward Together: Addressing Human Mobility,” held on May 9-10, 2017, in Vienna, Austria, in partnership with Austrian Ministry for Europe, Integration, and Foreign Affairs, and the Austrian Ministry of Defense and Sports.

Multilateral decision making and policy discussions are often removed from the people and places they are concerned with. The 2017 Vienna Seminar endeavored to be different. To effectively deal with the challenges and seize the opportunities that arise out of large movements of people, there is a clear need to involve and empower the people themselves. The seminar aimed to identify effective tools and mechanisms to incorporate refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons in multilateral policy discussions and operational activities, to ensure that both policies and programs are people-centered, needs-based and inclusive. Each panel session included a representative of refugee, migrant or internally displaced communities.

The seminar began with a dinner on May 9th featuring a keynote address by Ghias Aljundi, a human rights consultant and Syrian refugee. He shared with participants his experience as a volunteer with arriving refugees in Greece. The plenary sessions of the seminar began the following morning in the beautiful Alois Mock Hall of the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs. Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, Director-General of Legal and Consular Affairs at the ministry provided welcoming remarks, followed by an introduction by IPI President Terje Rød-Larsen. IPI Vice President Adam Lupel served as co-host, introducing each panel throughout the day.

Session one addressed the root causes of displacement and migration in the new multilateral context. Participants discussed what effective strategies can be put in place to address the reasons for the large movement of refugees, migrants and internally displaced people; and they discussed how multilateral commitments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can help to prevent future crises.

The panel began with an introductory presentation by Snežana Samardžić-Marković, Director-General of Democracy, Council of Europe, followed by remarks from Ghias Aljundi, Jagan Chapagain, Chief of Staff and Director, Office of the Secretary-General International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute. The session was chaired by Mr. Rød-Larsen.

Session two examined the challenges of coordination at the domestic and multilateral level. It focused on the need to institute measures to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people from smuggling and human trafficking. Participants discussed how states can better work together to coordinate their actions while taking into account the needs of migrants and refugees. The session began with remarks by Syrian refugee Ammar Zammar, former Sales Manager, Sama Invest Group, who told his story of how he fled his home country and the perils he faced along the way.

Melissa Fleming, Chief Spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, followed with a visual presentation documenting the extreme vulnerability of refugees traveling by boat to Europe through the incredible story of one family’s tragic journey. Madina Jarbussynova, Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, OSCE, and Richard Baumgartner, EU Affairs Advisor, Frontex, provided a discussion of the policy responses to these challenges in Europe. Brigadier-General Reinhard Trischak, Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence and Sports provided opening remarks and chaired the session.

Session three addressed the particular challenges of internal displacement, an all too often neglected aspect of human mobility. While the recent high level discussions on refugees and migrants did not address internally displaced peoples (IDPs), states did note the need for reflection on effective strategies to ensure adequate protection and assistance for them. The panel featured remarks by Alexandra Bilak, Director, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; Pierre Gentile, Head of Protection Division, International Committee of the Red Cross; Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons; and Asha Abdi Osman, a former IDP from Somalia. The session was chaired by Els Debuf, Head of Humanitarian Affairs, International Peace Institute.

One common theme throughout the day was the importance of integration. The successful integration of refugee, migrant, and internally displaced populations in host communities is crucial to address the challenges and to best take advantage of the opportunities that arise when people are on the move. What are the key components of successful integration strategies? What works? This was the topic of session four. The session began with a dynamic presentation by Fatuma Musa Afrah, a migrant and social worker from Kenya living in Germany.

Further remarks were given by Dominik Beron, CEO of Refugeeswork.at; Martin Hoffmann, Senior Policy Advisor, International Centre for Migration Policy Development; and Ignasi Calbó Troyano, Coordinator, Barcelona Refuge City Program.

Discussion throughout the day balanced between personal experience and practical policy responses, building on the principles and commitments that came out of the World Humanitarian Summit and the Refugee and Migrations Summits of 2016. Through an outcome meeting note and the participation of practitioners, inputs from the Seminar will feed into the international community’s work in 2017-2018, in particular through the negotiation of the global compacts on refugees and migration and a planned high-level event on IDP’s.

On Tuesday, May 9th, IPI together with The Elders are cohosting a policy forum event focusing on the importance of multilateralism and the role of the United Nations in sustaining peace, promoting good governance, and tackling global challenges from climate change to mass migration.

Remarks will begin at 9:00am EST.

Elders is an independent group of global leaders, founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, that works to promote peace and human rights. The audience at the event will include UN and government officials, experts, as well as representatives from the media, academia, and civil society. After the presentations there will be a question and answer session with the audience.

