asdf - United Nations Peacekeeping · YEAR IN REVIEW 2005 1 For UN peacekeeping, 2005 was in many ways a banner year. After having launched four new opera-tions in 2004 and the Sudan

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Produced by the Peace and Security Section of the United Nations Department of Public InformationDPI/2420 — February 2006 — 10M

For more information on United Nations peace operations,visit the United Nations website at

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1 2005: A good year for peacekeeping operations

2 UN establishes the Peacebuilding Commission

3 Sierra Leone: A success story in peacekeeping

4 Liberia: Elections mark a historic turning point

6 Burundi: A major breakthrough in peacekeeping

7 Haiti: MINUSTAH prepares for overdue elections

9 Côte d’Ivoire: Peace efforts move on despite a succession of delays

11 Sudan: New mission deploys, provides assistance to the African Union in Darfur

12 DR Congo: Robust posture hastens political process

14 Kosovo: Status talks get underway

15 Ethiopia-Eritrea: Political stalemate continues amid rising tension

16 Georgia: UNOMIG police mark two years

17 Other DPKO-led missions

18 Afghanistan: Beyond the Bonn Agreement

19 Iraq: UNAMI underpins the transitional political process

20 UNSCO mediates, coordinates UN work in the Middle-East

20 Political missions

21 DPKO stresses conduct and a duty of care

22 Gender in peacekeeping: An evolving field of practice

24 UN peacekeeping missions

26 UN political and peace-building missions

28 Peacekeeping contributions

29 Peacekeeping 2005 in a snap shot

Introduction

Major peacekeeping operations

Other peace operations

Challenges in peace operations

Peace operations facts and figures

TABLE OF CONTENTS

YEAR IN REVIEW 2005 1

For UN peacekeeping, 2005 was inmany ways a banner year.

After having launched four new opera-tions in 2004 and the Sudan mission in2005, the Department of PeacekeepingOperations (DPKO) was, at its peakduring the year, directing 18 peaceoperations across the world, compris-ing some 85,000 troops, police andcivilian personnel and directly affectingsome 200 million men, women andchildren in host countries.

The Department of Political Affairs(DPA) also led eight special politicalmissions and peacebuilding supportoffices in West and Central Africa,Central Asia, Iraq and the Middle East.

As the expression of the collective willof the international community toassist societies moving from armedconflict to peace, peacekeeping contin-ued to grow in scope and complexity.

New missions tackled a range of com-plex and multidisciplinary tasks includ-ing disarming combatants, organizingdemocratic elections, building localpolice and security capacities, restoringpublic order, running public adminis-

trations, monitoring human rights andshoring up fragile peace agreements.

During the same year, two externalreports credited UN peace operationswith a quantifiable reduction ininternational conflict and war-relat-ed deaths.

A number of major milestones wereachieved in 2005: a large peace supportoperation began deployment in Sudanto bolster the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement signed in March betweennorth and south Sudan. Missions led byDPKO and DPA supported the organi-zation of landmark elections inAfghanistan, Burundi, Liberia, Iraq andthe Democratic Republic of the Congo,which held its first democratic vote infour decades, during which the popula-tion approved a draft constitution.Plans for parliamentary elections inHaiti and in the DRC were in the worksfor early 2006.

Two peacekeeping operations closed—in Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste—having successfully achieved their man-dates to solidify peace and help expandand strengthen the authority of demo-cratically elected governments. New

integrated mission offices with man-dates of longer-term peacebuilding areunder way in both those countries.

In Kosovo, the UN peacekeeping oper-ation worked to hold the local adminis-tration to standards of governance toprepare for talks on final status whichwere to begin in early 2006. In the DRC,UN troops, in a series of operations,progressed dramatically toward restor-ing stability in Eastern Congo. In Côted’Ivoire, the mission wrestled with seri-ous challenges to the peace agreementof 2003, but a crisis was averted whenall parties accepted Charles KonanBanny as interim prime minister inDecember. In Georgia, the UN observ-er mission continued to monitor theceasefire and promote a political settle-ment of the conflict.

Regrettably,no progress was made in over-coming the deadlock in Western Sahara,and stalemate persisted in the peaceprocess between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Other long-standing UN operationsremained on the ground in the MiddleEast, India and Pakistan and Cyprus,continuing to provide much neededstability in their areas of operation.

Nearly two dozen countries contributeduniformed personnel for the first timeto UN peace operations, bringing thetotal number of troop and police con-tributing countries to 107, withBangladesh the largest troop contribu-tor by the end of the year (9,758troops), and the U.S. the largest finan-cial contributor, accounting for 27 per-cent of peacekeeping’s $5.03 billionbudget for July 2005 through June 2006.

The need for long-term efforts tomaintain sustainable peace convincedUN Member States at the 2005 Summitto create a Peacebuilding Commission,an advisory body which will work tocoordinate and ensure long-term inter-national commitments to countriesemerging from conflict.

INTRODUCTION

2005: A good year for peacekeeping operations

Cibitoke woman voting in Burundi election, 7 April 2005

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The roles of peacekeepers also grew morecomplex and risky in 2005: robust peace-keeping, including military operations toprotect civilians in the DRC and Haiti,also cost lives: 121 peacekeepers died onmission in 2005, including nineBangladeshi soldiers killed in an ambushin the DRC in February.

The peacekeeping community alsoconfronted the ugly specter of sexualexploitation and abuse by peacekeep-ers, which Under-Secretary-GeneralJean-Marie Guéhenno has called “oneof the most shameful episodes in UNpeacekeeping.” Enforcing theSecretary-General’s zero tolerancepolicy on sexual exploitation andabuse became a major priority forDPKO and the entire Organizationduring 2005, which began implement-ing a wide range recommendationsproposed by the Secretary-General’sspecial advisor on the issue, Jordan’sPrince Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein.

The UN Secretariat continued toimprove its capacity to deploy peace-keeping operations immediately upon apeace agreement. Although proposals fora reserve military force did not winMember States’ approval at the 2005World Summit, its Outcome Documentdid authorize the creation of a standing,on-call police capacity.

Peacekeeping missions became increas-ingly “integrated” during the past year,with Deputy Special Representatives ofthe Secretary-General in several missionsdoubling as UN Resident Coordinators,ensuring that the humanitarian anddevelopment aspects of a post-conflict sit-uation—and the relevant UN agencies—were progressively better coordinatedwith the peacekeeping operation.

Two major studies in 2005—one by theUS’ Rand Corporation and another bythe University of British Columbia—credited UN peace operations withhelping to reduce conflict and build

stable nations. The Human SecurityReport, wrote one of its UBC authors,showed that the UN has “played a criti-cal role in enhancing global security.”

The International Crisis Group in itsend of the year “CrisisWatch” cited fourconflict situations that had improved atthe end of 2005: three of these were thesites of UN peace operations—theDRC, Côte d’Ivoire and Afghanistan.

During a year of growth and renewedreliance on UN peace operations, theUN’s objective has been to improve itscapacities to deploy quickly and effi-ciently, fulfill its mandates with aunique range of expertise and a “dutyof care” for the host population andcreate an effective and cost-efficientbasis for sustainable peace. Facing newand ever growing challenges, theOrganization will continue the imple-mentation of reforms aimed at furtherimproving the way it plans, deploys andsustains peace operations. n

2

UN establishes Peacebuilding CommissionAs a major outcome of reform initiatives endorsed by world leaders at the September Summit, the General Assemblyestablished a new Peacebuilding Commission on 20 December to help rebuild and stabilize countries emerging from con-flict. As studies have shown that up to half those countries can relapse into conflict within five years of a peace agreement,this decision could mark a watershed in UN efforts to help states and societies manage the difficult transition from warto peace.

The Commission will for the first time bring together all the major actors concerned with a country emerging from con-flict to decide on a long-term peacebuilding strategy. By establishing a link between immediate post-conflict efforts on theone hand and long-term recovery and development efforts on the other, it will fill a previously existing gap in the UN sys-tem. The Commission will focus attention on reconstruction and institution-building and improve coordination withinand outside the UN system so that international attention does not wane during the crucial post-conflict years.

The Commission, an advisory body, will be made up of 31 members: seven from the Security Council, including thefive permanent members; another seven from the Economic and Social Council; five from the top 10 financial contrib-utors to the United Nations; and five from the 10 nations that supply the most troops for peacekeeping missions. Sevenothers will be chosen to ensure geographical balance by regional groupings. Representatives of the World Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund and other institutional donors will be expected to attend meetings. Authorities of thecountry under consideration by the Commission – as well as its neighbors – will also play an active role in the process.

The idea for a Peacebuilding Commission evolved from the perceived need at the UN for a coordinated, coherent andintegrated approach to post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation. The Commission is expected to address the spe-cial needs of individual countries emerging from conflict and to help prevent future conflicts by helping parties to endhostilities and work towards recovery, reconstruction and development and in mobilizing international assistance.

The Commission will be supported by a small Peacebuilding Support Office, which will provide the Commission with theinformation and analysis needed to coordinate UN's peacebuilding efforts.


The UN Mission in Sierra Leone(UNAMSIL) completed its mandate inDecember, ending six years of peace-keeping in the country. UNAMSIL’sachievements may serve as a model forsuccessful peacekeeping, as well as aprototype for the UN’s new emphasison peacebuilding.

In 1999, UN peacekeepers moved intoSierra Leone to oversee a feeble peaceprocess which included monitoring ashaky ceasefire and supporting atransition to democratic governance.Since then, the UN has helped thewar-ravaged country to make impres-sive gains towards peace, demonstrat-ing how the world body can respondto the needs and demands of coun-tries emerging from conflict in a rap-idly changing global environment.

Over the course of its mandate, the UNdisarmed more than 75,000 ex-fighters,including about 7,000 child soldiers;assisted in holding national and localgovernment elections, which enabledpeople to participate in decisions thataffected their daily lives; helped torebuild the country’s police force to itspre-war strength and contributed

towards rehabilitating the infrastruc-ture and bringing government servicesto local communities.

The UN also helped the governmentstop illicit trading in diamonds andregulate the industry. During the war,rebels had used money from “blood” or“conflict” diamonds to buy weaponswhich then fuelled the conflict. Nowdiamonds have become an engine ofgrowth, with government income fromdiamonds soaring from just $10 mil-lion in 2000 to $160 million in 2004,according the International MonetaryFund figures.

UNAMSIL was not always foreseen tosucceed: at one point, in May 2000, themission nearly collapsed when the rebelRevolutionary United Front (RUF) kid-napped hundreds of peacekeepers andrenounced the ceasefire in a move thatendangered the credibility of UNpeacekeeping. Outraged by the chaosthat followed, the international com-munity put pressure on the rebels toobey the ceasefire and slapped sanc-tions against RUF sponsors.Subsequently, UNAMSIL launched newmediation efforts and brought the two

adversaries back to the negotiationtable. It brought in more troops tomonitor the ceasefire and began dis-arming fighters from both sides. TheUnited Kingdom, which had sent aforce to restore peace following RUF’sbreach of the ceasefire, later startedrestructuring the army while UNAM-SIL and other international partnersconcentrated on training the localpolice force.

UNAMSIL’s withdrawal marked thecompletion of most of the tasksassigned it by the Security Council. Themission assisted the voluntary return ofmore than half a million refugees andinternally displaced persons. It helpedthe government restore its authorityand social services in areas previouslycontrolled by rebels, recruited andtrained about 4,000 police personnelwith the help of a team of officers fromCommonwealth countries, and con-structed and renovated dozens ofpolice stations. Meanwhile, the UKcontinued to assist the governmentrestructure the army.

UNAMSIL monitored and traineddozens of Sierra Leoneans in humanrights and was instrumental in settingup the Special Court for Sierra Leone totry those most responsible for warcrimes. The mission also assisted thegovernment in setting up a Truth andReconciliation Commission, taskedwith healing the wounds of war bybringing together perpetrators and vic-tims of atrocities.

Working together with UN agencies,the mission launched quick-impactand income-generating projects to pro-vide jobs to thousands of unemployedyouths and ex-fighters and basic servic-es to local communities. UNAMSILtroops reconstructed schools and clin-ics, launched and funded agriculturalprojects and sponsored free medicalclinics in far-flung areas.

As a sign of continued internationalcommunity confidence in the future of

MAJOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

Sierra Leone: A success story in peacekeeping

Vehicles are loaded onto the Ukranian freighter “Kataryn Zelenko,” departing Sierra Leone –12 October 2005

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Sierra Leone, donors pledged $800million in aid at a conference held inLondon in November to raise moneyfor development. Economic revival isalso being boosted by returningrefugees and other displaced personseager to rebuild their communities.Former ghost towns like Kono andTongo Fields are now havens of com-mercial activities, as diamond-produc-ing areas attract thousands of youngpeople. Since 2002, the economy hasexpanded at an average of about 7 per-cent, and the IMF predicts futuregrowth of 6-7 per cent per year if thepolitical and economic situationremains stable.

Despite the optimism over the gainsUNAMSIL has brought, Sierra Leonestill faces many challenges: the coun-try remains fragile, and as the Truthand Reconciliation Commissionwarned, it has to take concrete steps toaddress the root causes of the conflictand cultivate a culture of humanrights in order for peace to be sustain-able. The economy is heavily depend-ent on donor funds. A disproportion-ate share of income from diamondmining still finds its way into privatehands, rather than Government cof-fers. Despite ongoing reintegrationprogrammes, thousands of ex-com-batants and youths – many of whomnever went to school – are unem-ployed. In short, the peace has yet toproduce tangible economic dividendsand social benefits for the majority ofthe country’s 4.8 million people.

To help meet these challenges, the newlycreated UN Integrated Office for SierraLeone (UNIOSIL) was to take overfrom UNAMSIL beginning in January2006. Its mandate is to cementUNAMSIL’s gains. The new office willhelp the Government strengthen humanrights, realize the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, improve trans-parency and hold free and fair electionsin 2007. It will also work together withother UN agencies and missions in thesub-region and provide security for theSpecial Court. n

Liberians made history in Novemberwhen they voted into office Africa’s firstelected woman head of state, EllenJohnson-Sirleaf, under the watchful eyeof UN peacekeepers. The elections,described by international observers asgenerally free and fair, marked animportant landmark in the struggle forpeace in this war-ravaged country aspeople opted for ballots over bullets.

The 11 October national elections andthe subsequent presidential run-off on8 November, which pitted Johnson-Sirleaf, a former World Bank economistand George Weah, a one-time FIFAInternational Footballer of the Year,were the result of a peace process thatbegan with the signing of theComprehensive Peace Agreement inAugust 2003, bringing to an end a 14-year civil war that had turned a onceprosperous country into one of theworld’s poorest.

