Theme 2014: “UN Peacekeeping: A Force for Peace. A Force for Change. A Force for the Future.
On 29 May, UN offices, alongside Member States and non-governmental
organizations, hold events to honour fallen peacekeepers. Since the
first UN peacekeeping mission was established in 1948, more than 3,200
military, police and civilian personnel have lost their lives in the
service of peace as a result of acts of violence, accidents and disease.
FEATURE: New challenges spur UN peacekeeping to become ‘a force for the future’.
 |
| Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operation, greets a MONUSCO FIB contingent in Pinga, DR Congo. UN Photo/Sylvain Liechti |
29 May 2014 – From deploying new technologies such as drones and
robots to boosting the number of women in its ranks, United Nations
peacekeeping is striving to confront new challenges and offer best value
for funding as it serves communities around the world.
“The United Nations is improving logistics and administrative practices, strengthening infrastructure and taking other steps to harness the power of our personnel,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Our goal is to ensure that peacekeeping is a cost effective, valuable investment that brings enormous benefits and, above all, saves lives.”
Today, more than 116,000 UN military, police and civilian personnel from more than 120 countries serve in 16 peacekeeping operations, often at great personal risk. They perform a variety of tasks, from stabilizing communities torn apart by conflict and protecting civilians to promoting the rule of law and advancing human rights.
To assist them in carrying out such critical duties, UN peacekeeping is on a mission of its own: to modernize and innovate to ensure it can tackle tomorrow’s peace and security challenges, and to be “a force for peace, a force for change, and a force for the future,” according to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
“We’re operating in the 21st century and we cannot continue just using tools of 50 or 100 years ago. We have to be current with all the developments in the world,” Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the UN News Centre.
“We need to deliver better services, possibly for less. I think that using technology is one way to address that very legitimate concern of our Member States.”
For this reason, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, observed annually on 29 May, kicks off a six-month campaign designed to raise political support and highlight the fact that UN peacekeeping is ‘good value’.
An example of the use of new technology is the introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are unarmed and used solely for surveillance purposes, in the vast Democratic Republic of the Congo – a technological first for the UN and one which is now being considered for other peacekeeping operations.
One of the ways that UAVs have made an impact on the ground was earlier this month during a ferry accident in Lake Kivu. After a UAV spotted a boat in distress, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country immediately sent its speedboats and helicopters to the scene and was able to rescue 15 people.
“From the second it spotted the sinking ship, the UAV stayed at the scene searching for survivors and providing situational awareness,” said Ameerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support.
“This illustrates the flexibility and the ability of UAVs to greatly enhance situational awareness and aid life-saving operations by the provision of real-time imagery to support reaction to incidents,” she added.
Also in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where communities are under threat from armed militias, the UN deployed a specially equipped ‘Force Intervention Brigade’ to support the national army. In November, the brigade successfully supported the military defeat of the M23 armed group, liberating areas under its control and removing the threat posed to civilians.
The UN has also enhanced its use of thermal imaging, closed-circuit television, night vision abilities and GIS [geographic information systems] data to improve situation awareness to provide better for the safety and security of its peacekeepers.
As part of the ongoing effort by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and of Field Support (DFS) to take advantage of emerging technologies and innovations, a group of five experts is being tasked with advising on how best to use these capabilities.
The group, led by seasoned peace and security expert Jane Holl Lute, will examine how these technologies can be leveraged to enable peacekeepers to respond more effectively to an increasing number of complex, multidimensional tasks in challenging field environments.
It will also look at how technological innovations can improve operational effectiveness, multiply impact and enhance safety and security of both peacekeepers and host communities.
As part of its modernization endeavour, the UN is boosting the representation of women among its ranks, with the belief that female peacekeepers serve as role models in local communities, inspiring women and girls in often male-dominated societies.
In an historic move earlier this month, the Organization appointed its first-ever female force commander. Major General Kristin Lund of Norway will take over military command of the UN mission in Cyprus, whose top leadership post is held by another woman, Lisa Buttenheim.
“I think it’s very important that the UN took this step to appoint a female force commander and I hope that I can be a role model for other female officers that see that it’s possible,” Major General Lund told the UN News Centre at the time of her appointment.
UN blue helmets are also aiming to ‘go green’ through the responsible use of limited resources, in a bid to leave mission areas in better shape than when they arrived. Among other steps, GIS data is being used to help find water sources for missions so as not to compete with the local water supply.
Missions are also including waste water treatment plants designed to drastically reduce the need for water and generation of disposable waste, as well as exploring alternative sources of energy such as solar panels.