Speakers:
Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary-General, Nobel Peace Laureate, and Chair of The Elders
Lakhdar Brahimi, Former UN and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, and member of The Elders
Gro Harlem Brundtland, Former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Deputy Chair of The Elders
Mary Robinson, First female President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and member of The Elders.

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

On April 25, IPI hosted the next event in its Leading for Peace: Voices from the Field event series, featuring Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment, who discussed how the environment can be a powerful ally when it comes to preventing conflict and sustaining peace.

Mr. Solheim reflected on how violence against the environment creates harmful social and economic impact, which can lead to the escalation of conflict and civil strife. He explained how innovative policies, structures and practices can instead use the environment to meet human needs, uphold justice and lay the foundations for lasting peace. He also showed how the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a strategic gateway for this approach to deliver benefits far beyond the environment or peacebuilding.

Following an extensive career focusing on environment and development in government and international organizations, Mr. Solheim became Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme on May 13, 2016. Prior to joining UN Environment, Mr. Solheim was the chair of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the main body of the world’s development donors. He emphasized the role of private sector and tax in development finance, spearheading the Sustainable Development Investment Partnership and the Addis Tax Initiative. He focused on the need to channel more aid to least-developed countries, and expanding the Development Assistance committee to new members and partners.

Speaker:
Mr. Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment

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

Every summer since 2014 has seen an increase in the number of refugees and migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Italy and Malta. This increase in migration is having a wide-ranging impact on countries of origin, transit, and destination, creating new and complex challenges for governments, humanitarian agencies, the European Union, and the international community at large.

This paper focuses on mixed migration along the Central Mediterranean route, which reemerged as the world’s deadliest maritime migration route in 2015 and again in 2016. It investigates the underlying causes for this mixed migration, arguing that push factors have become more relevant than pull factors in driving mixed movements. It also maps the route and examines European responses to mixed migration across the Mediterranean.

The paper offers a number of lessons learned that should inform policy discourse on how the EU and the international community can better respond to the challenges of mixed migration along the Central Mediterranean route:

• Focus on push factors: Addressing the migration crisis in the long term will require greater focus on the factors causing people to flee.
• Look beyond border control: While border control mechanisms can lead to shifts in migration routes, they do not stem overall movement.
• Improve collaboration and solidarity: While the European Commission has implemented some pragmatic and innovative ideas to manage the migration crisis, EU member states have failed to match its commitments and actions.
• Bolster rescue-at-sea operations: Existing efforts need to be reinforced through internationally supported, long-term protection mechanisms geared toward preventing deaths at sea.
• Create more legal alternatives: There has been limited action on creating legal avenues for refugees and migrants to enter the EU, which could help significantly reduce the size of irregular mixed migratory movements to Europe.

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Over the past few years, the world has been confronted with a series of crises that have challenged perceptions of global stability. Whether a moment of high risk or great opportunity, this is without a doubt a moment of growing complexity. More actors, institutions, and networks of interests are engaged in the international sphere than ever before.

This policy paper explores three groups of these actors: regional organizations; civil society and NGOs; and the private sector. It also asks how the UN can better leverage relations with and among these actors for a more efficient and legitimate multilateral system. Based on extensive consultations with representatives of states, various UN entities, and civil society, as well as subject-matter experts, this paper details recommendations laid out in the ICM’s final report, published in September 2016. These include to:

• Set out a strategic vision for UN partnerships;
• Strengthen UN partnerships with regional organizations, especially the African Union;
• Build and sustain civil society involvement in the UN; and
• Create new platforms for UN engagement with the private sector.

To stand with those who are committed to working multilaterally and reforming the international community, we are asking people to use the hashtag #MultilateralismMatters. For more, including sample tweets and graphics, read IPI’s Social Media Toolkit here.

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On April 11th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Côte d’Ivoire to the United Nations cohosted a high-level policy forum and reception entitled Côte d’Ivoire, a Successful Case of Crisis Management: A Look Back at the Experience and Lessons Learned.

After thirteen years, the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) is set to end in June 2017, leaving behind a stable country on the path to economic development, (the annual average growth rate stands at 9 percent) reconciliation, and sustainable peace.

UNOCI is the first peacekeeping operation to close since the United Nations Integrated Mission in East Timor ended. Its transition toward closure comes at a time when exit strategies are being considered for UN missions in Liberia and Haiti—providing an opportunity to examine lessons learned from this unique operation.

