United Nations 2012 Peace Operations Cover photos (clockwise from top): A member of MINURSO’s Military Liaison Office chats with a group of local Western Saharans, June 2010. (UN Photo/Martine Perret) Crowds of locals surround the recently-dispatched UN monitoring team as they walk through the streets of Homs, Syria, April 2012. (UN Photo/Neeraj Singh) Women taking part in traditional dances in Dili, Timor-Leste. (UNMIT/Bernardino Soares) A Ghanaian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, on guard duty during a visit by the Special Representative Karin Landgren, in Cestos City, Liberia, November 2012. (UNMIL/Staton Winter) 2 Year in Review 2012 Table of Contents Introduction: Evolving to meet new challenges 1 Interview: Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations 2 Interview: Ameerah Haq, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support 4 Interview: Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs 6 PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS MINURSO: Ensuring a path to safety 9 MINUSTAH: From reconstruction to stabilization 11 MONUSCO: Progress interrupted 13 UNAMID: Protection of civilians, peace process at the forefront 15 UNDOF: Challenged like never before 17 UNFICYP: A delicate balancing act in Cyprus 18 UNIFIL: Helping to stabilize a region in turmoil 20 UNISFA: Volatility to stability 22 UNMIK: Promoting dialogue and freedom of movement 24 UNMIL: Meeting challenges on the path to lasting peace 25 UNMISS: Ensuring the security of civilians 27 UNMIT: A story of successful cooperation 29 UNOCI: Scaling up protection efforts 31 UNSMIS: Military solution not possible 33 UNTSO: Nimbleness as a guiding concept 35 Women in Peacekeeping 36 POLITICAL AND PEACEBUILDING MISSIONS BNUB: Consolidating peace through political dialogue 39 BINUCA: Back from the brink, but still fragile 40 UNAMA: Positioning itself for post 2014 41 UNAMI: Paving the way for elections 43 UNIOGBIS: Advancing Security Sector Reform 45 UNIPSIL: Peacebuilding efforts play a role in peaceful elections 47 UNOAU: Supporting the African Union’s first Formed Police Unit 49 UNOCA: Partnering with regional organizations 50 UNOWA: Mobilizing regional efforts to address crises in West Africa 52 UNPOS: Historic Year for Somalia’s Political Progress 54 UNSCO: Challenges in pursuit of the peace process 57 UNSCOL: Maintaining Stability in Lebanon 59 UNSMIL: Elections: A Success for Libya 61 FACTS AND FIGURES Peacekeeping Operations Facts and Figures 63 United Nations Peacekeeping Operations 65 United Nations Political and Peacebuilding Operations 67 List of Peacekeeping Operations 1948 - 2012 69 Peacekeeping Contributors 71 Peacekeepers of MALBATT (Malawi Battalion in Ivory Coast) in Ayama camp. (UNOCI/Patricia Esteve) INTRODUCTION Evolving to meet new challenges Peace operations, both peacekeeping to more than a decade-long United for UN peace operations in 2012. A good and political, remain one of the most Nations peacekeeping engagement in that example of this was in Somalia, where cost effective and critical United Nations country. On the other hand, however, in heightened diplomatic efforts, facilitated activities. With over 110,000 personnel August, the UN Supervision Mission in by the UN Political Office (UNPOS), serving in around 30 peacekeeping Syria (UNSMIS), which had been called helped to complete an eight-year and political missions in 2012, they upon to monitor a cessation of armed political transition with the adoption of a were also one of the most visible violence there and support the full provisional Constitution and the election undertakings of this global organization. implementation of Joint Special Envoy of a President by a newly established As peace operations continued to evolve Kofi Annan’s six-point plan, had to be Parliament, the first democratic process encompassing larger and more complex terminated only four months after its of its kind in more than two decades. In mandates, the United Nations, working deployment due to the unabated conflict Mali, the UN special political mission in close partnerships with Member and unwillingness of the opposing parties was established by the Security Council States, regional organizations, national to engage in meaningful dialogue to stop in December to provide coordinated and authorities and other stakeholders, the bloodshed. coherent support to the ongoing political strived to adapt its peacekeeping and and security processes in that country. peacemaking tools to address new, Elsewhere, while UN missions in Africa ever-growing challenges and additional were challenged, sometimes to the limits, The Year in Review looks at these and demands. by their host country specific crises and other issues and attempts to show how, developments, field operations in the in practical terms, UN peacekeeping and The past year will go down in UN Middle East had to adapt, to a varying political missions were supporting in peacekeeping history with an eventful degree, to the regional ramifications of 2012 a range of critical activities vital record featuring it all, from hope to the continuing