Another way the UN is looking to innovate is by strengthening partnerships with Member States and regional and sub-regional organizations as well as pursuing cooperation between missions. In Mali and the Central African Republic, it has worked closely with the African Union and other sub-regional groups.
“Looking forward, we will need to develop those partnerships more and more,” said Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet, who noted that regional and sub-regional organizations are often the “first respondents” when conflict breaks out, especially on the African continent.
“The world is changing. The threats are changing. The levels of conflict are changing in many places in the world,” he added. “So we have to adapt and we have to evolve and we have to learn how to deal with these new challenges.”
+-+Afghanistan,+Bangladesh,+Benin,+Burkina+Faso,+Chad,+C%C3%B4te+d'Ivoire,+DR+Congo,+Egypt,+Ethiopia..png)
+-+Nigeria,+Pakistan,+Philippines,+Russia,+Rwanda,+Senegal,+Sierra+Leone,+South+Sudan,+Sudan,+Syria..png)
+-+France,+Gambia,+Ghana,+Haiti,+India,+Indonesia,+Jordan,+Kenya,+Kyrgystan,+Liberia,+Malawi,+Malaysia,+Nepal,+Niger..png)
+-+Tanzania,+Togo,+United+States,+Uruguay,+Zambia..png)
Hailing the “long and proud” history of United Nations peacekeeping – with over one million “blue helmets” having served in more than 70 operations on four continents since 1948 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the Organization today in honouring those men and women who lost their lives in the past year, while looking to the future, envisioning a modern, global force that can effectively tackle emerging peace and security challenges.
On this International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, observed annually on 29 May, the world body honoured the 106 peacekeepers who died last year while serving under the UN flag, bringing the total number of lives lost in the history of peacekeeping to more than 3,200.
“We mourn the passing of every one of these courageous individuals. We grieve with their friends and families and we recommit ourselves to ensure that their contributions to the cause of peace will never be forgotten,” declared the Secretary-General in his message for the Day.
He noted that today, more than 116,000 UN personnel from more than 120 countries serve in 16 peacekeeping operations. “At great personal risk, these military, police and civilian personnel help stabilize communities, protect civilians, promote the rule of law and advance human rights.”
The annual wreath-laying ceremony took place for the first time at a newly-created site on the north end of the UN’s New York Headquarters complex.
Opening that solemn ceremony, Mr. Ban said 2013 was the sixth year in a row that more than 100 peacekeepers died. Some were killed when their convoys came under attack in Darfur and South Sudan.
Others had lost their lives to explosions in Mali. Still others were taken by floodwaters in Darfur. “In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and elsewhere, our peacekeepers were shot while protecting civilians.” He said, adding that in the Middle East, Haiti and beyond, many succumbed to deadly diseases and other dangers that are part of their life-saving work.
“The threats continue this year. The insecurity in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali and Darfur has tested us to the limits of our capacities,” the Secretary-General said, underscoring that the Organization is doing everything possible to protect its personnel in the field. “Despite our best efforts, we can never reduce the risks entirely,” he added sombrely.
“That is why today, we applaud the courage, dedication and professionalism of the 120,000 peacekeepers who are now deployed in some of the most dangerous places on earth. I pay them my highest tribute,” said the UN chief.
In his remarks at the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal Awards Ceremony, Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations said those blue helmets that had lost their lives had not perished merely for an ideal: “Our peacekeepers have made a practical difference on the ground, and this perhaps what matters most.”
As for current on-the-ground operations, he said UN peacekeeping is providing a dynamic response in some of the planet’s most complicated and difficult places. “Our peacekeepers continue to be in high demand and for UN peacekeeping to be relevant and effective, we must not just keep up with this changing environment, we must be a step ahead of it.”
Echoing the theme of the day, Mr. Ladsous said peacekeepers are working tirelessly so that UN Peacekeeping can be “A Force for Peace, A Force for Change, A Force for the Future.” By introducing unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles (UUAVs) in the DR Congo, UN peacekeeping has shown “that we are able to be modern and use latest technologies to monitor movements of armed groups and allow us to better protect vulnerable populations.”
“By rapidly erecting protection of civilian sites for 90,000 civilians fleeing war in South Sudan – sometimes from an empty plot of land – we have shown that we are able to adapt under tough circumstances to respond to developing crisis,” said Mr. Ladsous, adding that by going after armed groups in the foothills of North Kivu with ferocity and vigour, UN peacekeeping has shown that it “will not back down” when confronted by those who would threaten the most vulnerable.
“Of course, none of this would happen without the support of our partners. Today, I would like especially to commend the Member States, who provide troops and police, resources and funding, training and equipment – our contributing States. I thank you all for your hard work on our behalf,” he said.
Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Ms. Ameerah Haq said that 22 civilians had been among those who lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions, including in Liberia, Darfur, and South Sudan. On behalf of the Secretary-General and the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support, she extended deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased.
“Our civilian colleagues in the field toil day-in, day-out on the frontlines of today’s conflicts,” she said noting that whether mediating inter-tribal conflicts, documenting human rights violations, or reporting on the state of fragile ceasefire agreements, they carry out their work at great personal risk and sacrifice.
“We can pay no greater tribute to those who have lost their lives than to ensure that their aspirations are pursued and ultimately realized.”
Mr. Ban said earlier that UN peacekeeping is modernizing to ensure that it can tackle tomorrow's peace and security challenges. It is deploying new technologies such as refining its practices to better protect civilians, and boosting the representation of women among its ranks while strengthening its partnerships with regional organizations.
“The United Nations is improving logistics and administrative practices, strengthening infrastructure and taking other steps to harness the power of our personnel,” he said, adding: “Our goal is to ensure that peacekeeping is a cost effective, valuable investment that brings enormous benefits and, above all, saves lives.”
He noted that over the past year, the Security Council established two peacekeeping operations – in Mali and in the Central African Republic – again highlighting its trust in UN peacekeepers to take on tough challenges.
In addition, the UN mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, helped the Government defeat the M23 rebels that had preyed on civilians in the country's east, he said, while also highlighting another first: “In an historic breakthrough, a woman was named the first female Force Commander of a UN peacekeeping operation.”
Earlier this month, the Security Council established the "Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal," named after an unarmed Senegalese peacekeeper who lost his own life after saving as many as a thousand people during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
“This medal will honour UN personnel who demonstrate exceptional courage. Let us all commit to following the selfless example of Mbaye Diagne and other fallen heroes, as we work together to help our blue helmets be a force for peace, a force for change, and a force for the future,” declared the Secretary-General.
In his message for the Day, John Ashe, President of the General Assembly, encouraged Member States, civil society and other stakeholders to support this year's theme: “UN Peacekeeping: A Force for Peace. A Force for Change. A Force for the Future.”
“We must ensure that security challenges are addressed in the countries where peacekeepers work so that we can create a more sustainable future for all members of the international community,” he said.
As the UN and the international community continue the global effort to set the stage for the creation of a post-2015 development agenda, innovation and technology, especially the transfer of new and emerging technologies will greatly contribute to strengthening global security. “We must continue to create new ways of using these technologies to protect those at greatest risk in conflict and war-torn countries,” said Mr. Ashe.
On International Day, Secretary-General Applauds Courage of 120,000 Peacekeepers Now Deployed in Most Dangerous Places on Earth
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers to Be Observed at New York Headquarters, Offices Worldwide, 29 May
“The United Nations is improving logistics and administrative practices, strengthening infrastructure and taking other steps to harness the power of our personnel,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “Our goal is to ensure that peacekeeping is a cost effective, valuable investment that brings enormous benefits and, above all, saves lives.”
Today, more than 116,000 UN military, police and civilian personnel from more than 120 countries serve in 16 peacekeeping operations, often at great personal risk. They perform a variety of tasks, from stabilizing communities torn apart by conflict and protecting civilians to promoting the rule of law and advancing human rights.
To assist them in carrying out such critical duties, UN peacekeeping is on a mission of its own: to modernize and innovate to ensure it can tackle tomorrow’s peace and security challenges, and to be “a force for peace, a force for change, and a force for the future,” according to the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
“We’re operating in the 21st century and we cannot continue just using tools of 50 or 100 years ago. We have to be current with all the developments in the world,” Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations told the UN News Centre.
“We need to deliver better services, possibly for less. I think that using technology is one way to address that very legitimate concern of our Member States.”
For this reason, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, observed annually on 29 May, kicks off a six-month campaign designed to raise political support and highlight the fact that UN peacekeeping is ‘good value’.
An example of the use of new technology is the introduction of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are unarmed and used solely for surveillance purposes, in the vast Democratic Republic of the Congo – a technological first for the UN and one which is now being considered for other peacekeeping operations.
One of the ways that UAVs have made an impact on the ground was earlier this month during a ferry accident in Lake Kivu. After a UAV spotted a boat in distress, the UN peacekeeping mission in the country immediately sent its speedboats and helicopters to the scene and was able to rescue 15 people.
“From the second it spotted the sinking ship, the UAV stayed at the scene searching for survivors and providing situational awareness,” said Ameerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support.
“This illustrates the flexibility and the ability of UAVs to greatly enhance situational awareness and aid life-saving operations by the provision of real-time imagery to support reaction to incidents,” she added.
