Year in Review 2006

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Year in Review 2006 UNITED NATIONS PEACE OPERATIONS YEAR IN REVIEW 2006 New challenges, New horizons asdf United Nations TABLE OF CONTENTS p. 1 More UN peacekeepers called into action, even as conflicts continue p. 2 2006: A year of hope for the Congolese people p. 4 UN helps Lebanon recover, as Europe returns to peacekeeping p. 7 Other UN peace operations in the Middle East p. 8 UN pursues peace in Darfur p. 10 UNMIS helps to cement peace between North and South p. 11 BONUCA: Peacekeeping to follow dialogue p. 12 Timor-Leste: Hard lessons in peacekeeping p. 14 Sierra Leone: Sustaining the hard-won peace p. 15 Peacebuilding architecture takes shape p. 16 Côte d'Ivoire: Transition to peace extended by another year p. 18 Wanted: Female peacekeepers p. 19 Kosovo: Keeping the momentum p. 20 New DDR tools to "turn swords into ploughshares" p. 20 Fighting sexual exploitation and abuse p. 21 SHIRBRIG: Ready to deploy p. 22 Nepal: Peacemaking bears fruit p. 23 Haiti: Progress against all odds p. 24 Cyprus: Building bridges between neighbours p. 25 UNAMI: Behind the scenes for a better Iraq p. 25 Afghanistan: Progress and growing security challenges p. 26 Tajik peacekeepers may soon join UN ranks p. 27 Encouraging dialogue in Georgia p. 27 India and Pakistan continue peace process p. 28 Somalia: Will peacekeepers return? p. 30 UNMIL: Rising optimism as Liberia solidifies peace p. 31 UNMEE: The stalemate continues p. 31 Deadlock in Western Sahara p. 32 Public information: Getting the message out p. 34 Interview with the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno p. 35 UN political missions: Addressing the roots of conflict p. 36 United Nations peacekeeping operations p. 38 United Nations political and peacebuilding missions p. 40 Peacekeeping contributors p. 41 Facts and figures Cover photo: A Moroccan peacekeeper observes as Congolese voters line up for the second round of presidential and provincial elections in Bunia, Ituri district, DRC, 29 October 2006. (MONUC Photo by Martine Perret) INTRODUCTION More UN peacekeepers called into action, even as conflicts continue In the annals of United Nations peace Pressure grew to send peacekeepers to the In Timor-Leste, however, a new peace- operations, 2006 will go down as a Chad/Central African Republic/Sudan keeping operation began after violence in record-breaker in terms of deployment, border region where the Darfur conflict April and May threatened to undo the with just under 100,000 uniformed and threatened to ignite regional war. Mean- progress since independence. Many ar- civilian personnel serving in the field by while the UN’s 10,000 troops deployed in gued that the previous UN mission had the end of the year. South Sudan continued to shore up the left too soon; others believed the UN in- 2005 North-South Comprehensive Peace tervention had not been thorough Behind this unprecedented growth was a Agreement as part of the UN mission in enough to leave behind a stable Govern- series of peace agreements, ceasefires or Khartoum (UNMIS). ment and reconciled population. With cessations of hostilities accomplished with the security situation stabilized for now, UN political and diplomatic support. Elsewhere, UN peace operations helped Timor-Leste looks towards national elec- to protect a fragile peace and provide a “A Chance for a Safer World”announced tions in mid-2007. measure of stability in a variety of com- a January 2007 cover of The Economist, plex, post-conflict situations. Also in the field, UN mediation efforts over a photo of Spanish UN peacekeepers to seek political solutions to prevent grouped in Lebanon under a dozen UN- The high point of the year was perhaps new conflicts from breaking out and blue flags. the surprisingly successful elections in the old ones from flaring up continued in Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Call it peacekeeping, peace-enforce- 2006. UN political missions and peace Commentary about the DRC’s prospects ment, stabilization or anything else, but envoys were active in nearly a dozen as a functioning country and the UN’s one thing is clear: the world’s soldiers are countries, including in the Middle East peacekeeping role there had long been busier than ever operating in the wide and Somalia. pessimistic. But even cynics cheered both grey zone between war and peace,”began Under-Secretary-General for Political an article headlined “Peacekeeping: Call the Congolese and the UN when more Affairs Ibrahim Gambari travelled twice the Blue Helmets.” than 20 million voted in the two rounds of polling. to Myanmar, becoming the only inter- Throughout the year, Jean-Marie national figure to mediate between sen- Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for In Lebanon, soldiers from almost 30 ior Government officials as well as Peacekeeping Operations,raised other flags. countries, including from Europe – opposition