On Thursday, May 26th at 1:25pm EST, The Independent Commission on Multilateralism (ICM) is cohosting a Public Consultation on its Discussion Paper: “Armed Conflict: Mediation, Conciliation, and Peacekeeping.” This Public Consultation provides a platform for representatives from member states, civil society, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academia, and the United Nations to comment on the Discussion Paper’s recommendations and exchange perspectives on the larger trends and challenges at hand.
IPI Live Event FeedFrom the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, to the rekindling of long-standing conflicts in places such as Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia, to the desperate waves of refugees arriving in Europe, to the specter of sectarian violence in Burundi and elsewhere, recent events have challenged the international system to provide adequate responses.
The persistence of armed conflict motivates a growing perception that global stability is at risk. While the number of armed conflicts has decreased, the number of conflict-related deaths has dramatically increased, as has the number of high-intensity, long-lasting conflicts. Further, the increased involvement of various outside and non-state actors, as well as the increased presence of organized crime in conflict settings, has made recent armed conflicts resistant to peaceful settlement. It was in this context that the UN system set out to review the key elements of its peace and security architecture in 2015. This Discussion Paper assesses these reviews, additional developments such as the adoption of the joint resolution on the Review of the Peacebuilding Architecture, as well as other challenges facing the multilateral system in the areas of: mediation, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping.
Discussants:
H.E. Mr. Philbert Johnson, Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations
Mr. Arthur Boutellis, Director, Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute
Ms. Tatiana Carayannis, Deputy Director, Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum, Social Science Research Council
Ms. Mari Yamashita, Director, United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office
Moderator:
Dr. Youssef Mahmoud, Senior Adviser, International Peace Institute
On Wednesday, May 25th at 6:15pm EST, IPI together with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, and the Nordic Africa Institute are cohosting a forward-looking policy forum event on the occasion of Africa Day to discuss consolidating the AU-UN strategic partnership.
IPI Live Event FeedAlthough the UN is ultimately responsible for international peace and security, cooperating with regional organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America helps the UN carry out this responsibility more efficiently and effectively than if it had to act on its own.
In the current global context, the relationship between the UN and the AU stands out as crucial for international peace and security. UN and AU peace operations are mutually interdependent on several levels, and a concerted effort is needed from both institutions to further deepen and institutionalize this relationship.
The presentations at the event will identify which elements of this relationship need to be further strengthened in the months ahead and will offer specific recommendations on key issues, such as shared analysis and planning, support and financing, transitions, and joint lessons learned studies.
Speakers:
Dr. Cedric de Coning, Senior Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and Senior Advisor at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD)
Dr. Donald Kaberuka, High Representative for the African Union (AU) Peace Fund
H.E. Dr. Monica Juma, Principal Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Kenya
Mr. El Ghassim Wane, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
H.E. Mr. Tekeda Alemu, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations
Moderator:
Mr. Arthur Boutellis, Director of IPI’s Center for Peace Operations