Voter turnout was overwhelming. Inthe first round, 75 percent of the 1.35million registered voters showed up atthe polls, with the figure droppingslightly in the run-off presidential elec-tions, which Johnson-Sirleaf won con-

vincingly, taking 60 per cent of the totalvotes cast. The huge voter turnout wasa rousing testimony to the people’sdesire for peace and an end to the cycleof violence and instability.

The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL),with a 15,000-strong peacekeepingforce, played a critical role in all facetsof the elections. It provided theNational Elections Commission(NEC), which conducted the elections,with technical advice and gave exten-sive logistical assistance, which enabledthe NEC to cover all parts of the coun-try in the face of a destroyed infrastruc-ture and virtually no means of commu-nication. UNMIL provided securitythroughout the elections process.Despite security concerns as well as lackof accommodation and office space inareas where electoral staff weredeployed, UNMIL gradually overcamethese difficulties, setting up electoraloffices throughout the country.

Due to the high illiteracy rate in thecountry, the next major challenge waseducating the electorate on registeringto vote and then on voting in the elec-tions. Civic educators fanned out to

Liberia: Elections mark historicturning point

Liberians count ballots after polls closed, Monrovia, Liberia, 10 November 2005

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all parts of the country equipped withflip charts, flyers and posters explain-ing the voting process. So did culturalgroups (musicians, dancers andcomedians), entertaining village andtownspeople while at the same timeconveying crucial messages. Sportingevents organized by UNMIL, especial-ly football matches, and major musi-cal concerts with artists from Liberiaand neighbouring countries attractedlarge crowds, offering a perfect settingfor passing on critical messages.UNMIL distributed thousands of T-shirts, flyers and posters depictingelection messages.

Throughout the process, the Mission’s24-hour radio station filled Liberia’sairwaves with information and educa-tional messages, galvanizing the popu-lation to welcome the elections as anopportunity to chart a new course forthe country. Skits, drama performanc-es, live audience and magazine shows,talks and discussions as well as featuresand documentaries were among thedaily fare.

Despite the numerous challengesfaced by electoral officials, the regis-tration exercise was completed with arecord 1.35 million voters, half ofwhom were women, out of a popula-tion of an estimated 3 million. Theyincluded more than 61,000 internallydisplaced persons.

For the elections, UNMIL hired andtrained thousands of Liberian pollworkers as crowd controllers, identifi-cation officers, ballot paper issuers,ballot box controllers and inkproviders to assist at the 3,070 pollingplaces scattered across the country. Itwas a daunting task, made more chal-lenging by the high illiteracy rate, par-ticularly in rural areas.

UNMIL’s peacekeepers helped moveelection materials to polling placesacross the country by truck, helicopterand even ship to coastal areas thatcould not be reached by land. In someareas, porters carried ballots for milesin wheel barrows. The peacekeepers,

along with the Mission’s police officersand the local police force trained byUNMIL, also kept round-the-clockvigil to maintain a secure environmenton the election days.

On 11 October, voters began queuingas early as 2 a.m. to cast their ballotsat polling stations set up in churches,schools, dilapidated public buildingsand even tents and rural huts. Somecarried benches to sit on and umbrel-las to shield themselves from rain andsun. Queues spilled out of the votingprecincts winding through streets.More than 3,500 national and 421international observers, includingformer US President Jimmy Carter,who monitored Liberia’s first post-war elections, endorsed the exerciseas free and fair.

“At all polling places I visited, I wasstruck by the patience, the determina-tion, and the friendliness displayed byall Liberians as they set about exercisingthis most precious right and responsi-bility,” said Alan Doss, head of UNMILand UN Secretary-General’s Special

Representative, after visiting pollingstations across the country.

By ushering in participatory democra-cy through free and fair elections,Liberia has turned a new page in its his-tory. For a country that has known onlywar for a long time, this was is anextraordinary political breakthrough,and a tribute to the international rescueoperation led by the UN.

However, the economic challenges in2006 facing Liberians are enormous.The national budget has shrunk to afraction of its pre-war levels. Liberiaowes about $3 billion in foreign debt.Four in five Liberians are unemployed.The infrastructure is so badly damagedthat even the capital Monrovia has hadno piped water or electricity for morethan a decade. It will take huge interna-tional investments to rebuild the coun-try. And no one appreciates the magni-tude of the problem more than its newlyelected leader, who spent most of hercareer helping other countries developtheir economies. Her country is now inurgent need of her experience. n

Villagers read instructional material during pre-election sensitization, Madikoma, Liberia,16 September 2005

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The UN’s work in Burundi in 2005may be considered a success in peace-keeping and a vital demonstration ofthe importance of strong and sus-tained international support for a nas-cent post-conflict democracy.Established in June 2004 to support apolitical transition to an era of democ-racy and national reconciliation, theUN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) in2005 conducted intense electoral assis-tance activities culminating in thepresidential election of 19 August.

An ambitious electoral timetable wasdrawn up by the IndependentNational Electoral Commission at therequest of the Great Lakes RegionalPeace Initiative on Burundi, a groupof mediators which includes, amongothers, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwandaand the Democratic Republic of theCongo. The Burundian electoralmarathon comprised six separateelections over a period of sevenmonths, beginning with a constitu-tional referendum in February andending in September with elections atthe village level.

During the period of elections, ONUBprovided support for the electoralprocess in the form of logistics, trans-port of ballot boxes and papersthroughout the country, and votereducation through public informa-tion activities.

While the western part of the countrycontinued to be affected by repeatedattacks by the Palipehutu-FNL (Forcesde Liberation Nationale) rebels, theUN helped with the organization ofthe first elections since 1993. Aftertwelve years of civil war which causedgreat suffering, the population wasdetermined to participate and turnedout massively in February, votingoverwhelmingly in favour of the post-transition constitution. Out of 3.3million registered voters, 92 per centexercised their civil right, with 90 percent casting a “yes” vote.

Three months later, on 3 June, votersagain turned out in large numbers,giving a landslide victory to PierreNkurunziza’s Conseil National pour laDéfense de la Démocratie-Forces pourla Défense de la Démocratie (CNDD-FDD) in the communal elections,which won 93 of the 129 communes.

On 4 July, voters once again went tothe polls to elect members of theNational Assembly. On 29 July, anelectoral college of commune andprovincial councils indirectly electedmembers of the Senate. Lawmakerswere also selected in order to ensure abalance in the gender and ethnic rep-resentation in the Parliament, asrequired under the constitution. Fourof the country’s former heads of state,and representatives from the Hutu,Tutsi and Twa ethnic communitieswere amongst the selected senators.

On 19 August, a joint session of mem-bers of the National Assembly and theSenate overwhelmingly elected PierreNkurunziza of the CNDD-FDD as the

new President of Burundi. The last inthe series of elections was conductedat the village level in September.

The success of the peace process led toan influx of some 55,000 Burundianrefugees in 2005 – mainly fromTanzania, and thousands of internallydisplaced persons also returned totheir communities of origin. UNagencies made significant contribu-tions to help the country address thisnew challenge. The UN refugeeagency, UNHCR, supported thereturns and rehabilitated and builtschools, houses and health centres.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)provided assistance such as stationery toschools; the World Food Programme(WFP) opened school canteens, contin-ued food-for-work projects and provid-ed food aid to vulnerable populations inthe northern provinces, where therewere food shortages.

ONUB’s activities have included: sup-porting the disarmament and demobi-

Burundi: A major breakthrough in peacekeeping

CNDD-FDD man surrendering his weapons to the UN registration desk, near Macamba,Burundi, 3 February 2005

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lization of combatants; protection ofhuman rights and strengthening thepolice and judiciary. Through its quickimpact projects, the mission hasaddressed some local needs by build-ing community centres and schoolsand providing assistance to needy chil-dren and former child soldiers.

With the establishment of a democrati-cally-elected Government, ONUB’smandate is to change during 2006. Agradual withdrawal of peacekeepers,which began in December, is expectedto continue. However, nationwide peacecontinues to be elusive, since thePalipehutu-FNL rebel group had yet toagree to a ceasefire and to commencepeace talks.

Meanwhile, the new Government hasto grapple with the daunting tasks ofrebuilding an economy left in sham-bles by the decade-long, war and rec-onciling ethnic communities tornapart by the fratricidal conflict anddeep-rooted mistrust.

It must work to integrate the coun-try’s economic and social fabric,resettle the massive influx of refugeesencouraged to return home by theprospects of peace, provide employ-ment to former combatants and gar-diens de la paix, and find resources todeliver on the promise of free pri-mary education for all.

Most of these challenges can be metonly with the continued assistance ofthe international community. To con-solidate the gains of the peaceprocess, ONUB will continue work-ing closely with the new government,focusing its activities on promotinghuman rights and helping to establisha National Truth and ReconciliationCommission, a vital step in the pro-moting national reconciliation.

It will also help train the nationalpolice force and assist security sectorreform. The Burundi Partners Forumwill also play an important role inmobilizing international support forBurundi’s nascent democracy. n

Despite progress achieved in preparingfor elections and in establishing a safe andsecure environment, the TransitionalGovernment and the UN StabilizationMission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) were con-fronted with serious political and securitychallenges during 2005. State institutionsremained generally weak; and lack ofresources continued to hinder localauthorities from functioning smoothly,with negative effects on the State’s credi-bility. In some areas, disbanded localauthorities remained in place, and vio-lence by criminal gangs continued.

While throughout the year electoralpreparations were faced with substantialtechnical difficulties and several post-ponements of the election dates, the reg-istration of parties, candidates and vot-ers included a relatively wide range ofHaitian political opinion. This enhancedthe credibility of the electoral processand the possibilities for a broad debateregarding the future of Haiti.

Remarkably, the registration of voterswas a resounding success. Over a periodstretching for five months, more than 3.5

million Haitians, out of an estimatedmaximum 4.5 million eligible voters,registered to vote in the elections at the450 centres established nationwide,including in the slum of Cité Soleil.

The registration of 35 presidentialcandidates and 42 political partiesgives an idea of the breadth of theHaitian political spectrum. Their par-ticipation in the electoral processsymbolised the commitment by amajority of Haitians to take part inthe democratic process. Recognizingthe importance of dialogue amongdifferent political parties, MINUS-TAH succeeded in getting politicalparties to agree on codes of conductagainst corruption and not to use vio-lence for political purposes.

The Provisional Electoral Councilannounced in late November that itwas again postponing the country’sfirst elections since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced out ofoffice in February 2004. The Councilcalled for presidential and legislativeelections, to be held in early 2006, to be

MINUSTAH's Office of Public Information and the Electoral Assistance Section hold a sessionat the Petionville High School for teenagers in order to introduce and discuss the upcomingelections. Students read pamphlets describing MINUSTAH's role in Haiti, 11 December 2005

Haiti: MINUSTAH prepares foroverdue elections

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followed by a possible run-off inFebruary and local and municipal elec-tions in March. The Prime Ministerannounced that the TransitionalGovernment would resign on 7February, but would carry out ongoingbusiness until the naming of a newPrime Minister [elections were held on7 February, 2006].

The different postponements in theelectoral calendar were the result anarray of factors ranging from thecrumbling infrastructure in thecountry to the weaknesses of theProvisional Electoral Council (CEP).The latter, however, were largelyaddressed through the appointmentin October of a Director-Generaland the adoption of a decree spellingout the division of responsibilitieswithin it.

Throughout 2005, MINUSTAH wasproviding extensive logistical andtechnical assistance to the CEP inorganizing the elections with a view toensure the credibility of the process.By the end of the year, the mission haddeployed dozens of senior trainers inthe provinces to train 1,325 electoralagents and 809 polling station super-visors. The electoral agents, in turn,were expected to train over 37,000polling station personnel.

Hundreds of electoral observers fromdifferent international organizationsand countries had started arriving inHaiti, expecting to contribute to theconduct of free and fair elections.Their presence, alongside local elec-tion observers, was to help to prevent,report and correct election irregulari-ties, particularly given concerns overpossible links between political par-ties and armed groups, questions overthe independence of electoral work-ers, and other technical issues whichcould impede voter access and thetransparency of the voting and count-ing processes.

Inside the country, the overall securitysituation also improved, despite gangviolence that continued to threaten thepublic in many areas. While outside

Port-au-Prince the security situationbecame relatively calm followingMINUSTAH operations, the situationin the capital remained fragile.

Kidnappings surged in Port-au-Princeduring the spring and became a majorsource of income, affecting victims ofall ages and economic backgrounds,despite several operations by MINUS-TAH and the Haitian National Policeto arrest suspected kidnappers andfree their victims.

To counter the violence, MINUSTAHreinforced its troop numbers to itsauthorized strength of 6,700 and laterin the year to almost 7,500, following aSecurity Council decision to increasethe number of peacekeepers in view ofthe many security threats linked to theelectoral process.

Over the summer, the situation inPort-au-Prince improved substantial-ly in the Bel-Air area, where MINUS-TAH and the Haitian National Police(HNP) established a permanent secu-rity presence. However, the slum of

Cité Soleil, another hotspot in thecapital, continued to pose a serioussecurity threat, and several peace-keepers were killed or wounded inshooting incidents over the course ofthe year.

The HNP remained weak despiteMINUSTAH’s efforts to reform andrestructure the force. Of particularconcern was the pattern of allegedserious misconduct of HNP officers,including their alleged involvement inthe summary execution of at least ninepeople on 20 August at a football gamein Port-au-Prince.

In addition to political and securityproblems, Haiti also continued to faceeconomic catastrophe. Massive unem-ployment, a high illiteracy rate and adestroyed infrastructure have com-bined to make Haiti one of the poorestcountries in the world.

There is no doubt Haiti was at a criti-cal juncture at the end of the year.High voter registration, however, andthe presence of candidates represent-ing a broad range of opinion hadimproved the prospects for credibleelections in early 2006. MINUSTAHmade progress in handling urgentsecurity threats. Nevertheless, thegains remained fragile. n

MINUSTAH Public Information staff interviewing a local resident of Cite Soleil, Haiti,30 November 2005

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The lack of strong and profes-sional rule of law institutionsremain one of the biggestchallenges facing Haiti.


The UN and its partners in the interna-tional community continued efforts tomove Côte d’Ivoire’s peace process for-ward, encourage the parties to the con-flict to reach a negotiated agreement,avoid violence and end the three-year-old conflict in the West African nation.

A May 2003 ceasefire monitored by theUN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire(UNOCI) and the French Licorneforces, continued to hold, with nomajor violations of the UN-imposedarms embargo. However, the targetdates by which combatants were to bedisarmed, demobilized and reintegrat-ed into society were not met, nor wasthe deadline for a presidential election,which constitutionally, should havebeen held by 30 October 2005. Thecountry remained divided. The Forces

Nouvelles former rebel movementretained control over the north of thecountry, while the south remainedunder governmental control. UNpeacekeepers and French forces main-tained peace along the Zone ofConfidence separating the two sides.