figures including Aung San donning Blue Helmets for the first Suu Kyi. Would the UN be able to muster enough time in significant numbers in more troops to meet the demands, which for than 10 years – deployed in record In November, the UN’s mediation ca- current and possible future missions time to the expanded UNIFIL, follow- pacity received further acknowledg- could reach 140,000 personnel? Was ing the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict dur- ment as the Maoists and the there a concomitant political will to make ing the past summer. Government in Nepal reached a historic real peace? Were the Blue Helmets being agreement to lock up arms and share called upon to keep peace where there is On the other hand, the last peacekeepers political space and power. The parties no peace to keep? of a two-year-old mission departed from requested the UN to further assist them Burundi on 31 December, having com- in implementing key aspects of their Both the outgoing Secretary-General, pleted their mandate as scheduled and agreement by means of a political mis- Kofi Annan, and the incoming, Ban Ki- leaving behind democratically elected sion authorized by the Security Council moon, placed Darfur at the top of their local and national structures. The peace- on 23 January 2007. agendas. But at the close of 2006, the keeping operation has been succeeded by agony of Darfur grew worse, and the a UN integrated office which will con- A major gap in the UN peace and secu- pressure on the UN more intense to stop tinue to help the country move past the rity architecture was closed with the es- the fighting and protect the people. The fragile post-conflict stage towards long- tablishment of the Peacebuilding Sudanese Government in Khartoum, term stability. Commission, which in 2006 decided to holding out against concerted interna- focus on Burundi and Sierra Leone as its tional pressure to accept a UN presence In Haiti as well, while street violence con- first countries to support in the wake of in Darfur, slowly seemed to be moving tinued in some neighbourhoods of Port- completed peacekeeping operations. towards agreement that the UN could au-Prince, two rounds of UN-supervised help beef up the 7,000 African Union elections were held and new Government As 2007 opened, the new Secretary-Gen- troops there. In late 2006, the UN began structures established. The UN continues eral had proposed a restructuring of the deploying small numbers of civilians, po- to assist Haiti in providing security for its headquarters peace operations support lice and troops in two phases of support people while seeking ways to promote structure in an effort to better meet the that were expected to culminate in a continued international support for the burgeoning demands on the UN to assist unique UN-AU joint “hybrid”operation. beleaguered nation. countries emerging from conflict. I YEAR IN REVIEW 2006 1 2006: A year of hope for the Congolese people For the Democratic Republic of the To ensure that the elections took place Global and All-Inclusive Agreement of Congo (DRC), 2006 was a pivotal year: under safe and secure circumstances, 2002 which had established a transi- the first democratic elections since the MONUC conducted joint operations tional Government, headed by Joseph country’s independence from Belgium with the national armed forces. It also Kabila and four Vice-Presidents – two of more than 40 years ago were held. After collaborated with the Congolese Gov- them former rebel leaders. two rounds of polling, the results were ernment in reforming the security sec- ultimately respected by the contenders. tor through the creation of an integrated With more than 17,000 peacekeepers This was a success that Congo-watchers national army and disarmament, demo- and some 100 aircraft, MONUC was called miraculous, particularly since the bilization and reintegration (DDR) pro- able to provide vital logistical and tech- DRC had been riven by years of conflict grammes. The mission provided further nical support to the country that which in the past six years has cost some security and assistance to local popula- matches Western Europe in size, but four million lives. tions affected by the grave humanitarian the Kalahari wilderness in infrastruc- situation in the country. ture. MONUC supported the recruit- For the United Nations Organization ment and training of over 250,000 Mission in the DRC (MONUC), 2006 By their approval of the new Constitu- polling agents, and transported over was also a year of major challenges and tion on 18 December 2005, the Con- 3,500 tons of election material from achievements. MONUC assisted the In- golese people manifested their wish for four logistic bases to over 200 destina- dependent Electoral Commission (IEC) democracy and development. In 2006 tions around the country using air- in the organization of the largest and they came out in formidable numbers – craft, boats and other vehicles.