In efforts to resolve the Ivorian crisis, the Security Council adopted various crisis management instruments including: diplomatic engagement through regional mediation efforts and the deployment of a regional force; the simultaneous deployment of a French force (Opération Licorne); the implementation of an arms and diamonds embargo, targeted sanctions against troublemakers; the establishment of a commission of inquiry for human rights abuses; threats to resort to the International Criminal Court; Security Sector Reform (SSR), Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR); and the establishment of a UN election certification mandate.

All these instruments have, at some point, helped initiate dialogue between various stakeholders. Although contested at its outset, the UN’s election certification role ultimately led the international community to unite in support of full respect for the results of the November 2010 presidential elections. This allowed for crisis recovery and the stabilization of Cote d’Ivoire, and more broadly, of the subregion.

As Côte d’Ivoire launches its campaign for a non-permanent member seat on the UN Security Council, this high-level panel will offer the opportunity to reflect on the management and resolution of this crisis, and the lessons that can be learned from the long-running United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire.

Panelists:
H.E. Mr. Marcel Amon-Tanoh, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Côte d’Ivoire
Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
Mrs. Elisabeth Lindenmayer, Director, International Organization and UN Studies Specialization, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University

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

The UN is increasingly deploying peacekeepers to conflict theaters where there is no political agreement and little or no peace to keep. Such high-risk environments make it harder for the UN to keep its personnel safe, fit, and healthy. While current UN missions have adopted a number of measures to mitigate these dangers, these do not address the systemic challenges facing medical support to UN peace operations.

This paper asks the question: What are the challenges to providing medical support to UN peace operations in high-risk environments? It analyzes five core challenges facing the UN: (1) medical structures, planning, and coordination in UN headquarters; (2) standards of care; (3) coordination in the field; (4) training and capacity building; and (5) resources and capabilities.

On the basis of these challenges, it offers recommendations for making medical support to peace operations in high-risk environments more efficient and effective:

• The UN Medical Services Division and Medical Support Section should coordinate better and create links with the Office of Military Affairs.
• Medical support planning should be included in every aspect of mission planning and be tailored to the context.
• Missions should shift away from Level II hospitals, which are expensive and underutilized, instead exploring alternatives such as mobile medical units with surgical capabilities.
• Missions should focus on in-mission training, including by improving mentoring of medical personnel.
• MedEvac and CasEvac procedures should be simplified, decentralized, and made more flexible.
• The UN should seek pledges of medical equipment and personnel from member states in a more targeted way.

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As part of an ongoing effort to unpack the conceptual and practical contours of prevention for sustaining peace, IPI organized the third in a series of monthly high-level conversations among member states and other key stakeholders on April 10, 2017. The closed-door workshop explored what measures or changes the concept of sustaining peace implies in practice, building upon the preceding issue brief. The meeting follows a previous conversation, in March, on a sustaining peace approach to the restoration and extension of state authority in peace operations.

Participants agreed that the sustaining peace lens provides alternative ways to think about conflict and peace, based on the understanding that every society has capacities for peace. By understanding “what still works,” even in situations of conflict or crisis, the international community can support the positive changes already being driven by internal actors.

The conversation examined the current situation in three countries – The Gambia, Burundi, and the Central African Republic – with an eye to identifying the positive resilient capacities existing in those countries. The discussion highlighted the unique role the Peacebuilding Commission can play in such efforts, and touched upon other national and international initiatives that served as practical examples of a sustaining peace approach.

Youssef Mahmoud, IPI Senior Adviser, moderated the discussion.

Read the meeting brief in English

Read the meeting brief in French

In its review of the peacebuilding architecture, the Advisory Group of Experts introduced the language of “sustaining peace.” With peacebuilding increasingly interpreted as time-bound interventions in fragile or conflict-affected states, sustaining peace seeks to reclaim peace in its own right and detach it from conflict. But what does sustaining peace mean in practice?

This issue brief seeks to unpack the definition of sustaining peace and provide examples of what it looks like at the national and international levels. It also aims to clear up the political cobwebs in the minds of some stakeholders fearful that the concept is another Trojan horse for outside intervention. It describes sustaining peace as:

• An explicit and deliberate policy objective for all states, not just those affected by conflict;
• An ongoing exercise grounded in existing capacities for peace;
• An endogenous process requiring strong and inclusive national ownership and leadership; and
• A multi-sectoral, all-encompassing “meta-policy” deserving attention at the highest levels of national government.

This issue brief is part of the International Peace Institute’s (IPI) attempt to reframe prevention for the purpose of sustaining peace through a series of conversations from October 2016 to May 2017.