Also in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where communities are under threat from armed militias, the UN deployed a specially equipped ‘Force Intervention Brigade’ to support the national army. In November, the brigade successfully supported the military defeat of the M23 armed group, liberating areas under its control and removing the threat posed to civilians.
The UN has also enhanced its use of thermal imaging, closed-circuit television, night vision abilities and GIS [geographic information systems] data to improve situation awareness to provide better for the safety and security of its peacekeepers.
As part of the ongoing effort by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and of Field Support (DFS) to take advantage of emerging technologies and innovations, a group of five experts is being tasked with advising on how best to use these capabilities.
The group, led by seasoned peace and security expert Jane Holl Lute, will examine how these technologies can be leveraged to enable peacekeepers to respond more effectively to an increasing number of complex, multidimensional tasks in challenging field environments.
It will also look at how technological innovations can improve operational effectiveness, multiply impact and enhance safety and security of both peacekeepers and host communities.
As part of its modernization endeavour, the UN is boosting the representation of women among its ranks, with the belief that female peacekeepers serve as role models in local communities, inspiring women and girls in often male-dominated societies.
In an historic move earlier this month, the Organization appointed its first-ever female force commander. Major General Kristin Lund of Norway will take over military command of the UN mission in Cyprus, whose top leadership post is held by another woman, Lisa Buttenheim.
“I think it’s very important that the UN took this step to appoint a female force commander and I hope that I can be a role model for other female officers that see that it’s possible,” Major General Lund told the UN News Centre at the time of her appointment.
UN blue helmets are also aiming to ‘go green’ through the responsible use of limited resources, in a bid to leave mission areas in better shape than when they arrived. Among other steps, GIS data is being used to help find water sources for missions so as not to compete with the local water supply.
Missions are also including waste water treatment plants designed to drastically reduce the need for water and generation of disposable waste, as well as exploring alternative sources of energy such as solar panels.
Another way the UN is looking to innovate is by strengthening partnerships with Member States and regional and sub-regional organizations as well as pursuing cooperation between missions. In Mali and the Central African Republic, it has worked closely with the African Union and other sub-regional groups.
“Looking forward, we will need to develop those partnerships more and more,” said Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet, who noted that regional and sub-regional organizations are often the “first respondents” when conflict breaks out, especially on the African continent.
“The world is changing. The threats are changing. The levels of conflict are changing in many places in the world,” he added. “So we have to adapt and we have to evolve and we have to learn how to deal with these new challenges.”
UN honours ‘blue helmets,’ seeks to build modern, adaptive peacekeeping force
 |
| Wreath laid in honour of the 106 peacekeepers who lost their lives the previous year while serving under the UN flag. UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz |
List of Fallen in 2013 (Peacekeepers)
UN Peacekeeping
: The Fallen by Country nationality, Rank, Names, Date of Incident,
Missions, Appointment Type, Gender. Peacekeepers lost in 2013.+-+Afghanistan,+Bangladesh,+Benin,+Burkina+Faso,+Chad,+C%C3%B4te+d%27Ivoire,+DR+Congo,+Egypt,+Ethiopia..png)
Hailing the “long and proud” history of United Nations peacekeeping – with over one million “blue helmets” having served in more than 70 operations on four continents since 1948 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led the Organization today in honouring those men and women who lost their lives in the past year, while looking to the future, envisioning a modern, global force that can effectively tackle emerging peace and security challenges.
On this International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, observed annually on 29 May, the world body honoured the 106 peacekeepers who died last year while serving under the UN flag, bringing the total number of lives lost in the history of peacekeeping to more than 3,200.
“We mourn the passing of every one of these courageous individuals. We grieve with their friends and families and we recommit ourselves to ensure that their contributions to the cause of peace will never be forgotten,” declared the Secretary-General in his message for the Day.
He noted that today, more than 116,000 UN personnel from more than 120 countries serve in 16 peacekeeping operations. “At great personal risk, these military, police and civilian personnel help stabilize communities, protect civilians, promote the rule of law and advance human rights.”
The annual wreath-laying ceremony took place for the first time at a newly-created site on the north end of the UN’s New York Headquarters complex.
Opening that solemn ceremony, Mr. Ban said 2013 was the sixth year in a row that more than 100 peacekeepers died. Some were killed when their convoys came under attack in Darfur and South Sudan.
Others had lost their lives to explosions in Mali. Still others were taken by floodwaters in Darfur. “In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and elsewhere, our peacekeepers were shot while protecting civilians.” He said, adding that in the Middle East, Haiti and beyond, many succumbed to deadly diseases and other dangers that are part of their life-saving work.