Recommended publications
  • United Nations Infantry Battalion Manual Volume I
    United Nations Infantry Battalion Manual Volume I asdf DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF FIELD SUPPORT AUGUST 2012 United Nations Infantry Battalion Manual Volume I asdf DEPARTMENT OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT OF FIELD SUPPORT AUGUST 2012 The first UN Infantry Battalion was deployed as part of United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF-I). UN infantry soldiers march in to Port Said, Egypt, in December 1956 to assume operational responsibility. asdf ‘The United Nations Infantry Battalion is the backbone of United Nations peacekeeping, braving danger, helping suffering civilians and restoring stability across war-torn societies. We salute your powerful contribution and wish you great success in your life-saving work.’ BAN Ki-moon United Nations Secretary-General United Nations Infantry Battalion Manual ii Preface I am very pleased to introduce the United Nations Infantry Battalion Man- ual, a practical guide for commanders and their staff in peacekeeping oper- ations, as well as for the Member States, the United Nations Headquarters military and other planners. The ever-changing nature of peacekeeping operations with their diverse and complex challenges and threats demand the development of credible response mechanisms. In this context, the military components that are deployed in peacekeeping operations play a pivotal role in maintaining safety, security and stability in the mission area and contribute meaningfully to the achievement of each mission mandate. The Infantry Battalion con- stitutes the backbone of any peacekeeping
    [Show full text]
  • Year in Review 2008
    United Nations Peace Operations YEAR IN2008 REVIEW asdf TABLE OF CONTENTS 12 ] UNMIS helps keep North-South Sudan peace on track 13 ] MINURCAT trains police in Chad, prepares to expand 15 ] After gaining ground in Liberia, UN blue helmets start to downsize 16 ] Progress in Côte d’Ivoire 18 ] UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea is withdrawn 19 ] UNMIN assists Nepal in transition to peace and democracy 20 ] Amid increasing insecurity, humanitarian and political work continues in Somalia 21 ] After nearly a decade in Kosovo, UNMIK reconfigures 23 ] Afghanistan – Room for hope despite challenges 27 ] New SRSG pursues robust UN mandate in electoral assistance, reconstruction and political dialogue in Iraq 29 ] UNIFIL provides a window of opportunity for peace in southern Lebanon 30 ] A watershed year for Timor-Leste 33 ] UN continues political and peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East 35 ] Renewed hope for a solution in Cyprus 37 ] UNOMIG carries out mandate in complex environment 38 ] DFS: Supporting peace operations Children of Tongo, Massi, North Kivu, DRC. 28 March 2008. UN Photo by Marie Frechon. Children of Tongo, 40 ] Demand grows for UN Police 41 ] National staff make huge contributions to UN peace 1 ] 2008: United Nations peacekeeping operations observes 60 years of operations 44 ] Ahtisaari brings pride to UN peace efforts with 2008 Nobel Prize 6 ] As peace in Congo remains elusive, 45 ] Security Council addresses sexual violence as Security Council strengthens threat to international peace and security MONUC’s hand [ Peace operations facts and figures ] 9 ] Challenges confront new peace- 47 ] Peacekeeping contributors keeping mission in Darfur 48 ] United Nations peacekeeping operations 25 ] Peacekeepers lead response to 50 ] United Nations political and peacebuilding missions disasters in Haiti 52 ] Top 10 troop contributors Cover photo: Jordanian peacekeepers rescue children 52 ] Surge in uniformed UN peacekeeping personnel from a flooded orphanage north of Port-au-Prince from1991-2008 after the passing of Hurricane Ike.
    [Show full text]
  • Reputation As a Disciplinarian of International Organizations Kristina Daugirdas University of Michigan Law School, [email protected]
    University of Michigan Law School University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository Articles Faculty Scholarship 2019 Reputation as a Disciplinarian of International Organizations Kristina Daugirdas University of Michigan Law School, [email protected] Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/articles/2035 Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/articles Part of the International Humanitarian Law Commons, Organizations Law Commons, and the Public Law and Legal Theory Commons Recommended Citation Daugirdas, Kristina. "Reputation as a Disciplinarian of International Organizations." Am. J. Int'l L. 113, no. 2 (2019): 221-71. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Articles by an authorized administrator of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Copyright © 2019 by The American Society of International Law doi:10.1017/ajil.2018.122 REPUTATION AS A DISCIPLINARIAN OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS By Kristina Daugirdas* ABSTRACT As a disciplinarian of international organizations, reputation has serious shortcomings. Even though international organizations have strong incentives to maintain a good reputation, reputational concerns will sometimes fail to spur preventive or corrective action. Organizations have multiple audiences, so efforts to preserve a “good” reputation may pull organizations in many different directions, and steps taken to preserve a good reputation will not always be salutary. Recent incidents of sexual violence by UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic illustrate these points. On April 29, 2015, The Guardian published an explosive story based on a leaked UN document.1 The document described allegations against French troops who had been deployed to the Central African Republic pursuant to a mandate established by the Security Council.