Download in French

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On Thursday, April 6th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations, and Security Council Report, cohosted a policy forum event to discuss the 2016 selection process for the United Nations Secretary-General.

Over the course of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, thirteen candidates joined the race to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations. Previously considered an antiquated and highly secretive process, the 2016 selection displayed an unprecedented level of transparency and inclusivity. Active involvement of civil society and enhanced cooperation between the UN General Assembly and the Security Council paved the way for a more clearly defined selection process than ever before.

The informal dialogue sessions, often referred to as the General Assembly hearings, provided a unique and invaluable opportunity for candidates to engage with member states. By live streaming the hearings on the UN’s website, candidates were able to reach individuals throughout the world. Open meetings and events were also organized by nongovernmental organizations, including IPI, where candidates were able to present their vision statement and address questions from civil society and the larger international affairs community.

Ahead of the General Assembly’s consideration of lessons learned, speakers analyzed the progress achieved during the 2016 selection, discussed key challenges, and identified concrete recommendations on ways to further improve future selection and appointment processes in order to ensure that the new standard of transparency, engagement, and inclusivity is merely seen as the bar—not the ceiling.

The latest publication from Security Council Report, The UN Secretary-General Selection and Appointment Process: Emerging from the Shadows, was available at the event.

Welcome Remarks:
H.E. Mr. Peter Martin Lehmann Nielsen, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations

Speakers:
H.E. Mr. Matthew Rycroft, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations
Ms. Minna-Liina Lind, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Estonia to the United Nations
Mr. Tomas Christensen, Chef de Cabinet, Office of the President of the 70th and the 71st sessions of the UN General Assembly
Ms. Gillian Sorensen, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General (former)
Mr. Ian Martin, Executive Director, Security Council Report

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, Vice President, International Peace Institute

On Wednesday, April 12th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, are cohosting the launch of IPI’s report on “Medical Support for UN Peace Operations in High-Risk Environments.”

Remarks will begin at 1:15pm EST.

UN peacekeepers are increasingly the targets of carjacking, kidnapping, and ambushes, and the number of those injured or killed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide bombings, rocket-propelled grenades, helicopter crashes, artillery fire, and landmines, is on the rise. These new environments, where the UN sends peacekeepers without being able to guarantee their safety, challenge and question the foundational assumptions and doctrine of UN peacekeeping. Peacekeepers are becoming less impartial and are being deployed to conflict theaters where there is no political agreement and little or no peace to keep.

These environments have also created new challenges for the UN in terms of looking at safety and security concerns. This paper specifically looks at the challenges of medical support to peace operations in high-risk environments. It is concerned with the growing risks that troops, police, and civilians face when deployed to high-risk environments. While accidents and illness will remain a common cause of death in UN peace operations, medical facilities need to adapt to the operational realities of high-risk, asymmetric threat environments where peacekeepers are increasingly the direct target of attacks.

The central question this paper asks is: What are the challenges to providing medical support to UN peace operations in high-risk environments? In answering this question, the paper draws on interviews that the authors conducted in New York, Oslo, Bangui, Bamako, and Gao, with more than fifty experts working on medical support, planning, command and control, MedEvac, and other areas intrinsic to safety and security in peace operations, especially in high-risk environments. The authors conducted field research in Mali and the Central African Republic, visiting contingents and field hospitals in the UN missions in both countries. The paper also draws on insights from past research, evaluations, and reports on medical challenges in peace operations.

Opening Remarks:
Ambassador Jürgen Schulz, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations

Speakers:
Ms. Lesley Connolly, Policy Analyst, International Peace Institute and co-author of the paper
Mr. Havard Johansen, Course Director at the Norwegian Defense International Centre and co-author of the paper
Major General Adrian Foster, Deputy Military Adviser, United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Dr. Jillann Farmer, Director, Medical Services Division, United Nations Development Programme

Moderator:
Dr. Els Debuf, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute

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Painters from the Middle East and North Africa Region donated artwork to the International Peace Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (IPI-MENA) during an “Art for Peace” exhibition hosted in collaboration with Wedad Al Bakr, a Saudi painter and peace advocate.

Zakeya Zada, a Bahraini artist, cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the exhibition—dedicated to addressing the growing need for peace and stability in the MENA region and beyond—on April 2nd in Manama.

Artistic compositions representing unique renditions of peace were showcased by prominent painters, which included Mayasa Al Sowaidi, Zakeya Zada, Dawiya Ebrahim, Thajba Najeeb, Wedad Al Bakr, Ali Almahmeed, Abbas Almosawi, Abderrazak Hamouda, and Ebrahim Busaad.