In June, the Security Council author-ized an increase in UNOCI’s militarystrength by 850 troops, bringing theMission’s military strength to just over7,000. It also raised the number of UNpolice officers to 725.

A sign of hope emerged in April whenthe Ivorian parties, at a meeting con-vened by South Africa’s PresidentThabo Mbeki, the African Union medi-ator, signed the Pretoria Agreement,which addressed a number of con-

tentious issues on elections and disar-mament. Under the accord, the twosides agreed not to veto the presidentialcandidates put forward by the signato-ries of the Linas-Marcoussis Accord, ofJanuary 2003. The Pretoria Agreementalso included a timetable to disarmthe former rebels and dismantle pro-government militias.

The Pretoria Agreement breathed newmomentum into the peace process, andboth former rebel and governmentforces withdrew heavy weapons fromthe frontline on each side of the Zoneof Confidence. However, the momen-tum was, short-lived. In June, theForces Nouvelles announced that itwould not disarm until pro-govern-ment militias laid down their weapons,thus delaying the peace process. A new

Côte d’Ivoire: Peace efforts move on despite asuccession of delays

Ivorian police cadets respond to commands at the inauguration ceremony of their new training centre. These police officers will provide securityat DDR sites during the disarmament process, 5 August 2005

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timetable for disarmament was setwhen the two sides met again inPretoria in June and approved anagreement urging international sanc-tions against anyone obstructing peace.However, once again the parties failedto implement the provisions of thePretoria Agreement.

By September, it had become clear thatelections could not be held by the end ofOctober 2005 as scheduled. Combatantshad not disarmed; the registration ofvoters had been held up and the countrywas still divided. As the deadlineapproached, new disagreementsemerged over presidential decrees andthe work and composition of theIndependent Electoral Commission.

With a missed electoral deadline andthe threat of a constitutional vacuumlooming, leaders of the EconomicCommunity of West African States(ECOWAS) and the AU agreed toextend President Laurent Gbagbo’sterm of office for a year. Significantpowers would be entrusted to a PrimeMinister – acceptable to all parties –who would oversee a power-sharinggovernment and the transition to freshelections by October 2006. ECOWASand the AU also created two new bodies,the International Working Group and aMediation Group to oversee the peaceprocess, with both bodies co-chaired bythe UN Special Representative in Côted’Ivoire. The Security Council endorsedthese decisions in October.

The International Working Groupwas established to evaluate and mon-itor the peace process and to ensurethat all Ivorian parties respect theircommitments. The group also was toact as a guarantor and impartial arbi-trator of the peace and reconciliationprocess leading to elections before 31October 2006. In early December, theChairperson of the African Union,President Olusegun Obasanjo ofNigeria; the Chairperson of ECOW-AS, President Mamadou Tandja ofNiger; and the African UnionMediator, President Mbeki brokeredthe appointment of Charles KonanBanny, the governor of the Central

Bank for West African States, as thenew Prime Minister.

The Ivorian crisis has affected the popula-tion in many ways: thousands lost theirjobs, poverty deepened, political violencespread, and social cohesion has been dis-rupted. UNOCI documented humanrights abuses by armed individuals,groupsand forces throughout the country.

Continuing ethnic clashes limitedUNOCI’s capacity to help. Violence ingovernment-controlled areas in the vil-lages of Guitrozon and Petit Duékoué ledto restrictions on UNOCI’s freedom ofmovement. Pro-government supportersbarred UN peacekeepers and Licorneforces from entering some villages andtowns, thus hampering their operations.In July the obstructions spread to thesouth after unidentified assailantsattacked the towns of Agboville andAnyama, sparking fears that the peaceprocess might unravel. The ForcesNouvelles also restricted the movement ofpeacekeepers in areas under its control.

In the latter months of 2005, a numberof senior UN officials visited Côted’Ivoire, each time highlighting the

need to resolve the crisis. UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights,Louise Arbour, visited in July and calledfor an end to the reign of terror, fuelledby impunity, by both sides. During hervisit, UN Deputy Secretary-General,Louis Frechette, raised awareness of sex-ual exploitation and abuse, while thechairman of the UN SanctionsCommittee on Côte d’Ivoire,Adamantios Vassilakis, warned leadersthat sanctions would be imposedagainst anyone obstructing the peaceprocess. The Special Adviser of theSecretary-General for the Prevention ofGenocide Juan Mendes, also visitedCôte d’Ivoire and expressed concernthat ongoing tensions could lead to fur-ther serious human rights violations.

Despite setbacks in the Ivorian peaceprocess in 2005, optimism remained thatCôte d’Ivoire’s new roadmap – drawn upby the International Working Group–would move the country out of the cur-rent impasse of no-war-no-peace andresult in the disarmament of combatants,dismantlement of militias, restoration ofState authority throughout the country,and, ultimately, to the holding of nationalelections by October 2006. n

Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy becomes UNOCI's first Musician for Peace and accepts hisnomination at a ceremony marking the fourth International Day of Peace, Abidjan,Côte d'Ivoire, 21 September 2005

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Three important events dominated thepolitical landscape of Sudan in 2005: thesigning of the historic ComprehensivePeace Agreement, ending a 21-year civilwar in the southern Sudan between theGovernment and the Sudan Peoples’Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A);the establishment of the UN Mission inSudan (UNMIS) to assist in implement-ing the Agreement; and the unexpecteddeath of SPLM/A leader John Garang,three weeks after he was sworn in asSudan’s First Vice President.

The news of Garang’s death in a heli-copter crash on 30 July sparked off vio-lent riots that left dozens of peopledead and destroyed property inKhartoum and several other areasincluding Juba and Malakal in southernSudan. The riots threatened to undonot only the gains made since the sign-ing of the peace accord in January, butalso the stability of the Government.The SPLM moved swiftly to confirmSalva Kiir as Garang’s successor, and asstipulated in the peace accord, he alsobecame Sudan’s First Vice Presidentand President of the semi-autonomousgovernment of Southern Sudan.

Under the terms of the ComprehensivePeace Agreement, the South will beautonomous for six years after which itwill hold a referendum to decidewhether to secede or remain under aunitary state. Oil revenues and otherresources will be shared equallybetween the Government and theSouth. The political system of theKhartoum government will be restruc-tured on principles of democracy andrespect for human rights. And the twoarmies will merge if the South decidesagainst secession in six years. These areno doubt enormous challenges that willrequire full mobilization of the institu-tional capacity, human resources andpolitical will by both parties.

A Government of National Unity final-ly took office on 22 September, after

delays in implementing the PeaceAgreement caused by Garang’s deathand disagreements over the allocationof cabinet posts between theGovernment and the SPLM. InDecember, the Government ofSouthern Sudan was established afterthe adoption of the interim constitu-tion of Southern Sudan.

The establishment of the Governmentof National Unity and positive develop-ments in Southern Sudan despiteGarang’s death gave momentum to theimplementation of the peace accord.Yet, UNMIS faced mounting challengesin launching such a large and complexoperation in a country roughly the sizeof Western Europe, and as of 13December, it had deployed about 4,300military personnel out of its authorizedstrength of 10,000 troops.

While UNMIS worked to increase itspeacekeeping presence in Sudan, themission also started, along with UNagencies, assisting the country toresolve ongoing conflicts, promotingsocial reconciliation and encouragingdialogue as well as identifying the needsof the new Government. The UN and

its international partners agreed to pro-vide technical support to help in settingup key commissions to assist with theimplementation of the ComprehensivePeace Agreement. In August, theGovernment set up the CeasefirePolitical Commission to supervise,monitor and oversee implementationof the Agreement, as well as to providea political forum for discussionsbetween the parties and the interna-tional community.

UNMIS was also providing good officesand political support to the numerousefforts being made to resolve the ongo-ing conflicts in the country. TheSudanese Government, with the sup-port of UNMIS, UNDP and UNICEF,was finalizing plans to disarm, demobi-lize and reintegrate combatants under aprogramme tailored to pay specialattention to the needs of child soldiers,women and the disabled associatedwith the various armed groups. Therehas also been a steady flow of funds forthe disarmament programme fromseveral donor countries.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement,however, did little to ease the crisis in

Sudan: New mission deploys, provides assistanceto the African Union in Darfur

Peacekeepers from Bangladesh busy with road construction work in Juba, Sudan, 18 July 2005.

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the Darfur region where two localrebel groups, the Justice and EqualityMovement and the Sudanese LiberianMovement/Army, were still fightingGovernment forces and allied militiagroups. The rebels took up arms in2003, claiming neglect and marginal-ization in the country’s political andeconomic life. Mass killings, attacks onvillages and rapes had left tens ofthousands of people dead and morethan 2 million fled their homes intorefugee camps in Darfur and neigh-bouring Chad.

Outraged by the continued killingsand mass displacement of whole vil-lages, the African Union Mission inSudan (AMIS), supported by logisticsfrom the UN and funds from theEuropean Union, the United States,NATO and other donors, increased itsdeployment of ceasefire monitors tomore than 6,300 troops to help endthe crisis in Darfur. UNMIS assistedthe AU monitors in planning and pro-viding technical advice through theUN Assistance Cell to the AU, based in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The UN wasalso working closely with other inter-national partners to facilitate the AUCommission’s efforts to get resourcesand other needs for AMIS.

In addition to monitoring the fragileceasefire in the Darfur region, the AUalso stepped up efforts to broker a dealto end the fighting between the rebelgroups. However, despite severalrounds of talks in Abuja, Nigeria, asolution remained elusive as divisionswithin the rebels widened. To givebacking to the AU’s mediation efforts,UNMIS met with political and mili-tary commanders of both armedmovements to encourage politicalflexibility in the negotiations andgreater political will to reach an agree-ment at the Abuja talks. UNMIS hasalso been supporting the reconcilia-tion process in Darfur by maintainingcontacts with local civil society groupsand encouraging them to support theAbuja negotiations. As part of the rec-onciliation drive, UNDP and academicinstitutions in Darfur have been run-

ning a series of seminars on the rule oflaw and on conflict resolution.However, in late 2005, the situation inDarfur has became more complexwith the proliferation of armed groupsand bandits and the entry of Chadianrebels and army deserters assemblingin Darfur to attack Chad.

As 2005 came to an end, theGovernment of National Unity con-tinued to face several challenges. Ithad to end conflicts in the east, southand west of the country, particularlythe ongoing instability in Darfur,which remained a threat to the overallsecurity situation in Sudan and theregion. Both parties to the peaceaccord would need to show the neces-sary political will required to imple-ment the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement, as they were alreadyfalling behind schedule in meeting itstimetable. Sudan also faced seriouschallenges in delivering the dividendsof peace that would convince its peo-ple, particularly the Southerners, ofthe merits of peace and unity. n

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In 2005, the UN Mission in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo(MONUC) took a series of importantsteps in supporting the country’s tran-sitional political process and changingthe overall scope of UN peacekeeping.

With an authorized strength of 16,700uniformed personnel under SecurityCouncil resolution 1565, the missionbegan the year began with the estab-lishment of the first multinational divi-sional headquarters in UN peacekeep-ing history. (Most peacekeeping mis-sions operate as a single division.)Based in the north central city ofKisangani, MONUC's Eastern Divisionbegan operations in February, oversee-ing a brigade with four battalions inIturi District, and two more brigades inthe two Kivu provinces.

MONUC’s Divisional Headquarters inthe troubled region of Ituri carried out

a pilot disarmament and communityreintegration programme, which theDRC Transitional Government hadlaunched in late 2004 in conjunction

with MONUC and UNDP. By mid-April, some 15,000 militiamen hadbeen disarmed and 7,000 weaponsrecovered. To support the stabilization

DR Congo: Robust posture hastens political process

First training and deployment of the integrated brigade of the Armed Forces of Congo,crossing the river into Lituri, Kisangani, DR Congo, 29 November 2005


and continue applying pressure on theestimated 2,000-strong remnants of Ituriarmed groups, MONUC subsequentlycreated the Ituri Task Force of UN peace-keepers and the Congolese army, ForcesArmées de la République Démocratiquedu Congo (FARDC), with the capacity toconduct “robust” peace operations any-where in the district.

The creation of a fully-fledged armyand police force was among the DRC'smost pressing needs. In 2005,MONUC trained six army brigades and18,000 Congolese police officers. Thefirst phase of integrating the new armywas completed at the year's end withthe deployment of the sixth integratedFARDC brigade.

In a partial victory for the peaceprocess, on 31 March, the RwandanHutu insurgent group, the DemocraticForces for the Liberation of Rwanda(FDLR), which had been operating inthe Kivus, denounced the 1994Rwandan genocide and pledged toreturn home peacefully. MONUCswiftly set up six assembly areas in theKivus, but FDLR members did not sur-render in significant numbers. In June,the FDLR leadership subsequently split,delaying the full repatriation of therebels to Rwanda.

At the end of June, the TransitionalGovernment announced its intention toforcibly disarm FDLR combatants oper-ating in the east. Using its mandate toprotect civilians, MONUC peacekeep-ers and government forces launched aseries of joint robust military opera-tions that attempted to flush out therebels and clear their camps. Theseoperations while achieving someimpressive results, did not complete thefull repatriation of the foreign armedgroups. At several points throughoutthe year, intensified action by MONUCpeacekeepers in Ituri and the Kivusdrew retaliatory fire from would-bespoilers and hostile combatants.Thirteen blue helmets were killed incombat in 2005, while dozens of otherssuffered injuries. The most deadly inci-dent happened on 25 February whennine MONUC peacekeepers from

Bangladesh, who were on a routinefoot patrol to protect a camp of some8,000 internally displaced persons,were killed in a well-planned andcoordinated ambush at Kafé, some 80kilometers north of Bunia on LakeAlbert.

MONUC's strong mandate coupledwith a high level of international sup-port facilitated in 2005 what wouldhave seemed impossible just a fewyears earlier: more than 24 millionCongolese registered to vote. BetweenJune and December, MONUC provid-ed the country’s IndependentElectoral Commission with logistical,technical and advisory expertise. Voterregistration kits were distributed to9,000 registration centres throughouteven the most remote corners of theDRC, a country the size of WesternEurope. Some materials were eventransported by canoe. The commit-ment of MONUC troops furtherallayed widespread fears that internalstrife and violence would derail theregistration. In Ituri, almost 90 per-cent of the electorate registered, whileseven out of the DRC's 11 provincescompleted the registration process.Significantly also on 18 and 19

December, polling for the constitu-tional referendum took place in theabsence of serious security incidents,marking a turning point in the historyof the country, as it represented thefirst opportunity for the Congolesepeople to choose their system of gov-ernance in over 40 years.