    [Show full text]
  • United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook
    United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook UNITED NATIONS FORCE HEADQUARTERS HANDBOOK November 2014 United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook Foreword The United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook aims at providing information that will contribute to the understanding of the functioning of the Force HQ in a United Nations field mission to include organization, management and working of Military Component activities in the field. The information contained in this Handbook will be of particular interest to the Head of Military Component I Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and Force Chief of Staff. The information, however, would also be of value to all military staff in the Force Headquarters as well as providing greater awareness to the Mission Leadership Team on the organization, role and responsibilities of a Force Headquarters. Furthermore, it will facilitate systematic military planning and appropriate selection of the commanders and staff by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Since the launching of the first United Nations peacekeeping operations, we have collectively and systematically gained peacekeeping expertise through lessons learnt and best practices of our peacekeepers. It is important that these experiences are harnessed for the benefit of current and future generation of peacekeepers in providing appropriate and clear guidance for effective conduct of peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping operations have evolved to adapt and adjust to hostile environments, emergence of asymmetric threats and complex operational challenges that require a concerted multidimensional approach and credible response mechanisms to keep the peace process on track. The Military Component, as a main stay of a United Nations peacekeeping mission plays a vital and pivotal role in protecting, preserving and facilitating a safe, secure and stable environment for all other components and stakeholders to function effectively.
    [Show full text]
  • United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook
    United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook UNITED NATIONS FORCE HEADQUARTERS HANDBOOK November 2014 United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook Foreword The United Nations Force Headquarters Handbook aims at providing information that will contribute to the understanding of the functioning of the Force HQ in a United Nations field mission to include organization, management and working of Military Component activities in the field. The information contained in this Handbook will be of particular interest to the Head of Military Component I Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and Force Chief of Staff. The information, however, would also be of value to all military staff in the Force Headquarters as well as providing greater awareness to the Mission Leadership Team on the organization, role and responsibilities of a Force Headquarters. Furthermore, it will facilitate systematic military planning and appropriate selection of the commanders and staff by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Since the launching of the first United Nations peacekeeping operations, we have collectively and systematically gained peacekeeping expertise through lessons learnt and best practices of our peacekeepers. It is important that these experiences are harnessed for the benefit of current and future generation of peacekeepers in providing appropriate and clear guidance for effective conduct of peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping operations have evolved to adapt and adjust to hostile environments, emergence of asymmetric threats and complex operational challenges that require a concerted multidimensional approach and credible response mechanisms to keep the peace process on track. The Military Component, as a main stay of a United Nations peacekeeping mission plays a vital and pivotal role in protecting, preserving and facilitating a safe, secure and stable environment for all other components and stakeholders to function effectively.
    [Show full text]
  • Protecting Civilians in the Context of UN Peacekeeping Operations
    About this publication Since 1999, an increasing number of United Nations peacekeeping missions have been expressly mandated to protect civilians. However, they continue to struggle to turn that ambition into reality on the ground. This independent study examines the drafting, interpretation, and implementation of such mandates over the last 10 years and takes stock of the successes and setbacks faced in this endeavor. It contains insights and recommendations for the entire range of United Nations protection actors, including the Security Council, troop and police contributing countries, the Secretariat, and the peacekeeping operations implementing protection of civilians mandates. Protecting Civilians in the Context Protecting Civilians in the Context the Context in Civilians Protecting This independent study was jointly commissioned by the Department of Peace keeping Opera- Operations Peacekeeping UN of tions and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations. of UN Peacekeeping Operations Front cover images (left to right): Spine images (top to bottom): The UN Security Council considers the issue of the pro­ A member of the Indian battalion of MONUC on patrol, 2008. Successes, Setbacks and Remaining Challenges tection of civilians in armed conflict, 2009. © UN Photo/Marie Frechon. © UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz). Members of the Argentine battalion of the United Nations Two Indonesian members of the African Union–United Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) assist an elderly Nations Hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) patrol as woman, 2008. © UN Photo/Logan Abassi. women queue to receive medical treatment, 2009. © UN Photo/Olivier Chassot. Back cover images (left to right): Language: ENGLISH A woman and a child in Haiti receive emergency rations Sales #: E.10.III.M.1 from the UN World Food Programme, 2008.