The event was inaugurated by Nejib Friji, Director of IPI-MENA, Wedad Al Bakr and the donor painters.

The works, donated to IPI-MENA as a token of dedication of the artists’ commitment to advocating peace, were signed by the painters—5 women and 4 men—who devoted their talents and skills as canvas to illustrate the ever-increasing necessity of comprehensive and lasting peace.

The exhibition, attended by diplomats, senior officials, artists, academics, media and members of civil society involved a discussion and exchange around art inspiring, reinforcing and mobilizing global efforts of peace, tolerance and sustainable development.

Abderrazak Hamouda, Tunisian-Swiss calligrapher, quoted Syrian poet Adonis, asking, “How can we write poetry about peace, if we are not living in peace?” He stated that this provided the inspiration behind his calligraphy of “I hope Peace” on canvas, which he donated to IPI-MENA.

Ali Almahmeed, Painter and President of the Bahrain Arts Society, said “donating my peace-inspired paintings to the IPI is in line with my conviction that all efforts should contribute to the culture of peace.”

Thajba Najeeb elaborated on how her paintings reflected an “internal struggle for peace, and that we need to start within ourselves” in order to spread a like-minded global philosophy.

Dawiya Ebrahim stated that her painting was “inspired by the need to help peace to prevail in the region and beyond amid the many conflicts tearing up the MENA region.”

Abbas Almosawi said “our combat for peace requires our artworks as weapons.”

Saudi painter Wedad Al Bakr hailed her team of painters “for accepting the opportunity to act as peace messengers.”

The artists voiced their appreciation to IPI-MENA for providing a platform that effectively brought like-minded talents to share a vision and understanding of regional peace challenges through artwork, and to inspire and encourage new generations to find ways in which to contribute to sustainable peace.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Friji expressed his sincere gratitude to the artists for bringing “beauty at the service of peace and connecting the world of art and the world of policy-making and research to create a better, safer and more tolerant world for all of us.” He also stated that the artwork donated “will create the first permanent art collection dedicated to peace at the International Peace Institute.”

Related Coverage:
“English News Bulletin,” Bahrain News Agency (April 2, 2017)
“Artists Unite for Peace,” Daily Tribune Bahrain (April 2, 2017)

On Wednesday, March 29th, IPI hosted a press briefing on the Broadway play OSLO, which begins previews at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center on March 23, 2017 and opens there on April 13, 2017. The event featured the play’s author, J.T. Rogers, director, Bartlett Sher, and IPI President Terje Rød­-Larsen, who was a major figure in the real life drama at the center of the play. The conversation covered the Oslo negotiations, the origins and development of the play, the challenges of dramatizing historical events, the relevance of the Oslo process to the realities of today’s Middle East, and other points questioners may want to raise.

Remarks will begin at 1:45pm EST.

A darkly comic epic, OSLO tells the story of how Norwegian diplomat Mona Juul, and her husband, social scientist Terje Rød­-Larsen, planned and orchestrated top­ secret, high ­level meetings in Norway between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. The talks culminated in the historic 1993 Oslo Accords, which were officially signed at a White House ceremony in the presence of Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and US President Bill Clinton. OSLO played a sold­ out run last summer at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, and Ben Brantley, chief theater critic of The New York Times, called it “a vivid, thoughtful, and astonishingly lucid account of a byzantine chapter in international politics.”

While the threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) may seem antiquated and unlikely to materialize, the mere existence of WMD remains one of the paramount threats to mankind. Nuclear weapons present not only the biggest existential threat, but also the biggest gap in the multilateral disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. In this context, on March 27, 2017, more than 100 countries launched the first UN talks on a global nuclear weapons ban.

This policy paper explores key challenges and developments in the field of non-proliferation and disarmament of WMD, with an emphasis on nuclear arms. Based on extensive consultations with representatives of states, various UN entities, and civil society, as well as subject-matter experts, this paper details recommendations laid out in the ICM’s final report, published in September 2016. To revitalize the UN disarmament and non-proliferation machinery, it offers a number of recommendations for a secretary-general willing to lead this effort:

• Strengthen the UN disarmament machinery;
• Support the IAEA’s increasing responsibilities;
• Implement Security Council Resolution 1540 and other paths to innovative multilateralism;
• Assess the role of new technologies; and
• Engage civil society.

To stand with those who are committed to working multilaterally and reforming the international community, we are asking people to use the hashtag #MultilateralismMatters. For more, including sample tweets and graphics, read IPI’s Social Media Toolkit here. For other IPI news, events, and publications about weapons of mass destruction, see here.

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