“The threats continue this year. The insecurity in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali and Darfur has tested us to the limits of our capacities,” the Secretary-General said, underscoring that the Organization is doing everything possible to protect its personnel in the field. “Despite our best efforts, we can never reduce the risks entirely,” he added sombrely.
“That is why today, we applaud the courage, dedication and professionalism of the 120,000 peacekeepers who are now deployed in some of the most dangerous places on earth. I pay them my highest tribute,” said the UN chief.
In his remarks at the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal Awards Ceremony, Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for UN Peacekeeping Operations said those blue helmets that had lost their lives had not perished merely for an ideal: “Our peacekeepers have made a practical difference on the ground, and this perhaps what matters most.”
As for current on-the-ground operations, he said UN peacekeeping is providing a dynamic response in some of the planet’s most complicated and difficult places. “Our peacekeepers continue to be in high demand and for UN peacekeeping to be relevant and effective, we must not just keep up with this changing environment, we must be a step ahead of it.”
Echoing the theme of the day, Mr. Ladsous said peacekeepers are working tirelessly so that UN Peacekeeping can be “A Force for Peace, A Force for Change, A Force for the Future.” By introducing unarmed, unmanned aerial vehicles (UUAVs) in the DR Congo, UN peacekeeping has shown “that we are able to be modern and use latest technologies to monitor movements of armed groups and allow us to better protect vulnerable populations.”
“By rapidly erecting protection of civilian sites for 90,000 civilians fleeing war in South Sudan – sometimes from an empty plot of land – we have shown that we are able to adapt under tough circumstances to respond to developing crisis,” said Mr. Ladsous, adding that by going after armed groups in the foothills of North Kivu with ferocity and vigour, UN peacekeeping has shown that it “will not back down” when confronted by those who would threaten the most vulnerable.
“Of course, none of this would happen without the support of our partners. Today, I would like especially to commend the Member States, who provide troops and police, resources and funding, training and equipment – our contributing States. I thank you all for your hard work on our behalf,” he said.
Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Ms. Ameerah Haq said that 22 civilians had been among those who lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions, including in Liberia, Darfur, and South Sudan. On behalf of the Secretary-General and the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support, she extended deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased.
“Our civilian colleagues in the field toil day-in, day-out on the frontlines of today’s conflicts,” she said noting that whether mediating inter-tribal conflicts, documenting human rights violations, or reporting on the state of fragile ceasefire agreements, they carry out their work at great personal risk and sacrifice.
“We can pay no greater tribute to those who have lost their lives than to ensure that their aspirations are pursued and ultimately realized.”
Mr. Ban said earlier that UN peacekeeping is modernizing to ensure that it can tackle tomorrow's peace and security challenges. It is deploying new technologies such as refining its practices to better protect civilians, and boosting the representation of women among its ranks while strengthening its partnerships with regional organizations.
“The United Nations is improving logistics and administrative practices, strengthening infrastructure and taking other steps to harness the power of our personnel,” he said, adding: “Our goal is to ensure that peacekeeping is a cost effective, valuable investment that brings enormous benefits and, above all, saves lives.”
He noted that over the past year, the Security Council established two peacekeeping operations – in Mali and in the Central African Republic – again highlighting its trust in UN peacekeepers to take on tough challenges.
In addition, the UN mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, helped the Government defeat the M23 rebels that had preyed on civilians in the country's east, he said, while also highlighting another first: “In an historic breakthrough, a woman was named the first female Force Commander of a UN peacekeeping operation.”
Earlier this month, the Security Council established the "Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal," named after an unarmed Senegalese peacekeeper who lost his own life after saving as many as a thousand people during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
“This medal will honour UN personnel who demonstrate exceptional courage. Let us all commit to following the selfless example of Mbaye Diagne and other fallen heroes, as we work together to help our blue helmets be a force for peace, a force for change, and a force for the future,” declared the Secretary-General.
In his message for the Day, John Ashe, President of the General Assembly, encouraged Member States, civil society and other stakeholders to support this year's theme: “UN Peacekeeping: A Force for Peace. A Force for Change. A Force for the Future.”
“We must ensure that security challenges are addressed in the countries where peacekeepers work so that we can create a more sustainable future for all members of the international community,” he said.
As the UN and the international community continue the global effort to set the stage for the creation of a post-2015 development agenda, innovation and technology, especially the transfer of new and emerging technologies will greatly contribute to strengthening global security. “We must continue to create new ways of using these technologies to protect those at greatest risk in conflict and war-torn countries,” said Mr. Ashe.
News Tracker: past stories on this issue
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers to Be Observed at New York Headquarters, Offices Worldwide, 29 May
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