While peacekeepers ensured safetywhere they were deployed on theground, MONUC aviation set new safe-ty records in the sky. The DRC is a vastcountry with its infrastructure virtuallydestroyed, and almost all key logisticaltransport is by air. On 18 October, whenMONUC marked its sixth anniversary,the mission had recorded 130,000 hoursof safe operations, yet another mile-stone in UN peacekeeping. With a fleetof 68 aircraft operating from more than60 airports and airfields, MONUC avia-tion came to rival commercial carriersand overtook them to become Africa'slargest airline. Furthermore, this infra-structure proved indispensable in thetransport of electoral kits, cargo andpersonnel in support of the organiza-tion of elections scheduled for 2006.

In the area of mission support andreform, MONUC took the lead

MONUC Moroccan contigent doctors treat refugees in Che, Ituri after they fled their homesdue to violent militia fighting 4 February 2005.

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through its implementation of an“integrated mission” concept. Diversemembers of the UN family present inthe DRC operated in tandem toachieve such results as the repatriationof Congolese refugees from Tanzaniaand the production of cross-cuttingvideos and radio programmesdesigned to educate Congolese citizenswhile mobilizing funds from the inter-national community.

MONUC meanwhile set a tangibleexample for future peacekeeping oper-ations with the opening on 1 March ofthe Office for Addressing Sexual Abuseand Exploitation, the first of its kind ina peacekeeping mission. Eleven staffmembers worked on policy develop-ment, training, and advocacy, and alsoinvestigated some 100 civilian and mil-itary cases over a six-month period.The efforts of the office resulted in atotal of 38 repatriations, dismissals andcriminal charges for severe misconduct.

Also, in 2005, Radio Okapi, the jointradio project launched in 2002 byMONUC Public Information andFoundation Hirondelle, a Swiss non-governmental organization, becamethe largest national radio network notonly in the DRC but also in the histo-ry of UN peacekeeping. Broadcastingin both FM and shortwave transmis-sion, Radio Okapi’s listenership sky-rocketed in all of country’s provinces,including in the capital Kinshasa. Asthe electoral calendar unfolds in 2006,the radio network, with its credibilityestablished as the “voice of MONUC”,will serve as a key tool in helping vali-date the democratic electoral processand poll results even in the most iso-lated corners of the country.

During 2005 MONUC made consid-erable advances towards meeting itscore objectives. Its partners remainedoptimistic that in 2006, the DRC'sfirst independent elections in morethan 40 years would yield sustainablepeace and security, while alsoattempting to address the war’s legacythrough tangible humanitarian andeconomic development. n

On 24 October, the UN SecurityCouncil provided the green light toinitiate the process to determine thefuture status of the ethnically-dividedKosovo. The process began inDecember under the leadership ofMartti Ahtisaari, the UN SpecialEnvoy, thus marking the culminationof a political process lasting six yearsand signalling, the beginning of thenext phase of the life of the UNInterim Administration Mission inKosovo (UNMIK).

Over the past four years, UNMIK hasattempted to implement policy accord-ing to the formula “Standards forKosovo”, more generally known as “stan-dards before status.” Under this arrange-ment, Kosovo was expected to developstable democratic institutions underUNMIK administration before anydecision could be made on its future sta-tus. The standards include promotinghuman rights, establishing the rule oflaw and protecting minority rights.

The task was clearly huge, andprogress of the fledgling institutions ofKosovo had been inconsistent.However, despite frustration on thepart of the majority Kosovo Albaniansover lack of progress toward their ulti-mate goal of independence, there havebeen some positive developments overthe past year. Significant steps havebeen taken in meeting the “standards”.Whereas security improved, imple-mentation in the area of rule of lawwas inconsistent. Progress has beenparticularly slow in the protection ofminority rights and return of internal-ly displaced persons.

In October, Ambassador Kai Eide, whowas appointed by the UN Secretary-General to review the situation inKosovo, noted that progress in meetingthe standards had been uneven.However, he recommended startingthe process leading to the determina-tion of Kosovo’s future status. He cau-

tioned though that “standards” and“status” were not the be-all and end-allof the political process leading to gen-uine protection of minority rights bythe majority population. TheNorwegian diplomat warned thatpolitical life in Kosovo could not beconsumed entirely by status talks, vitalas they would be. There was a hugeamount of work to be done even astalks proceeded, he emphasized.

Meanwhile, in September, UNMIKstarted working on six priority areas:continued implementation of the stan-dards, a comprehensive reform of localgovernment, improving security, build-ing local capacity, maintaining a safeand secure environment and restruc-turing the mission itself.

Progress was already evident in someareas. UNMIK has drawn up a plan torestructure its presence in Kosovo. Itinitiated informal, technical-leveltalks with the European Union andthe Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe on contin-gency planning for possible futurearrangements for their involvement inKosovo following the determinationof its future status. The mission start-ed discussions with all Kosovo com-munities on their future securityarrangements. By the end of 2005, themission will commenced the transferof some police and justice responsibil-ities from UNMIK to the new min-istries of interior and justice. Thetransfer of police station managementwas completed, with all 33 police sta-tions and five of the six regionalpolice headquarters being run byKosovans at the end of 2005.

While the duration and eventual out-come of status talks remained as yetuncertain, the Security Council deci-sion meant that UNMIK had starteddown the road which will eventuallysee it join growing group of successfulpeacekeeping missions. n

Kosovo: Status talks getunderway


The year 2005 saw the stalemate inthe Ethiopia-Eritrea peace processbecoming more entrenched, and thepossibility of an outbreak of warincreased as the year came to a close.Though the leadership of UNMEEcontinued to engage all stakeholdersin the peace process in an effort toresolve the deadlock, the two partiesremained as polarised as ever.Sustained efforts by the internationalcommunity to convince Eritrea toengage Ethiopia in dialogue were alsoin vain. While Ethiopia continued toreject significant parts of the decisionof the Eritrea- Ethiopia BoundaryCommission (EEBC), Eritrea main-tained its rejection of the Five-PointPeace Plan that Ethiopia announcedin November 2004.

Two factors further worsened the ten-sion. First, Ethiopia moved its armedforces closer to the TemporarySecurity Zone (TSZ), betweenDecember 2004 and early 2005.Although Ethiopia insisted the changewas largely defensive, Eritrea viewedthis as an aggressive stance. Ethiopiadid not heed Security Council calls toreverse its decision. Then, on 5October, Eritrea imposed a ban on allUNMEE helicopter flights in its air-space, as well as many night-timepatrols by the Mission’s vehicles insidethe TSZ. The Government said the banwas needed to protect its territory, butthe move generated suspicion withinthe international community – andmore so in Ethiopia – as to Eritrea’sreal intentions.

The helicopter ban immediatelyreduced the Mission’s ability to mon-itor and observe developments in theTSZ and its capability to warn theinternational community of anyimpending danger. In addition, theban endangered the safety of UNMEEpeacekeepers deployed along the TSZ,as it meant that in the event of acci-dents, medical evacuations by air

were also not possible. UNMEE,joined by the UN Security Counciland the Secretary-General, amongothers, made urgent appeals, in vain,to the Eritrean Government to lift theban immediately.

In November, the Security Councildemanded that Eritrea lift all itsrestrictions imposed on UNMEE andurged both parties to exercise maxi-mum restraint and to return to thestatus that existed in December 2004,within 30 days. On 6 December, theEritrean Government requested thatUNMEE staff with nationalities fromthe US, Canada, Europe and theRussian Federation leave Eritrea with-in 10 days, a decision which wasstrongly condemned by the UN. In astatement, the Secretary-Generalstressed that Eritrea’s decision contra-vened its obligations under theCharter and the fundamental princi-ples of UN peacekeeping.

The helicopter ban forced UNMEE torelocate some of its deployment sitesfor the safety of peacekeepers and toavoid logistical problems. The deepen-ing stalemate and continued restric-tions imposed on UNMEE also forcedthe Security Council to authoriseUNMEE to temporarily relocate someof its personnel from Eritrea toEthiopia, an operation which was car-ried out in December.

These difficulties notwithstanding,the Mission continued to focus itswork on other important areas. Forexample, in 2005, UNMEE’s humani-tarian component began to advocatea more coordinated approachtowards the implementation of thequick impact projects, the HIV/AIDSprogramme, sexual exploitation andabuse training, as well as the inclu-sion of gender view points in itswork. A forum met regularly tocoordinate work, exchange informa-tion and implement projects. As a

result of its initiatives, the forumtook steps to improve managementof quick-impact projects, speed uptheir adoption and get Mission fundswith minimum delays.

UNMEE, in collaboration with theInternational Committee of the RedCross and the office of the UN HighCommissioner for Refugees, contin-ued to monitor and report humanrights cases involving vulnerablegroups such as children and women,especially abductions, disappearancesand border crossing in the TSZ andsurrounding areas.

In response to the stalemate,UNMEE increased its public infor-mation activities by reaching com-munities on both sides of the borderto raise awareness of UN days andthe issues they represent. Theseactivities were carried out in bothcapitals as well as in the Sectors,

Deminers of the Bangladeshi Contingenthard at work as part of UNMEE's IntegratedDemining Operations in the TemporarySecurity Zone, Eritrea, 19 June 2005

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Ethiopia-Eritrea: Political stalemate continuesamid rising tension


where they were received mostenthusiastically by the public.

UNMEE’s work to clear landmines inthe TSZ has been largely successful. In2005, UNMEE formed an “integrated”approach to clearing landmines, com-bining the Mission’s military resourceswith those of a private demining con-tractor, Mechem of South Africa.Mechem’s use of mechanical tech-niques and mine detection dogs com-plemented the manual deminingexpertise of the peacekeepers. This ini-

tiative led to an immediate, significantrise in mine clearance at a much loweroperational cost. So far UNMEE hascleared millions of square metres ofminefields in some of the most heavi-ly mined areas of the TSZ. The landhas been returned to the local popula-tion for farming and occupancy.UNMEE’s unique approach to inte-grated demining could serve as amodel for future UN peace operations,and has already been adopted by theUN mission in Sudan.

For UNMEE, 2005 began with a note ofconcern over the increased Ethiopiantroop strength close to the border. Theyear ended on an even more disquiet-ing note with the mission’s ability tomonitor the TSZ degraded by some 60percent due to the helicopter ban andother restrictions imposed by Eritreaon its ground patrols. The stalemateremained intractable, and a real threatof renewed hostilities existed betweenEthiopia and Eritrea, despite calls forrestraint by the Security Council. n

The UN Observer Mission in Georgia(UNOMIG) was established by theSecurity Council in August 1993 to veri-fy the ceasefire agreement between theGovernment of Georgia and the Abkhazde-facto authorities in Georgia. Its man-date was expanded following the signingby the parties of the 1994 Agreement ona Ceasefire and Separation of Forces.Being a relatively small mission in a cur-rently generally calm area, UNOMIG hasa tendency to be overshadowed by larger,multidimensional missions deployed involatile situations.

It is often overlooked, however, thatUNOMIG has been given one of themost extensive mandates, ranging frompursuing a comprehensive political set-tlement of the conflict to monitoring theceasefire and other military arrange-ments agreed upon by the two parties.Additional responsibilities in the field ofhuman rights and humanitarian activi-ties, as well as recently added certain civil-ian police functions further enhance thelevel of complexity of the mission’s work.

Since its arrival in Georgia two yearsago, a small team of UNOMIG policeofficers have started to make its presencefelt. The officers have gained the trust ofthe local population by working togeth-er with local law enforcement agencies,and have started helping build thecapacity of the local police force.

The team of 12 police officers fromseven nations operates on the

Georgian Government-controlledside of the ceasefire line. Abkhazauthorities, however, continued torefuse a UN police presence on theirside of the line.

The mandate of the UN police teamincludes creating conditions thatwould encourage the return ofrefugees and internally displaced per-sons to their homes left during the

conflict of 1992-1993. UN police offi-cers carry out patrols, train localpolice on law enforcement and humanrights issues, provide equipment andforensic assistance.

The team’s biggest achievements to dateare in crime prevention and communi-ty policing. UN police have set up sev-eral crime-prevention committees incooperation with local and regional

Georgia: UNOMIG police mark two years

Police officers at an event marking the establishment of Georgia's first Policewomen’sAssociation in, Zugdidi-town, Georgia, November 2005

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police commanders. With the encour-agement of an UNOMIG female policeofficer, the local police force has set upthe Police Women’s Association, withthe goal of encouraging more womento join the force.

The refusal by Abkhazia to allow thedeployment of UN police officers in theGali region continues to hamper coop-eration across the ceasefire line. It hasalso hindered progress in criminal inves-tigations and has limited the effective-

ness of anti-crime efforts. During hisbrief visit to Georgia in November, UNSecretary-General Kofi Annan empha-sized the importance of ensuring therespect for rule of law and human rightsin the conflict zone. n

Other, long-term peacekeeping missionscontinued to provide valuable measuresof stability in areas where sustainablepeace has not yet been fully achieved.

A landmark bus service across theIndian-Pakistani ceasefire line in Jammuand Kashmir was inaugurated on 7 April,marking what UN Secretary-Generalcalled “a powerful gesture of peace and anopportunity to reunite families dividedfor nearly 60 years.” The UN MilitaryObserver Group in India and Pakistan(UNMOGIP) has been observing aceasefire in disputed state of Jammu andKashmir since 1949. The state was splitbetween India and Pakistan after theywon independence from the UnitedKingdom in 1947. UNMOGIP also pro-vided assistance to the victims of thepowerful earthquake that struck north-ern Pakistan in October. After 57 years ofUN presence, conflict has not resumed,and small steps towards reconciliationhave increased.

In Cyprus, the situation remained gen-erally calm and stable along ceasefirelines but progress toward a politicalsolution was negligible at best. In 2005,the opening of additional crossingpoints and small increases in tradebetween the Greek Cypriot and theTurkish Cypriot communitiesenhanced opportunities for people-to-people contacts. The UN PeacekeepingForce in Cyprus (UNFICYP) contin-ued to enjoy generally good coopera-tion from both sides, although therewere no official contacts between them.In June, former UN Under-Secretary-General Kieran Prendergast, traveled toCyprus, Turkey and Greece for consul-tations on how best the UN could helpbring about a settlement. He recom-mended that the UN continue to offerits good offices to both sides and that

the Secretary-General appoint a SpecialAdviser who would engage the partiesin exploring common ground neededto resume talks.

In the Middle East, the 31-year old UNDisengagement Observer Force(UNDOF) continued to observe theceasefire between Israeli and Syrianforces in the Golan Heights, a bufferzone set up after the 1973 Arab-IsraeliWar. In calling for the renewal ofUNDOF’s mandate in December, theUN Secretary-General noted that thesituation in the Middle East remainedtense and was likely to remain so. Acomprehensive settlement covering allaspects of the Middle East problem wasneeded to resolve the situation. In car-rying out its mandate, UNDOF was alsoassisted by military observers from theUN Troop Supervision Organization(UNTSO) based in Jerusalem.

