The 2023 biennial UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, held in Accra, Ghana on 5-6 December was the latest in a series of high-level events to support UN peacekeeping. Against the backdrop of ongoing discussions in New York surrounding peacekeeping reform and ways to strengthen peacekeeping operations, the 2023 Ministerial focused the attention of countries on reform initiatives including Action for Peacekeeping (AfP), Action for Peacekeeping Plus (AfP+), and the Digital Transformation Strategy. In light of the constantly shifting political and security landscape in which peacekeeping operates, the objectives of the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial were similar to those of the inaugural 2014 summit on peacekeeping co-hosted by President Obama and spearheaded by then U.S. Vice President Biden in New York, namely, to bolster UN peacekeeping by way of high-level political commitments and member state pledges. This continues to include the creation of high-performing, thoughtfully executed, and specialized capabilities, and new or developed capacity-building and training aimed at supporting global partnerships.
Specifically, the Accra Ministerial focused on five main areas for engagement: protection of civilians, strategic communications (inclusive of mis- and disinformation and hate speech), safety and security, the mental health of peacekeeping personnel, and women in peacekeeping. Furthermore, the Ministerial emphasized that peacekeeping must continue to build on its strong bilateral and multilateral partnerships to make positive impacts around the world.
Stimson worked closely with a number of the key national and UN players ahead of and at the 2023 Ministerial. In October 2023, Lisa Sharland, Director of the Protecting Civilians and Human Security program at Stimson, presented on a panel on the Protection of Civilians and Strategic Communications Interplay at the preparatory conference on the protection of civilians and strategic communications held in Kigali, Rwanda. This was one of four preparatory conferences hosted on the five different themes to support the Peacekeeping Ministerial throughout 2023. In her remarks at the preparatory conference, Sharland noted that with the approach of the 25th anniversary of the first peacekeeping mission with a protection of civilians mandate, it was imperative “to collectively reinforce the role that peacekeeping missions perform in protecting civilians.” Protection of civilians is a core tenet of peacekeeping mandates and, as was emphasized during the conference, must be supported through strategic communications, digital literacy, and capacity-building.
At the Ministerial, Andrew Hyde, Director of the Powering Peace program at Stimson, spoke at a side event “Powering Peace,” on Environment Management hosted by the United States and the UN Department of Operational Support. The event underscored the importance of considering the full extent and implications of peacekeeping missions’ environmental footprint, and the links between climate sensitivity, fragility, and low energy access. In his presentation, Hyde emphasized how national partnerships involving troop-contributing countries in support of renewable energy capability at UN peacekeeping sites would “be instrumental in delivering a critical mass of renewable energy technology to the field and serve as a further incentive to other nations.”
In addition, Stimson’s research in other areas was also highlighted by certain UN Member States. Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honorable Pam Damoff, announced Stimson’s work on conceptualizing and fostering gender-responsive leadership in UN peace operations under the Elsie Initiative. As Damoff noted, “the evidence will be useful to improve understanding of the issue, and best practices to support better gender-responsive leadership”.
The Assistant Minister for Defence of Australia, the Honorable Matt Thistlethwaite MP, highlighted the work underway in partnership with the UN and Stimson on the role of air power in UN peacekeeping: “…our forthcoming report in partnership with the Stimson Centre will share concrete recommendations on how the UN can better utilize air assets to improve operational efficiency and drive down emissions while exploring the potential of more eco-friendly air assets.”
Other Member State pledges stemming from the Ministerial range in contribution, from enhancing military and police capabilities through troop contributions to peacekeeper training, funding, implementing dialogue series, adopting renewable energy sources, designating opportunities in courses specifically for female participants, and making training materials accessible in a range of languages. Many of these pledges respond to widely shared concerns about the direction and goals of UN peacekeeping and reflect issues Stimson has raised in public forums and publications.
The next Peacekeeping Ministerial is scheduled for June 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The German government, building off the momentum from the 2023 Ministerial, is starting to shape its list of priorities and seeking input from other Member States. In the leadup to 2025, the UN will be taking a comprehensive look at its comparative advantage in supporting peace, particularly at the September 2024 Summit of the Future, through the adoption of the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace and its main outcome document, the Pact for the Future, featuring a chapter on peace and security, and identifying creative yet pragmatic solutions for achieving sustainable peace, such as promoting greater integration of peacekeeping and peacebuilding.
For decades, Stimson has been engaged in supporting efforts to strengthen UN peacekeeping. As we mark Stimson’s 35th anniversary, that commitment will continue through dedicated and evidence-based research projects, collaborative and public-facing events, and informal and structured discussions with a variety of relevant stakeholders from government, civil society, international organizations, and academia globally.