conflict in Syria. to maintaining international peace and accomplishment to setback. On the one security, including monitoring ceasefires; hand, the UN mission in Timor-Leste The United Nations also continued to stabilizing post-conflict environment; successfully completed its mandate in hone its range of tools in peacemaking. disarming and reintegrating ex-combatants December following two rounds of Conflict prevention, preventive diplomacy into civilian life; strengthening governance, successful presidential and parliamentary and mediation, some of the key priorities rule of law, dialogue and reconciliation; elections and the inauguration of the established by the Secretary-General in protecting civilians and helping build new Government, thus bringing an end his second term were important markers democratic institutions.■ Major General Robert Mood (centre), Chief Military Observer and Head of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), meets with members of the opposition in Al-Rastan, Syria, May 2012. (UN Photo/Neeraj Singh) 1 Year in Review 2012 INTERVIEW UN Peacekeeping must adapt to new challenges Interview with Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations When he took over the position of Under-Secretary-General for the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations in 2011, Hervé Ladsous brought with him the extensive experience from a long career in diplomacy. Now, in his second year as head of DPKO, Mr. Ladsous zeroes in on the past successes, challenges ahead and what is needed to improve the effectiveness of the peacekeeping operations. Q. What were the biggest challenges for UN peacekeeping in 2012? in November, they evacuated dozens in Côte d’Ivoire. Our peacekeepers of activists, government officials and helped Haitians recover from the 2010 Syria, the Sudans and the Democratic journalists opposed to the M23 and earthquake; they supported the second Republic of Congo (DRC) were among whose lives were at risk. This crisis re- post-conflict election in Liberia; and they the most challenging situations we faced ignited regional political efforts and led helped Côte d’Ivoire consolidate stability. last year. to the signing of the Peace, Security and These positive trends are allowing us to Cooperation Framework, as well as the reduce our presence in these countries. In Syria, an observer mission was authorization of a Force Intervention established in April 2012, but lack of Brigade (FIB) by the Security Council in Q. In 2013, where do you expect UN progress in a political resolution and the March 2013, on an exceptional basis. peacekeeping to be most active? intensification of armed violence obliged Through the FIB, the Council authorized the mission to draw down after four our peacekeepers to conduct targeted Our deployment in Mali, the use of months. Peacekeepers are most effective offensive operations to neutralize and new tools in DRC and, potentially, the when they are deployed in support of a disarm armed groups. evolving situation in Syria rank high on viable peace process and when the parties our agenda for 2013. All three contexts have decided to give peace a chance. One figure, I think, tragically reflects the are high-risk environments. challenges we faced: In 2012 we lost 111 Unresolved post-independence questions peacekeepers, many in the line of duty. In Mali, as we set up our newest led Sudan and South Sudan to the brink We mourn every fallen colleague and operation - taking over from an African- of war. At the same time South Sudan send our heartfelt condolences to their was confronted with inter-communal loved ones. violence, especially in Jonglei state. Our peacekeepers reinforced their patrols Q. What do you rate as the major and adopted a robust posture to protect accomplishments of UN peacekeeping civilians. They have also assisted, through in 2012? mediation efforts, in finding a political solution. I welcome the progress we Timor-Leste comes to mind first. In have seen in recent months, including December, after more than 13 years of the signing of a number of agreements a peacekeeping and political presence, between Sudan and South Sudan, and our mission left behind a vibrant and the resumption of oil production and rising country. A series of peaceful and exploitation. free elections had taken place in the meantime. Timorese must be proud of From April, after a new armed group their progress. We are proud to have been (the M23) caused some of the worst part of it. suffering we have seen in eastern DRC, USG Ladsous briefs journalists on priority peacekeepers took robust steps to protect We can also be proud of the progress areas of the year for UN peacekeeping, civilians. Following the fall of Goma we have seen in Haiti, in Liberia or February 2012. (UN Photo/JC McIlwaine) Year in Review 2012 2 INTERVIEW led peace operation (AFISMA) - we are aware of the particular volatility of the situation and the risks posed to our peacekeepers and UN staff more widely. Our peacekeepers will not be conducting counter-terrorism activities; these types of actions will be carried out by others.