The UN played several roles in Lebanonin 2005. The 40-year old UN InterimForce in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continuedto monitor a ceasefire to prevent furtherescalation of sporadic outbreaks of vio-lence that occurred in 2005 betweenHezbollah militia in Lebanon and Israeltroops along the Blue Line the two coun-tries. Violence along the Blue Line result-ed in civilian casualties on both sides. InJuly, the Security Council extendedUNIFIL’s mandate, acknowledging thatthe occasional exchange of fire in theShab’a farms area in Lebanon showedthat the situation remained volatile andfragile and could deteriorate at any time.There was political tension and uncer-tainty in Lebanon following the assassi-nation of former Prime Minster RafikHariri in February. The Secretary-General appointed a Special Envoy,Detlev Mehlis, to investigate the assassi-nation. Mehlis’ investigation implicated

senior officials in the Syrian andLebanese security services. On 15December, the Security Council extend-ed the inquiry into the assassination by afurther six months, saying Syria had notcooperated fully with the investigators.In April, Syrian forces withdrew fromLebanon at the request of the SecurityCouncil, which was followed by free andfair elections in May and June.

In Western Sahara, the UN Mission forthe Referendum of Western Sahara(MINURSO) continued to play an impor-tant stabilizing and ceasefire monitoringrole in the region. This was in spite of con-tinued instability as a result of the politicalimpasse between the MoroccanGovernment and the Frente POLISARIOindependence movement, as well as con-tinued violations of their military agree-ment and alleged human rights abuses. Inaddition to monitoring a ceasefire, the 14-year old mission is also seeking to organizea referendum in the former Spanishcolony which Morocco has claimed as itsown, and where the POLISARIO has beenfighting for independence. A senior UNenvoy, Peter van Walsum, who visited thearea in October to break the political dead-lock, concluded that the positions of mostkey players in the Western Sahara disputewere “quasi-irreconcilable”, although theyall held strong views on the need for adurable solution.While there was progresson removing unexploded mines, and therelease of 404 prisoners of war after 20years of incarceration by the POLISARIO,both sides continued to violate the cease-fire by increasing their military presence inthe restricted areas, staging incursions inthe buffer zone and restricting movementsof the UN military observers. Meanwhile,MINURSO restructured its military postsby decreasing some stations while simulta-neously increasing the number of militaryobservers. n

Other DPKO-led missions


OTHER PEACE OPERATIONS

Following last year’s historic presidentialelections that brought President HamidKarzai’s government into office, Afghansonce again headed to the polls inSeptember this year to elect a new parlia-ment, its first fully representative legisla-ture in three decades. The birth of thenew parliament also marked a successfulconclusion of the Bonn Agreement, thepolitical blueprint that has guidedAfghanistan’s transition to peace andnational reconciliation since it wassigned in Germany in December 2001.

The parliamentary election highlightedthe immense strides Afghanistan hasmade in a few short years. Civil societyand the media participated actively atevery step of the process, and there was amarked improvement in how govern-

ment institutions managed the elections,particularly the military and the police.

Threats and attacks on election workersand candidates failed to derail theprocess. More than half of the 12.4 mil-lion registered voters went to the polls,with relatively few security incidents.About 5,800 candidates ran for election,with 25 percent of the seats reserved forwomen. In addition, women also wonseats in their own right in about 13 ofthe 34 provinces. It took more than amonth to count and certify the elec-tions, and the final results wereannounced in early November.

In spite of positive changes, however,turnout was lower than expected insome parts of the country, and many

electoral complaints were filed. The sin-gle non-transferable voting system,under which people voted for individualcandidates not political parties, sawmany candidates without affiliation toany political party being elected intoparliament at the expense of establishedpolitical parties.

The 2005 parliamentary provincialcouncil elections, which were supportedby the United Nations, also presentedsignificantly greater challenges than in2004, from the need for extensive civiceducation to the transporting of votingmaterials to more than 26,000 pollingstations – roughly ten times last year’svolume – with some ballots listing hun-dreds of candidates. UNDP startedtraining 270 parliamentary staff begin-

Afghanistan: Beyond the Bonn Agreement

Women mark their ballots in Afghanistan's National Assembly and Provincial Council elections, Kabul, 18 September 2005.

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ning in February to ensure the smoothfunctioning of the legislature. The newAfghan parliament opened its first ses-sion in December, signaling the birth ofa new nation and the fulfillment of apromise made four years ago in Bonn.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission inAfghanistan (UNAMA) continued itswork supporting Afghan institutions inthe face of several challenges that includ-ed persistent security problems, a boom-ing illegal economy fuelled by opiumpoppies, a weak justice system and gov-ernment institutions susceptible to cor-ruption. Nonetheless, the groundwork thatUNAMA and its international partnerslaid over the past several years enabledimportant steps to be made towards fur-ther stability and development.

The disarmament, demobilization, andreintegration programme, which begunin 2003, was completed in July. Of the63,380 ex-fighters who were disarmedunder the programme, more than 60,000had received or were undergoing trainingin agriculture or business.A few thousandcombatants joined the Afghan NationalArmy, which is expected to reach its targetstrength of 43,000 by September 2007,three years ahead of schedule. The currentplan provides for the training of 62,000police officers, two-thirds of whom weretrained by the end of the year.

UNAMA has also taken an active role inmediating long-standing tribal disputes.The most successful was the settlementin June of a 60-year-old feud betweenthe Balkhel and Sabari tribes in Khostprovince in the southeast. The disputehad caused the death of dozens of peo-ple in recent years, along with kidnap-pings, livestock losses, and the closure ofan important road linking the affectedarea to the provincial capital.

Even without continued insecurity,Afghanistan faces enormous develop-ment challenges. The government’sendorsement in 2005 of Afghanistan’sfirst Millennium Development GoalsReport, drafted with UNDP andUNAMA assistance, represented a cru-cial step. The priority of the UN family inthe country will be to assist Afghanistanto meet the MDG targets. n

Although events in Iraq during 2005 werewell chronicled in the media, the contri-butions of the UN Assistance Mission inIraq (UNAMI) received less attention.Yetthroughout the year, UNAMI’s team ofpolitical, electoral, constitutional, infor-mation, humanitarian and human rightsexperts-- working mostly from withinBaghdad’s International Zone and fromAmman and Kuwait,--employed theirexpertise and resources to assist the Iraqipeople and government with their politi-cal and economic development.

The mandate given UNAMI in SecurityCouncil resolution 1546 tasks the mis-sion with facilitating the politicalprocess in Iraq and encouraging thatprocess to be as inclusive and transpar-ent as possible. In November 2005 theSecurity Council reaffirmed UNAMI’smandate with the passage of resolution1637. To that end the SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary Generaland the UNAMI team engaged Iraqis ofall political and ethnic backgroundsthroughout the year.

As Iraq underwent the complexity of apolitical transition process, UNAMIfocused its activities on providing polit-ical, electoral and constitutional sup-port, while at the same time coordinat-ing donor assistance and providing sup-port for Iraq’s reconstruction and devel-opment. The mission’s human rightsoffice monitored abuses and strove tosupport the rehabilitation of Iraqi insti-tutions that would be responsible forimproving the human rights situation inthe country. Terrorism, torture, arbi-trary detentions and extrajudicialkillings continued to present a majorchallenge to the rule of law.

In 2005, the Iraqi people voted threetimes on the future of their country,including a referendum on 15 Octoberon the new Iraqi constitution. Throughits assistance to the IndependentElectoral Commission of Iraq (IECI),the UN provided critical support tothese electoral processes.

With UN assistance, Iraq was able tomeet each major stage during the pastyear’s political timetable as set by theSecurity Council. Elections for theTransitional National Assembly inJanuary 2005, organized by the IECI,produced a Transitional IraqiGovernment and set in motion theprocess to draft a national constitu-tion. Intense negotiations over thedrafting went on from May throughmid-October, with the SRSG encour-aging all parties to support theprocess, and emphasizing that theconstitution be inclusive and repre-sentative of all Iraqis.

During this period, UNAMI’s Office ofConstitutional Support provided techni-cal advice, capacity-building and donorcoordination. Together with UNDP, theOffice also arranged for the printing anddissemination of the constitution, whilethe Iraqi authorities were responsible fordistributing it. UNAMI also mobilizedthe Iraqi media to raise public awarenessof the entire process.

With the 15 December elections for aCouncil of Representatives, Iraq enteredthe last phase of its formal transitionprocess under the TransitionalAdministrative Law. However, Iraq con-tinues to face significant challenges, par-ticularly with regard to national security,which continues to be a daunting andelusive goal.

While the tenuous security forced theUN’s 95 international staff to remainlargely confined to the Green Zone, theUN deployed hundreds of local andinternational staff in Iraq at the peak ofoperations during 2005, including inBasra and Erbil.

On 12 November, 2005 Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Iraq to reit-erate the UN’s commitments.

In his last report of 2005, the Secretary-General cautioned that the Decemberelections would not mark the end of the

Iraq: UNAMI underpins thetransitional political process


country’s political transition, “but thebeginning of a new phase in whichresponsible politics and leadership willmake the difference between success andfailure.” In 2006 UNAMI is to remain

engaged in further implementing itsSecurity Council mandate with a view topromoting national dialogue and recon-ciliation and shaping the democraticfuture of Iraq. n

Secretary-General Kofi Annan Arrives in Baghdad, Iraq, 12 November 2005

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UNSCO mediates, coordinates UNwork in the Middle EastFor Gaza, where the United NationsSpecial Coordinator’s Office (UNSCO)for the Middle East works to improvethe prospects for real peace, the high-light of 2005 was Israel’s unilateralwithdrawal from the occupiedPalestinian territories of Gaza Strip andparts of the northern West Bank. Thewithdrawal raised hopes of a resump-tion of the peace process under theRoad Map, the peace plan presented tothe parties in 2003 by the Quartet, adiplomatic grouping comprising theUN, the European Union, Russia andthe United States.

This hope, however, has yet to be met.Following the withdrawal, there was abrief period of quiet before yet anothercycle of violence was set in motion,causing deaths and injuries on both

sides. Restrictions on the movement ofpeople and goods continued to have adevastating impact on the Palestinianeconomy. Israeli authorities easedrestrictions somewhat on the move-ment of Palestinians in the West Bankthis year by removing several militarycheckpoints, but numerous constraintsto social and economic developmentremained. As a consequence, a highproportion of Palestinians now rely onhumanitarian assistance.

UN agencies continued to deliverhumanitarian and development assis-tance under the leadership ofUNSCO. Meanwhile, UNSCO contin-ued its mediation efforts, bilaterallywith the parties to the peace process,and also as part of the wider interna-tional community. n

The main tasks for UN political mis-sions, which are run by theDepartment of Political Affairs, areto prevent or resolve deadly conflictsaround the globe and to consolidatepeace in societies emerging from war.

In May, the UN Mission of Support inTimor-Leste (UNMISET) completedits mandate after six years of steeringthe country’s independence fromIndonesia. In its report released inJuly, the Commission of Experts setup to review the prosecution of seri-ous crimes in Timor-Leste recom-mended that Indonesia review itsprosecutions and that some cases ofabuse be reopened.

As a testimony of UNMISET’s successand the country’s political stability, itssuccessor, the UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), did not have peace-keeping troops. The internationalcommunity had recognized thatTimor-Leste was safe and peaceful andthat its authorities were able to takeover the responsibility for maintaininginternal and external security.

UNOTIL’s mandate included supportin capacity building to Timor-Leste’sstate institutions, such as the nationalpolice. In December, as evidence ofthe transformation of the world’snewest nation from a beneficiary to acontributor to UN peacekeeping oper-ations, 10 UNOTIL-trained policeofficers from the Timor-Leste nationalpolice were deployed for peacekeepingduties with the UN police contingentsin Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Timor-Leste’s relationswith Indonesia continued to improve.

The UN Observer Mission inBougainville (UNOMB) ended in Junewith the swearing in of Bougainville’sfirst autonomous provincial govern-ment. The mission had helped to endviolence in the province ofBougainville Island which had fought along secessionist struggle against

Political missions:


Papua New Guinea. During its stay inthe region, the UN was instrumentalin negotiating, mediating and facilitat-ing the resolution of the decade-longconflict that ended in 1998. The UNalso supervised the collection anddestruction of some 2,000 weapons,pushed the parties to meet agreed pre-election deadlines and ultimately facil-itated the election itself.

With The Central African Republicgradually returning to a path ofpeace, economic recovery, recon-struction and sustainable develop-ment, the UN Peacebuilding SupportOffice (BONUCA) continued topursue its mandate to strengthenpolitical dialogue and promote therule of law.

However, the country’s economicrecovery was hindered by an upsurge incross-border banditry and the prolifera-tion of weapons in the sub-region.

The UN Peacebuilding SupportOffice in Guinea-Bissau (UNOG-BIS) supported the country’s presi-dential elections in June and the run-off held in July. On 1 October, thewinner, João Bernardo Vieira, wassworn into office as President, endingthree decades of coups and counter-coups. With the swearing in of a newleader, the country hoped to moveaway from the divisions of the pasttowards a more harmonious andconstructive future.

However, political tensions along per-sonality and party lines continued tocast a shadow on the prospects for sta-bility. Meanwhile, UNOGBIS contin-ued to promote the rule of law andhuman rights, consolidate peace andassist national authorities in drafting

legislation on the prevention, treat-ment and control of HIV/AIDS.

The UN Political Office for Somalia(UNPOS) provided intensive supportto the Somali National ReconciliationConference held in Nairobi, Kenya,under the auspices of the Inter-govern-mental Authority on Development(IGAD), and worked with internation-al partners to help Somali leaders agreeon a transitional administration.

By early 2005, the Conference had pro-duced a broad-based TransitionalFederal Government which movedback to Somalia in mid-2005 from itstemporary base in Nairobi.

Somalia continued to be beset by seri-ous political problems, including anassassination attempt in Novemberagainst Prime Minister Ali MohammedGedi in Mogadishu, and an increasedinflow of illegal weapons inside thecountry in violation of the UN armsembargo and political violence.

The UN Tajikistan Office ofPeacebuilding (UNTOP) was instru-mental in helping to build democraticinstitutions and foster peace in thecountry during the vulnerable post-civil war period. It provided technicalassistance for the parliamentary elec-tions in February 2005.

UNTOP’s human rights informationresource centre became popular withTajiks who were able to use it for study-ing human rights, accessing the inter-net and receiving legal consultations.

By the end of the year, UNTOP, withsupport from UNDP, had trained1,100 police officers on human rights.More than 300 people from 41 district

commissions and 3,000 local electioncommission members took part in aseries of seminars on internationalelection standards, election laws andprocedures in Tajikistan.

The UN Office for West Africa(UNOWA) was active in promotingcooperation among UN peacekeepingand political missions based in theregion. There was visible progress inmaintaining political stability inSierra Leone, and in Liberia, whereelections led to the election of the firstwomen head of state in Africa, EllenJohnson-Sirleaf.