    [Show full text]
  • United Nations Development Action Framework 2013-17
    INDIA UNDAF United Nations Development Action Framework 2013-2017 Cover Photo Credit: UNICEF and UNHCR Copyright: United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office Formulated in 2011, printed in June 2012 INDIA UNDAF United Nations Development Action Framework 2013-2017 India UNDAF UnitedIndia UNDAF Nations UnitedDevelopment Nations Action Development Framework Action 2013-2017 Framework 2013-2017 2 Photo Credit: UNICEF India UNDAF United Nations Development Action Framework 2013-2017 Contents Foreword 4 India UNDAF 2013-2017 6 Executive Summary 7 1. Context 12 1.1 The UNDAF Formulation Process 12 1.2 Country Assessment 13 1.3 Lessons Learned from UNDAF 2008-12 18 1.4 The Comparative Advantage of the UN in India 19 1.5 The Vision and Mission of the UNDAF 20 1.6 Context and Focus of the UNDAF 21 2. The UNDAF Outcomes 22 2.1 Outcome 1: Inclusive Growth 22 2.2 Outcome 2: Food and Nutrition Security 30 2.3 Outcome 3: Gender Equality 34 2.4 Outcome 4: Equitable Access to Quality Basic Services [Health; Education; HIV and AIDS; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)] 40 2.5 Outcome 5: Governance 50 2.6 Outcome 6: Sustainable Development 54 3. Programme Implementation and Operations Management 60 3.1 Geographical Focus 60 3.2 Partnerships 61 3.3 Programme Management 61 3.4 Monitoring 63 3.5 Evaluation 64 3.6 Operations Management 64 4. Resource Requirements 66 Annexures Annexure 1: International Covenants/Conventions/Treaties Ratified/Acceded/Signed by India 68 Annexure 2: Terms of Reference for Programme Management Team (PMT) 70 Annexure 3: Terms of
    [Show full text]
  • Libya and the Danish Way Of
    106 Good News: Libya and the Danish Way of War Peter Viggo Jakobsen and Karsten Jakob Møller1 DANISH FOREIGN POLICY YEARBOOK 2012 FOREIGN POLICY DANISH ‘I have good news’ – this is how a smiling Danish Minister of Foreign Af- fairs Espersen announced the decision to send F-16 fighter jets to Libya to the media.2 No one batted an eyelid. The notion that it was good news that Denmark was going to war was almost universally shared. All parties in parliament, all major news outlets and 78% of the population applauded the decision. This level of public support was the highest polled among the nations participating in the initial phase of the air campaign.3 This appetite for war should come as no surprise. It had already been evi- dent during the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) air war over Kosovo in 1999 when the Danes also topped the polls conducted among NATO member states, and news late in the campaign that Danish F-16s had dropped bombs on Serbian targets was greeted with pride and joy.4 It is also visible in the fact that Danes remain the top supporters of NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, even though Denmark, with 42 soldiers killed, has suffered the highest number of casualties per capita.5 This was further underlined in early 2012 when Danes were the strongest supporters of launching a ground invasion in order to stop the Iranian nuclear program.6 This demonstrates Denmark’s remarkable journey from Venus to Mars, as Kagan would have put it.7 From the defeat to Prussia in 1864 till the end of the Cold War, Denmark resided on Venus with a defence and security policy that was characterized by a peacekeeping and mediation approach.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Frontline: Youth, Peace and Security
    Youth, Peace On the Frontline: and Security Report 14 This report is written by Kjersti Kanestrøm Lie Editor: Ingvill Breivik Design and illustration: Kristoffer Nilsen [saftogvann.com] Translation: Camilla Lorentzen The report is funded by Norad (the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) 2 Youth is the most important weapon for peace In December 2015, the Security Council of an overarching principle. The fact that the the United Nations (UN) passed the resolu- Security Council passed this resolution is a tion 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security. This victory for young peace activists worldwide. is the first ever resolution by the UN on peace It gives clear measures to decision makers on keeping and security policy where young peo- how youth should be included in peace and ple are placed at the centre. It challenges the security work. Now the politicians need to way we think about youth in conflict, from follow up the work. being a problem, to being the main solution More than one year has passed since the in creating a more peaceful world. resolution was approved, and implementa- “The greatest strength is that it [the tion efforts have slowly started, but not as resolution] comes from young people fast as they should.With this report, LNU themselves” says Libyan Hajer Sharief in an wishes to put the resolution further up on the interview in this report. In 2017 Sharief won agenda in Norway and contribute to 2250 the Student Peace Prize, and has been one of being followed up by decision makers natio- the young people central to the efforts that nally, regionally and internationally.