The situation in Togo stabilized afterdays of violence caused by the deathof former President Eyadema.However, a political stalemate in Côted’Ivoire caused the postponement ofthe country’s elections.

Regional challenges included the flowof small arms and light weapons inthe region; disarmament, demobiliza-tion and reintegration of former com-batants; the fight against HIV/AIDS;refugees and displaced persons andyouth unemployment. n

The main tasks for UN politicalmissions, which are run by theDepartment of Political Affairs,are to prevent or resolve dead-ly conflicts around the globeand to consolidate peace insocieties emerging from wars.

One of the demobilized women who recent-ly graduated as a police officer after train-ing offered by UNDP, Hargeisa, Somalia,30 October 2005

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UNOWA used its good officesto coordinate UN support tothe region, mediate andorganize meetings in aneffort to address sub-regionalcross-border challenges topeace and security.


CHALLENGES IN PEACE OPERATIONS

Over the past year, DPKO set in motionsweeping reforms of the culture ofpeacekeeping, initiated in the wake ofrevelations of sexual exploitation andabuse on peacekeeping missions duringthe previous year.

In June, the General Assemblyapproved a wide-ranging package ofrecommendations proposed by theSecretary-General's Advisor on SexualExploitation and Abuse by UNPeacekeeping Personnel, Prince ZeidRa'ad Zeid Al-Hussein.

Subsequently DPKO establishedConduct and Discipline units at UNheadquarters and in the eight largestpeacekeeping operations, prepared afar-reaching policy on victims assis-tance, launched communications andpublic outreach strategies, designedand implemented mandatory trainingfor personnel in all categories, strength-ened management accountability,worked to improve living conditionsand welfare for peacekeepers and madeprogress in amending legal agreementsof various categories of peacekeepingpersonnel to include prohibitions onsexual exploitation and abuse. Thisincluded amendments to the memo-randa of understanding between theUN and troop-contributing countries.The Secretary-General also appointed a

Group of Legal Experts to study ways tostrengthen the criminal accountabilityof UN personnel who commit crimeswhile serving on UN peacekeepingoperations. DPKO is also working withMember States to ensure effective fol-low up when offenders are repatriated.

A task force led by the UN Secretariat'stwo high-level policy groups--theExecutive Committee on Peace andSecurity and the Executive Committee onHumanitarian Affairs--worked through-out the year to develop the details of thesepolicy changes. Meanwhile, the DeputySecretary-General visited five peacekeep-ing operations to carry the Secretary-General’s message of zero tolerance forsexual misconduct.

In the field, investigations into allega-tions of sexual exploitation and abusecontinued, now handled by the Officeof Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).A comprehensive data base is beingdeveloped to track and report all mis-conduct cases. Since January 2004,investigations were completed of some291 peacekeeping mission personnel,resulting in the dismissal of 16 civilians,the repatriation of 16 members offormed police units and 137 repatria-tions or rotations home on disciplinarygrounds of military personnel, includ-ing six commanders.

The Peacekeeper’s DUTY OF CARE

• You are privileged to have been select-ed to serve in a UN peacekeeping oper-ation. This privilege confers upon youserious responsibilities towards thepopulation you have come to serve.

• When serving in a peacekeeping oper-ation, you represent the UnitedNations. The Blue Beret should beworn with pride and with awareness ofits meaning to the world.

• The trust bestowed upon the UnitedNations and the mandate entrusted to theUnited Nations by the international com-munity call upon you to exercise thehighest standards of professional conductand behaviour, whether on or off duty.

• UN peacekeepers are deployed intoextraordinary situations in which localpopulations are often at extreme risk.The entire population that we serve areconsidered beneficiaries of our assis-tance. It is the duty of each peacekeep-er to protect the vulnerable and torefrain from doing harm.

• UN peacekeepers have a unique oppor-tunity to help populations emergingfrom difficult conflict situations and tocontribute to a lasting peace and stabil-ity. Because of our sensitive role, mis-behaviour of one single peacekeepercan diminish the positive role of theentire UN. Maintain respect for thelocal population and the highest stan-dards of professionalism at all times.

• Any form of exploitation or abuse ofthe local population is unacceptable.UN standards of conduct forbid sexualexploitation and abuse. These stan-dards apply to all peacekeepers irre-spective of local customs or laws, or thecustoms or laws of your own country.

• The United Nations is an expression ofthe best hopes and aspirations of theinternational community. Each peace-keeper is an ambassador of this organ-ization. Stay mindful of your role andof your responsibilities.

DPKO stresses conduct and a duty of care

Soldiers of ONUCI Ghanaian battalion 3 participate in sexual exploitation and awarenesstraining, 22 July 2005

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Mission such as MONUC in the DRCemployed strict measures such as no-goareas and establishments, curfews andpolicies requiring troops to wear uni-forms both on and off-duty. They alsoestablished focal points and hot lines toreceive complaints from the public.

In order to reinforce the message that serv-ice with a UN peace operation is a privilegenot a right, DPKO introduced thePeacekeepers Duty of Care (see box) and afilm on conduct which stresses the crucialand unique relationships between individ-ual peacekeepers and members of the host

population.DPKO is committed to eradicat-ing exploitation and abuse with preventativeand disciplinary measures while also re-enforcing the message that UN peacekeepersmake a real and tangible difference in peo-ples’ lives all over the world in a service tooimportant to be derailed by misconduct.

This year saw remarkable progress inwomen’s participation in many aspectsof peacekeeping in countries emergingfrom conflict.

In Afghanistan, an action plan devel-oped by the United Nations AssistanceMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) toimprove the participation of Afghanwomen in political life continued tohave a significant impact. The ElectionTask Force chaired by UNAMA’s genderadvisor worked with various women’sgroups to promote women’s representa-tion in the election process both as vot-ers and candidates. In the Septemberparliamentary elections, 44 percent ofthe voters registered were women, anincrease of 4 percent from the 2004presidential elections. In the lowerhouse of the new Parliament, 68 of 249seats were reserved for women. In addi-tion, women also won seats in their ownright in about 13 of the 34 provinces.

Since the appointment of the first gen-der advisor of the UN Office inBurundi (ONUB) in 2004, a majorfocus has been disarmament, demobi-lization and reintegration of womenfighters. As a result of the gender advi-sor’s lobbying, the category of “womenfighters” was redefined to include notonly active fighters but also womenwho supported the war in differentroles, including porters, cooks and sex-ual slaves. Of the 485 women disarmedin Burundi, 231 joined the country’spolice force. Using the same method,the UN Mission in Liberia facilitatedthe disarmament and demobilizationof more than 21,000 women and girls.

When a provisional survey showed thatwomen made up only 25-30 percent ofthose who registered to vote in Liberianelections, the interim governmentlaunched a nation-wide awareness cam-paign encouraging women to register.UNMIL supported initiatives advocatingthe government to adopt laws that wouldgive women 30 percent representationon all political parties’ candidates lists.Although the Electoral Reform Law didnot include quotas, the political parties’guidelines stipulated that 30 percent ofthe candidates be women. In November,Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected Africa’sfirst woman head of state.

A full third of lawmakers in the newBurundi parliament are women,including the speaker of parliamentand several cabinet ministers.

Despite progress achieved in involvingwomen in peacekeeping missions, majorchallenges remain, including endingsexual exploitation and abuse by somepeacekeepers. The UN’s zero tolerancepolicy and strategies of prevention,enforcement of discipline standards andregulations, training and raising aware-ness, which the UN started implement-ing together with the Member States in2004, has started to have real impact.

While these steps are clearly needed,abuse cannot be prevented withoutempowering women and girls throughgender mainstreaming, and the inclusionof gender issues in all aspects of the UN’swork. To advance the efforts, the Under-Secretary General for PeacekeepingOperations, Jean-Marie Guehenno,

issued new policy guidelines on gendermainstreaming in March, with an actionplan finalized later in the year.

The adoption of gender sensitiveapproach in all aspects of peacekeepingremained a new area for the UnitedNations. Much more remains to be doneto ensure that all peacekeeping personneland Member States alike embrace gendermainstreaming as a critical strategy formaking peacekeeping more effective. n

Gender in peacekeeping: an evolving field of practice

A potential police recruit hoping to make theminimun height (1.60m) required for a womanto register to become a HNP recruit, PoliceAcademy in Frere, Haiti, 16 November 2005

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UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

as of 31 December 2005

Peacekeeping operation since 1948 ..............................................................................................................................................60

Current peacekeeping operations ................................................................................................................................................15

Current peace operations directed and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations ........................................18

PERSONNELUniformed personnel .............................................................................................................................................................69,748Countries contributing military and police personnel .............................................................................................................108International civilian personnel ............................................................................................................................................. 4,730Local civilian personnel .......................................................................................................................................................... 8,041 UN Volunteers ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1,649Total number of personnel serving in peacekeeping operations ....................................................................................... 83,808Total number of fatalities in peace operations since 1948 ....................................................................................................2,226Fatalities in 2005 .........................................................................................................................................................................121

FINANCIAL ASPECTSApproved resources for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006.......................................................... About $5.03 billionEstimated total cost of operations from 1948 to 30 June 2006................................................................... About $41.04 billion Outstanding contributions to peacekeeping (30 November 2005)................................................................. About $1.99 billion

NOTE: The term “uniformed personnel” refers to troops, military observers, and UN police.


CURRENT PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

UNTSO Since May 1948 United Nations Truce Supervision Organization Strength:military observer 150; international civilian 104; local civilian 119;total personnel 371 Fatalities: 44Appropriation 2005: $29.04 million

UNMOGIP Since January 1949 United Nations Military Observer Group in India and PakistanStrength: military observer 42; international civilian 22; local civilian 47; total personnel 110Fatalities: 11 Appropriation 2005: $8.37 million

UNFICYP Since March 1964 United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Strength: troop 840; police 69; international civilian 37; local civil-ian 110; total personnel 1,057Fatalities: 175 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $46.51 million including volun-tary contributions of one third from Cyprus and $6.5 millionfrom Greece

UNDOF Since June 1974 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Strength: troop 1,047; international civilian 37; local civilian 105;total personnel 1,188 Fatalities: 42 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $43.71 million

UNIFIL Since March 1978 United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Strength: troop 1,989; international civilian 100; local civilian 297;total personnel 2,390Fatalities: 256 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $99.23 million

MINURSO Since April 1991 United Nations Mission for the Referendum in WesternSahara Strength: military observer 195; troop 31; police 6; internationalcivilian 120; local civilian 96; total personnel 449Fatalities: 14 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $47.95 million

UNOMIG Since August 1993 United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia Strength: military observer 122; police 12; international civilian 107;local civilian 187; UN volunteer 2, total personnel 419 Fatalities: 10 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $36.38 million

UNMIK Since June 1999 United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Strength: military observer 37; police 2,146; international civilian623; local civilian 2,289; UN volunteer 202; total personnel 5,482Fatalities: 42Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $252.55 million

MONUC Since November 1999 United Nations Organization Mission in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo Strength: military observer 707; troop 15,046; police 1,038; internationalcivilian 828; local civilian 1,388; UN volunteer 491; total personnel 19,247Fatalities: 75 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $1,153.89 million

UNMEE Since July 2000 United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Strength: military observer 202; troop 3,130; international civilian191; local civilian 228; UN volunteer 75; total personnel 3,837Fatalities: 13 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $185.99 million

UNMIL Since September 2003 United Nations Mission in Liberia Strength: military observer 197; troop 14,824; police 1,091; internationalcivilian 552; local civilian 828; UN volunteer 286; total personnel 17,768Fatalities: 67 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $760.57 million

UNOCI Since April 2004 United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire Strength: military observer 195; troop 6,698; police 696; interna-tional civilian 358 ; local civilian 424; UN volunteer 205; total personnel 8,541Fatalities: 14Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $438.17 million

MINUSTAH Since June 2004 United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Strength: troop 7,286; police 1,748; international civilian 449; local civilian 512; UN volunteer 171; total personnel 10,108Fatalities: 13Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $541.30 million

ONUB Since June 2004United Nations Operation in BurundiCurrent strength: military observer 187; troop 5,170; police 82;international civilian 316; local civilian 388; UN volunteer 146;total personnel 6,466Fatalities: 20Approved budget 07/05–06/06 $307.69 million

UNMIS Since March 2005United Nations Mission in the SudanStrength: authorized – troop 10,000; civilian police 715;proposed – international civilian 1,018; local civilian 2,632;UN volunteer 214; total personnel 14,579Current strength: military observer 467; troop 4,009; police 289; inter-national civilian 526; local civilian 1,023; UN Volunteers 71;total personnel 5,783Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $969.47 million

Missions completed in 2005:

UNAMSIL (22 October 1999 – 31 December 2005)United Nations Mission in Sierra LeonePeak strength: (31 March 2002); military 17,368; UN Police 87;international civilian 322; local civilian 552Fatalities: 188Total expenditures: $2.8 billion

UNMISET (20 May 2002 - 20 May 2005)United Nations Mission of Support in East TimorPeak strength: (31 August 2002): military 4,776; UN police 771;international civilian 465; local civilian 856;Fatalities: 25Total estimated expenditures: $565 million

NOTE: UNTSO and UNMOGIP are funded from the United Nations regular biennial budget. Costs to the United Nations of the other current operations arefinanced from their own separate accounts on the basis of legally binding assessments on all Member States. For these missions, budget figures are for one yearunless otherwise specified. All budgets include requirements for the support account for peacekeeping operations and the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi (Italy).


UNITED NATIONS POLITICAL AND PEACEBUILDING MISSIONS


NUMBER OF MISSIONS .....................................................................................................11

PERSONNEL

Uniformed personnel ...................................................................................................................................139

International civilian personnel .................................................................................................................. 817

Local civilian personnel .............................................................................................................................1,741

UN Volunteers ..............................................................................................................................................163

Total number of personnel serving in political and peacebuilding missions ........................................2,860


UNAMA* Since 28 March 2002United Nations Assistance Mission inAfghanistanSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General: JeanArnault (France) Strength: international civilian 185; local civilian 751;military observer 11; civilian police 7; UN volunteer 42

BONUCA Since 15 February 2000United Nations Peacebuilding Office in theCentral African RepublicRepresentative of the Secretary-General and Head ofBONUCA: Lamine Cissé (Senegal) Strength: international civilian 25; military advisers 5;police 6; local civilian 44; UN volunteer 2

Office of the Special Since 19 December 1997 Representative of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes RegionSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General:Ibrahima Fall (Senegal) Strength: international civilian 8; local civilian 8

UNOGBIS Since 3 March 1999United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office inGuinea-BissauRepresentative of the Secretary-General and Head ofUNOGBIS: João Bernardo Honwana (Mozambique) Strength: international civilian 11; military adviser 2;police adviser 1; local civilian 13

UNSCO Since 1 October 1999Office of the United Nations Special Coordinatorfor the Middle EastSpecial Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Processand Personal Representative of the Secretary-General tothe Palestine Liberation Organization and thePalestinian Authority: Alvaro de Soto (Peru)Strength: international civilian 27; local civilian 23

UNPOS Since 15 April 1995United Nations Political Office for SomaliaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General andHead of UNPOS: Francois Lonseny Fall (Guinea) Strength: international civilian 5; local civilian 3

UNTOP Since 1 June 2000United Nations Tajikistan Office of PeacebuildingRepresentative of the Secretary-General for Tajikistan:Vladimir Sotirov (Bulgaria) Strength: international civilian 10; police adviser 1;local civilian 18

Office of the Special Since 29 November 2001 Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa Special Representative of the Secretary-General:Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah (Mauritania)Strength: international civilian 7; local civilian 7

UNAMI Since 14 August 2003United Nations Assistance Mission for IraqSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq:Ashraf Jehangir Qazi (Pakistan) Authorized strenght: 816 (344 international, 472 local)Current strength (staff based in Iraq, Jordan andKuwait): international civilian 222; local civilian 365;military advisor 5

UNOTIL* Since 21 May 2005United Nations Office in Timor-Leste Special Representative of the Secretary General andHead of Office: Sukehiro Hasegawa (Japan)Strength: international civilian 158; local civilian 281;military advisor 15; police 57; UN volunteer 36

UNIOSIL* Since 1 January 2006United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra LeoneExecutive Representative for UNIOSIL: Victor da SilvaAngelo (Portugal)Strength: international civilian 159; local civilian 228;military observers 10; police 20; UN volunteer 83

Mission completed in 2005:

UNOMB 1 January 2004 - 30 June 2005United Nations Observer Mission in Bougainville

* Political or peacebuilding mission directed and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. All other political andpeacebuilding missions are directed by the Department of Political Affairs. For information on political and peace-building missions,visit the United Nations website at http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_dip/fst_prev_dip.htm

CURRENT POLITICAL AND PEACE-BUILDING MISSIONS

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_dip/fst_prev_dip.htm


No. Country Police Milob Troops Total

1. Albania 3 32. Algeria 10 2 123. Argentina 26 7 864 8974. Australia 18 23 9 505. Austria 24 15 385 4246. Bangladesh 478 92 8,959 9,5297. Belgium 15 1 168. Benin 77 32 312 4219. Bolivia 21 223 244

10. Bosnia and Herzegovina 23 14 3711. Brazil 14 30 1,226 1,27012. Bulgaria 52 8 2 6213. Burkina Faso 169 23 2 19414. Cambodia 4 415. Cameroon 135 4 13916. Canada 136 40 211 38717. Central African Republic 11 1118. Chad 34 12 4619. Chile 23 6 541 57020. China 197 71 791 1,05921. Congo 5 522. Cote d’Ivoire 8 823. Croatia 5 20 9 3424. Czech Republic 17 14 3125. Denmark 25 33 7 6526. Djibouti 40 4027. Dominican Republic 4 428. Ecuador 25 68 9329. Egypt 50 69 623 74230. El Salvador 21 16 3731. Estonia 2 232. Ethiopia 22 3,388 3,41033. Fiji 55 2 5734. Finland 8 28 4 4035. France 152 38 392 58236. Gabon 5 537. Gambia 30 16 3 4938. Germany 252 17 24 29339. Ghana 84 62 2,374 2,52040. Greece 11 13 2 2641. Guatemala 26 189 21542. Guinea 96 19 11543. Honduras 12 1244. Hungary 10 14 82 10645. India 381 93 6,810 7,28446. Indonesia 24 175 19947. Iran 3 348. Ireland 18 26 429 47349. Italy 38 21 53 11250. Jamaica 15 1551. Japan 30 3052. Jordan 739 76 2,888 3,70353. Kenya 62 79 1,341 1,48254. Kyrgyzstan 5 14 19


55. Lebanon 2 256. Lithuania 8 857. Madagascar 6 658. Malawi 27 37 112 17659. Malaysia 16 52 7 7560. Mali 35 49 3 8761. Moldova 9 1 1062. Mongolia 5 563. Morocco 5 1,701 1,70664. Mozambique 6 12 1865. Namibia 7 21 862 89066. Nepal 431 41 2,994 3,46667. Netherlands 9 14 1 2468. New Zealand 12 1 1369. Niger 104 27 367 49870. Nigeria 374 84 1,954 2,41271. Norway 27 29 8 6472. Pakistan 394 107 8,498 8,99973. Palau 2 274. Paraguay 46 6 5275. Peru 31 214 24576. Philippines 113 30 340 48377. Poland 129 21 555 70578. Portugal 16 6 2279. Republic of Korea 28 21 4980. Romania 191 54 24581. Russia 115 96 1 21282. Rwanda 15 255 27083. Samoa 21 2184. Senegal 416 41 1,388 1,84585. Serbia and Montenegro 7 8 6 2186. Sierra Leone 7 250 25787. Slovakia 2 290 29288. Slovenia 15 2 1789. South Africa 26 1,984 2,01090. Spain 43 7 203 25391. Sri Lanka 40 11 961 1,01292. Sweden 64 27 236 32793. Switzerland 7 18 1 2694. Thailand 3 177 18095. Timor-Leste 10 1096. Togo 10 18 300 32897. Tunisia 50 474 52498. Turkey 236 5 3 24499. Uganda 33 12 2 47

100. Ukraine 202 32 486 720101. United Kingdom 69 14 266 349102. United Rep. of Tanzania 3 18 3 24103. United States of America 359 18 10 387104. Uruguay 16 67 2,345 2,428105. Vanuatu 9 9106. Yemen 9 26 1 36107. Zambia 50 49 352 451108. Zimbabwe 70 20 90

POLICE UNMO TROOP

7,241 2,527 60,070

Military observers, Police and Troops as of 31 December 2005

Totals

69,838*Grand total in PKO

PEACEKEEPING CONTRIBUTIONS

* Includes 90 uniformed personnel from UNAMA, UNOTIL and UNIOSIL,which are political or peacebuilding missions also directed and supported by theDepartment of Peacekeeping Operations

Others - 24,077

Pakistan - 8,999

Bangladesh - 9,529

India - 7,284

Jordan - 3,703

Nepal - 3,466

Ethiopia - 3,410

Ghana - 2,520

South Africa - 2,010

Nigeria - 2,412

Uruguay - 2,428

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

MINURSO UNMEE UNMIS ONUB UNOCI UNMIL MONUC

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

16,000

232

3,332

4,765 5,439

7,589

As of 31 December 2005

31,031

24,919

14,879 14,347*18,460

37,773

47,108

39,65245,815

64,720

* As of 30 November 2004

As of 31 December of each year


Top 10 Troop Contributors

Surge in Troops: 1995-2005

Troop Strength of UN Peace Operations in Africa

69,838

2005

18,00016,112

16,791

PEACEKEEPING 2005 IN A SNAP SHOT

1 2005: A good year for peacekeeping operations

2 UN establishes the Peacebuilding Commission

3 Sierra Leone: A success story in peacekeeping

4 Liberia: Elections mark a historic turning point

6 Burundi: A major breakthrough in peacekeeping

7 Haiti: MINUSTAH prepares for overdue elections

9 Côte d’Ivoire: Peace efforts move on despite a succession of delays

11 Sudan: New mission deploys, provides assistance to the African Union in Darfur

12 DR Congo: Robust posture hastens political process

14 Kosovo: Status talks get underway

15 Ethiopia-Eritrea: Political stalemate continues amid rising tension

16 Georgia: UNOMIG police mark two years

17 Other DPKO-led missions

18 Afghanistan: Beyond the Bonn Agreement

19 Iraq: UNAMI underpins the transitional political process

20 UNSCO mediates, coordinates UN work in the Middle-East

20 Political missions

21 DPKO stresses conduct and a duty of care

22 Gender in peacekeeping: An evolving field of practice

24 UN peacekeeping missions

26 UN political and peace-building missions

28 Peacekeeping contributions

29 Peacekeeping 2005 in a snap shot

Introduction

Major peacekeeping operations

Other peace operations

Challenges in peace operations

Peace operations facts and figures

TABLE OF CONTENTS


For UN peacekeeping, 2005 was inmany ways a banner year.

After having launched four new opera-tions in 2004 and the Sudan mission in2005, the Department of PeacekeepingOperations (DPKO) was, at its peakduring the year, directing 18 peaceoperations across the world, compris-ing some 85,000 troops, police andcivilian personnel and directly affectingsome 200 million men, women andchildren in host countries.

The Department of Political Affairs(DPA) also led eight special politicalmissions and peacebuilding supportoffices in West and Central Africa,Central Asia, Iraq and the Middle East.

As the expression of the collective willof the international community toassist societies moving from armedconflict to peace, peacekeeping contin-ued to grow in scope and complexity.

New missions tackled a range of com-plex and multidisciplinary tasks includ-ing disarming combatants, organizingdemocratic elections, building localpolice and security capacities, restoringpublic order, running public adminis-

trations, monitoring human rights andshoring up fragile peace agreements.

During the same year, two externalreports credited UN peace operationswith a quantifiable reduction ininternational conflict and war-relat-ed deaths.

A number of major milestones wereachieved in 2005: a large peace supportoperation began deployment in Sudanto bolster the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement signed in March betweennorth and south Sudan. Missions led byDPKO and DPA supported the organi-zation of landmark elections inAfghanistan, Burundi, Liberia, Iraq andthe Democratic Republic of the Congo,which held its first democratic vote infour decades, during which the popula-tion approved a draft constitution.Plans for parliamentary elections inHaiti and in the DRC were in the worksfor early 2006.

Two peacekeeping operations closed—in Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste—having successfully achieved their man-dates to solidify peace and help expandand strengthen the authority of demo-cratically elected governments. New

integrated mission offices with man-dates of longer-term peacebuilding areunder way in both those countries.

In Kosovo, the UN peacekeeping oper-ation worked to hold the local adminis-tration to standards of governance toprepare for talks on final status whichwere to begin in early 2006. In the DRC,UN troops, in a series of operations,progressed dramatically toward restor-ing stability in Eastern Congo. In Côted’Ivoire, the mission wrestled with seri-ous challenges to the peace agreementof 2003, but a crisis was averted whenall parties accepted Charles KonanBanny as interim prime minister inDecember. In Georgia, the UN observ-er mission continued to monitor theceasefire and promote a political settle-ment of the conflict.

Regrettably,no progress was made in over-coming the deadlock in Western Sahara,and stalemate persisted in the peaceprocess between Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Other long-standing UN operationsremained on the ground in the MiddleEast, India and Pakistan and Cyprus,continuing to provide much neededstability in their areas of operation.

Nearly two dozen countries contributeduniformed personnel for the first timeto UN peace operations, bringing thetotal number of troop and police con-tributing countries to 107, withBangladesh the largest troop contribu-tor by the end of the year (9,758troops), and the U.S. the largest finan-cial contributor, accounting for 27 per-cent of peacekeeping’s $5.03 billionbudget for July 2005 through June 2006.

The need for long-term efforts tomaintain sustainable peace convincedUN Member States at the 2005 Summitto create a Peacebuilding Commission,an advisory body which will work tocoordinate and ensure long-term inter-national commitments to countriesemerging from conflict.

INTRODUCTION

2005: A good year for peacekeeping operations

Cibitoke woman voting in Burundi election, 7 April 2005

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2005

The roles of peacekeepers also grew morecomplex and risky in 2005: robust peace-keeping, including military operations toprotect civilians in the DRC and Haiti,also cost lives: 121 peacekeepers died onmission in 2005, including nineBangladeshi soldiers killed in an ambushin the DRC in February.

The peacekeeping community alsoconfronted the ugly specter of sexualexploitation and abuse by peacekeep-ers, which Under-Secretary-GeneralJean-Marie Guéhenno has called “oneof the most shameful episodes in UNpeacekeeping.” Enforcing theSecretary-General’s zero tolerancepolicy on sexual exploitation andabuse became a major priority forDPKO and the entire Organizationduring 2005, which began implement-ing a wide range recommendationsproposed by the Secretary-General’sspecial advisor on the issue, Jordan’sPrince Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein.

The UN Secretariat continued toimprove its capacity to deploy peace-keeping operations immediately upon apeace agreement. Although proposals fora reserve military force did not winMember States’ approval at the 2005World Summit, its Outcome Documentdid authorize the creation of a standing,on-call police capacity.

Peacekeeping missions became increas-ingly “integrated” during the past year,with Deputy Special Representatives ofthe Secretary-General in several missionsdoubling as UN Resident Coordinators,ensuring that the humanitarian anddevelopment aspects of a post-conflict sit-uation—and the relevant UN agencies—were progressively better coordinatedwith the peacekeeping operation.

Two major studies in 2005—one by theUS’ Rand Corporation and another bythe University of British Columbia—credited UN peace operations withhelping to reduce conflict and build

stable nations. The Human SecurityReport, wrote one of its UBC authors,showed that the UN has “played a criti-cal role in enhancing global security.”

The International Crisis Group in itsend of the year “CrisisWatch” cited fourconflict situations that had improved atthe end of 2005: three of these were thesites of UN peace operations—theDRC, Côte d’Ivoire and Afghanistan.

During a year of growth and renewedreliance on UN peace operations, theUN’s objective has been to improve itscapacities to deploy quickly and effi-ciently, fulfill its mandates with aunique range of expertise and a “dutyof care” for the host population andcreate an effective and cost-efficientbasis for sustainable peace. Facing newand ever growing challenges, theOrganization will continue the imple-mentation of reforms aimed at furtherimproving the way it plans, deploys andsustains peace operations. n

2

UN establishes Peacebuilding CommissionAs a major outcome of reform initiatives endorsed by world leaders at the September Summit, the General Assemblyestablished a new Peacebuilding Commission on 20 December to help rebuild and stabilize countries emerging from con-flict. As studies have shown that up to half those countries can relapse into conflict within five years of a peace agreement,this decision could mark a watershed in UN efforts to help states and societies manage the difficult transition from warto peace.

The Commission will for the first time bring together all the major actors concerned with a country emerging from con-flict to decide on a long-term peacebuilding strategy. By establishing a link between immediate post-conflict efforts on theone hand and long-term recovery and development efforts on the other, it will fill a previously existing gap in the UN sys-tem. The Commission will focus attention on reconstruction and institution-building and improve coordination withinand outside the UN system so that international attention does not wane during the crucial post-conflict years.

The Commission, an advisory body, will be made up of 31 members: seven from the Security Council, including thefive permanent members; another seven from the Economic and Social Council; five from the top 10 financial contrib-utors to the United Nations; and five from the 10 nations that supply the most troops for peacekeeping missions. Sevenothers will be chosen to ensure geographical balance by regional groupings. Representatives of the World Bank, theInternational Monetary Fund and other institutional donors will be expected to attend meetings. Authorities of thecountry under consideration by the Commission – as well as its neighbors – will also play an active role in the process.