    [Show full text]
  • Meld. St. 33 (2011–2012) Report to the Storting (White Paper)
    Meld. St. 33 (2011–2012) Report to the Storting (white paper) Published by: Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Norway and the United Nations: Common Future, Internet address: www.government.no Common Solutions Cover design: Anna Maria Pirolt/Felix Media Printed by: 07 Aurskog AS 03/2013 ER JØM KE IL T M 2 4 9 1 7 3 Trykksak Cover photo: Row 1: 1. Giacomo Pirozzi/ UNICEF, 2. Guri Dahl/ tinagent.com, 3. Victoria Hazou/ UN Photo, 4. Albert Gonzales Farran/ UN Photo, 5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Row 3: 1. Johan Wildhagen/ Innovation Norway, 2. John Isaac/ UN Photo Row 4: 1. Bernadino Soares/ UN Poto, 2. Eskinder Debebe/ UN Photo Row 5: 1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Row 6: 1. Jacob Silberberg/Panos Pictures /Felix Features, 2. UN Photo/Joao Araujo Row 7: 1. Sigrun Agøy Engum/ Norway UN, 2. Marco Dormino/ UN Photo Meld. St. 33 (2011–2012) Report to the Storting (white paper) Norway and the United Nations: Common Future, Common Solutions Contents Summary ......................................................... 5 3 The international legal order, human rights and gender 1 Vision and values ....................... 10 equality .......................................... 41 1.1 Norway and the United Nations .. 10 3.1 The international legal order ........ 41 1.1.1 Norway’s UN policy in a 3.1.1 The normative role of the UN ...... 41 changing world .............................. 10 3.1.2 Compliance with international 1.1.2 A well-equipped toolbox: the UN’s law .................................................... 42 many roles and functions .............. 11 3.1.3 The UN and the Law of the Sea .... 43 1.1.3 The shifting balance of power – 3.2 Human rights .................................
    [Show full text]
  • ERI 2/2021 19 April 2021
    PALAIS DES NATIONS • 1211 GENEVA 10, SWITZERLAND Mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; the Special Rapporteur on the right to food; the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non- discrimination in this context; the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and the Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation REFERENCE: AL ERI 2/2021 19 April 2021 Excellency, We have the honour to address you in our capacity as Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea; Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Special Rapporteur on the right to food; Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non- discrimination in this context; Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, pursuant to Human Rights Council resolutions 42/22, 44/1, 44/5, 32/8, 43/14, 41/15, 44/4 and 42/5. In this connection, we would like to bring to the attention of your Excellency’s Government information we have received concerning allegations related to violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed by the Eritrean Army in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, including deliberate attacks against civilians and summary executions, indiscriminate attacks, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, destruction and looting of civilian property and displacement.
    [Show full text]
  • Red Lines: Upheaval and Containment in the Horn of Africa
    Red Lines: Upheaval and Containment in the Horn of Africa This is the final part in a series of three analysis features covering unrest in Sudan. The first in the series — Riders on the Storm — explored the dynamics and agendas which resulted in the Juba Peace ​ Agreement. The second — Danse Macabre — examined the origins of the uprising in Sudan and its ​ trajectory following the coup of April 2019. This final analysis situates Sudan’s current upheaval in the context of the Horn of Africa, and extends the scope of analysis to encompass conflict in Ethiopia and the region. Introduction Since 2018, the Horn of Africa has made headlines for a series of dramatic developments. Following years of protests in the restive Oromia region, a power transition took place in Ethiopia in April 2018.In December of that year, anti-government demonstrations began. This culminated in a coup in April 2019 which was greenlit by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Gallopin, 2020). A dubious peace deal was reached in South Sudan in September of 2018 at the ​ ​ insistence of Sudan and Uganda, months after Saudi Arabia and the UAE brokered a peace agreement in Ethiopia and Eritrea in July (see Woldemariam, 2018; Watson, 2019). ​ ​ ​ ​ Events in the Horn have not proceeded entirely smoothly since these changes, despite initial optimism that a more pluralistic form of politics led by civilians would take root in Sudan and Ethiopia. Sudan’s military and paramilitary forces have cast an increasingly long shadow over the supposed transition underway in the country, while growing tensions between Ethiopia’s new administration and its former rulers — the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) — led to fears of civil war, as disorder spread to several parts of the country (see International Crisis Group, ​ 2020a).
    [Show full text]