The idea for a Peacebuilding Commission evolved from the perceived need at the UN for a coordinated, coherent andintegrated approach to post-conflict peacebuilding and reconciliation. The Commission is expected to address the spe-cial needs of individual countries emerging from conflict and to help prevent future conflicts by helping parties to endhostilities and work towards recovery, reconstruction and development and in mobilizing international assistance.

The Commission will be supported by a small Peacebuilding Support Office, which will provide the Commission with theinformation and analysis needed to coordinate UN's peacebuilding efforts.


The UN Mission in Sierra Leone(UNAMSIL) completed its mandate inDecember, ending six years of peace-keeping in the country. UNAMSIL’sachievements may serve as a model forsuccessful peacekeeping, as well as aprototype for the UN’s new emphasison peacebuilding.

In 1999, UN peacekeepers moved intoSierra Leone to oversee a feeble peaceprocess which included monitoring ashaky ceasefire and supporting atransition to democratic governance.Since then, the UN has helped thewar-ravaged country to make impres-sive gains towards peace, demonstrat-ing how the world body can respondto the needs and demands of coun-tries emerging from conflict in a rap-idly changing global environment.

Over the course of its mandate, the UNdisarmed more than 75,000 ex-fighters,including about 7,000 child soldiers;assisted in holding national and localgovernment elections, which enabledpeople to participate in decisions thataffected their daily lives; helped torebuild the country’s police force to itspre-war strength and contributed

towards rehabilitating the infrastruc-ture and bringing government servicesto local communities.

The UN also helped the governmentstop illicit trading in diamonds andregulate the industry. During the war,rebels had used money from “blood” or“conflict” diamonds to buy weaponswhich then fuelled the conflict. Nowdiamonds have become an engine ofgrowth, with government income fromdiamonds soaring from just $10 mil-lion in 2000 to $160 million in 2004,according the International MonetaryFund figures.

UNAMSIL was not always foreseen tosucceed: at one point, in May 2000, themission nearly collapsed when the rebelRevolutionary United Front (RUF) kid-napped hundreds of peacekeepers andrenounced the ceasefire in a move thatendangered the credibility of UNpeacekeeping. Outraged by the chaosthat followed, the international com-munity put pressure on the rebels toobey the ceasefire and slapped sanc-tions against RUF sponsors.Subsequently, UNAMSIL launched newmediation efforts and brought the two

adversaries back to the negotiationtable. It brought in more troops tomonitor the ceasefire and began dis-arming fighters from both sides. TheUnited Kingdom, which had sent aforce to restore peace following RUF’sbreach of the ceasefire, later startedrestructuring the army while UNAM-SIL and other international partnersconcentrated on training the localpolice force.

UNAMSIL’s withdrawal marked thecompletion of most of the tasksassigned it by the Security Council. Themission assisted the voluntary return ofmore than half a million refugees andinternally displaced persons. It helpedthe government restore its authorityand social services in areas previouslycontrolled by rebels, recruited andtrained about 4,000 police personnelwith the help of a team of officers fromCommonwealth countries, and con-structed and renovated dozens ofpolice stations. Meanwhile, the UKcontinued to assist the governmentrestructure the army.

UNAMSIL monitored and traineddozens of Sierra Leoneans in humanrights and was instrumental in settingup the Special Court for Sierra Leone totry those most responsible for warcrimes. The mission also assisted thegovernment in setting up a Truth andReconciliation Commission, taskedwith healing the wounds of war bybringing together perpetrators and vic-tims of atrocities.

Working together with UN agencies,the mission launched quick-impactand income-generating projects to pro-vide jobs to thousands of unemployedyouths and ex-fighters and basic servic-es to local communities. UNAMSILtroops reconstructed schools and clin-ics, launched and funded agriculturalprojects and sponsored free medicalclinics in far-flung areas.

As a sign of continued internationalcommunity confidence in the future of

MAJOR PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

Sierra Leone: A success story in peacekeeping

Vehicles are loaded onto the Ukranian freighter “Kataryn Zelenko,” departing Sierra Leone –12 October 2005

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Sierra Leone, donors pledged $800million in aid at a conference held inLondon in November to raise moneyfor development. Economic revival isalso being boosted by returningrefugees and other displaced personseager to rebuild their communities.Former ghost towns like Kono andTongo Fields are now havens of com-mercial activities, as diamond-produc-ing areas attract thousands of youngpeople. Since 2002, the economy hasexpanded at an average of about 7 per-cent, and the IMF predicts futuregrowth of 6-7 per cent per year if thepolitical and economic situationremains stable.

Despite the optimism over the gainsUNAMSIL has brought, Sierra Leonestill faces many challenges: the coun-try remains fragile, and as the Truthand Reconciliation Commissionwarned, it has to take concrete steps toaddress the root causes of the conflictand cultivate a culture of humanrights in order for peace to be sustain-able. The economy is heavily depend-ent on donor funds. A disproportion-ate share of income from diamondmining still finds its way into privatehands, rather than Government cof-fers. Despite ongoing reintegrationprogrammes, thousands of ex-com-batants and youths – many of whomnever went to school – are unem-ployed. In short, the peace has yet toproduce tangible economic dividendsand social benefits for the majority ofthe country’s 4.8 million people.

To help meet these challenges, the newlycreated UN Integrated Office for SierraLeone (UNIOSIL) was to take overfrom UNAMSIL beginning in January2006. Its mandate is to cementUNAMSIL’s gains. The new office willhelp the Government strengthen humanrights, realize the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, improve trans-parency and hold free and fair electionsin 2007. It will also work together withother UN agencies and missions in thesub-region and provide security for theSpecial Court. n

Liberians made history in Novemberwhen they voted into office Africa’s firstelected woman head of state, EllenJohnson-Sirleaf, under the watchful eyeof UN peacekeepers. The elections,described by international observers asgenerally free and fair, marked animportant landmark in the struggle forpeace in this war-ravaged country aspeople opted for ballots over bullets.

The 11 October national elections andthe subsequent presidential run-off on8 November, which pitted Johnson-Sirleaf, a former World Bank economistand George Weah, a one-time FIFAInternational Footballer of the Year,were the result of a peace process thatbegan with the signing of theComprehensive Peace Agreement inAugust 2003, bringing to an end a 14-year civil war that had turned a onceprosperous country into one of theworld’s poorest.

Voter turnout was overwhelming. Inthe first round, 75 percent of the 1.35million registered voters showed up atthe polls, with the figure droppingslightly in the run-off presidential elec-tions, which Johnson-Sirleaf won con-

vincingly, taking 60 per cent of the totalvotes cast. The huge voter turnout wasa rousing testimony to the people’sdesire for peace and an end to the cycleof violence and instability.

The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL),with a 15,000-strong peacekeepingforce, played a critical role in all facetsof the elections. It provided theNational Elections Commission(NEC), which conducted the elections,with technical advice and gave exten-sive logistical assistance, which enabledthe NEC to cover all parts of the coun-try in the face of a destroyed infrastruc-ture and virtually no means of commu-nication. UNMIL provided securitythroughout the elections process.Despite security concerns as well as lackof accommodation and office space inareas where electoral staff weredeployed, UNMIL gradually overcamethese difficulties, setting up electoraloffices throughout the country.

Due to the high illiteracy rate in thecountry, the next major challenge waseducating the electorate on registeringto vote and then on voting in the elec-tions. Civic educators fanned out to

Liberia: Elections mark historicturning point

Liberians count ballots after polls closed, Monrovia, Liberia, 10 November 2005

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all parts of the country equipped withflip charts, flyers and posters explain-ing the voting process. So did culturalgroups (musicians, dancers andcomedians), entertaining village andtownspeople while at the same timeconveying crucial messages. Sportingevents organized by UNMIL, especial-ly football matches, and major musi-cal concerts with artists from Liberiaand neighbouring countries attractedlarge crowds, offering a perfect settingfor passing on critical messages.UNMIL distributed thousands of T-shirts, flyers and posters depictingelection messages.

Throughout the process, the Mission’s24-hour radio station filled Liberia’sairwaves with information and educa-tional messages, galvanizing the popu-lation to welcome the elections as anopportunity to chart a new course forthe country. Skits, drama performanc-es, live audience and magazine shows,talks and discussions as well as featuresand documentaries were among thedaily fare.

Despite the numerous challengesfaced by electoral officials, the regis-tration exercise was completed with arecord 1.35 million voters, half ofwhom were women, out of a popula-tion of an estimated 3 million. Theyincluded more than 61,000 internallydisplaced persons.

For the elections, UNMIL hired andtrained thousands of Liberian pollworkers as crowd controllers, identifi-cation officers, ballot paper issuers,ballot box controllers and inkproviders to assist at the 3,070 pollingplaces scattered across the country. Itwas a daunting task, made more chal-lenging by the high illiteracy rate, par-ticularly in rural areas.

UNMIL’s peacekeepers helped moveelection materials to polling placesacross the country by truck, helicopterand even ship to coastal areas thatcould not be reached by land. In someareas, porters carried ballots for milesin wheel barrows. The peacekeepers,

along with the Mission’s police officersand the local police force trained byUNMIL, also kept round-the-clockvigil to maintain a secure environmenton the election days.

On 11 October, voters began queuingas early as 2 a.m. to cast their ballotsat polling stations set up in churches,schools, dilapidated public buildingsand even tents and rural huts. Somecarried benches to sit on and umbrel-las to shield themselves from rain andsun. Queues spilled out of the votingprecincts winding through streets.More than 3,500 national and 421international observers, includingformer US President Jimmy Carter,who monitored Liberia’s first post-war elections, endorsed the exerciseas free and fair.

“At all polling places I visited, I wasstruck by the patience, the determina-tion, and the friendliness displayed byall Liberians as they set about exercisingthis most precious right and responsi-bility,” said Alan Doss, head of UNMILand UN Secretary-General’s Special

Representative, after visiting pollingstations across the country.

By ushering in participatory democra-cy through free and fair elections,Liberia has turned a new page in its his-tory. For a country that has known onlywar for a long time, this was is anextraordinary political breakthrough,and a tribute to the international rescueoperation led by the UN.

However, the economic challenges in2006 facing Liberians are enormous.The national budget has shrunk to afraction of its pre-war levels. Liberiaowes about $3 billion in foreign debt.Four in five Liberians are unemployed.The infrastructure is so badly damagedthat even the capital Monrovia has hadno piped water or electricity for morethan a decade. It will take huge interna-tional investments to rebuild the coun-try. And no one appreciates the magni-tude of the problem more than its newlyelected leader, who spent most of hercareer helping other countries developtheir economies. Her country is now inurgent need of her experience. n

Villagers read instructional material during pre-election sensitization, Madikoma, Liberia,16 September 2005

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The UN’s work in Burundi in 2005may be considered a success in peace-keeping and a vital demonstration ofthe importance of strong and sus-tained international support for a nas-cent post-conflict democracy.Established in June 2004 to support apolitical transition to an era of democ-racy and national reconciliation, theUN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) in2005 conducted intense electoral assis-tance activities culminating in thepresidential election of 19 August.

An ambitious electoral timetable wasdrawn up by the IndependentNational Electoral Commission at therequest of the Great Lakes RegionalPeace Initiative on Burundi, a groupof mediators which includes, amongothers, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwandaand the Democratic Republic of theCongo. The Burundian electoralmarathon comprised six separateelections over a period of sevenmonths, beginning with a constitu-tional referendum in February andending in September with elections atthe village level.

During the period of elections, ONUBprovided support for the electoralprocess in the form of logistics, trans-port of ballot boxes and papersthroughout the country, and votereducation through public informa-tion activities.

While the western part of the countrycontinued to be affected by repeatedattacks by the Palipehutu-FNL (Forcesde Liberation Nationale) rebels, theUN helped with the organization ofthe first elections since 1993. Aftertwelve years of civil war which causedgreat suffering, the population wasdetermined to participate and turnedout massively in February, votingoverwhelmingly in favour of the post-transition constitution. Out of 3.3million registered voters, 92 per centexercised their civil right, with 90 percent casting a “yes” vote.

Three months later, on 3 June, votersagain turned out in large numbers,giving a landslide victory to PierreNkurunziza’s Conseil National pour laDéfense de la Démocratie-Forces pourla Défense de la Démocratie (CNDD-FDD) in the communal elections,which won 93 of the 129 communes.

On 4 July, voters once again went tothe polls to elect members of theNational Assembly. On 29 July, anelectoral college of commune andprovincial councils indirectly electedmembers of the Senate. Lawmakerswere also selected in order to ensure abalance in the gender and ethnic rep-resentation in the Parliament, asrequired under the constitution. Fourof the country’s former heads of state,and representatives from the Hutu,Tutsi and Twa ethnic communitieswere amongst the selected senators.

On 19 August, a joint session of mem-bers of the National Assembly and theSenate overwhelmingly elected PierreNkurunziza of the CNDD-FDD as the

new President of Burundi. The last inthe series of elections was conductedat the village level in September.

The success of the peace process led toan influx of some 55,000 Burundianrefugees in 2005 – mainly fromTanzania, and thousands of internallydisplaced persons also returned totheir communities of origin. UNagencies made significant contribu-tions to help the country address thisnew challenge. The UN refugeeagency, UNHCR, supported thereturns and rehabilitated and builtschools, houses and health centres.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)provided assistance such as stationery toschools; the World Food Programme(WFP) opened school canteens, contin-ued food-for-work projects and provid-ed food aid to vulnerable populations inthe northern provinces, where therewere food shortages.

ONUB’s activities have included: sup-porting the disarmament and demobi-

Burundi: A major breakthrough in peacekeeping

CNDD-FDD man surrendering his weapons to the UN registration desk, near Macamba,Burundi, 3 February 2005

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lization of combatants; protection ofhuman rights and strengthening thepolice and judiciary. Through its quickimpact projects, the mission hasaddressed some local needs by build-ing community centres and schoolsand providing assistance to needy chil-dren and former child soldiers.

With the establishment of a democrati-cally-elected Government, ONUB’smandate is to change during 2006. Agradual withdrawal of peacekeepers,which began in December, is expectedto continue. However, nationwide peacecontinues to be elusive, since thePalipehutu-FNL rebel group had yet toagree to a ceasefire and to commencepeace talks.

Meanwhile, the new Government hasto grapple with the daunting tasks ofrebuilding an economy left in sham-bles by the decade-long, war and rec-onciling ethnic communities tornapart by the fratricidal conflict anddeep-rooted mistrust.

It must work to integrate the coun-try’s economic and social fabric,resettle the massive influx of refugeesencouraged to return home by theprospects of peace, provide employ-ment to former combatants and gar-diens de la paix, and find resources todeliver on the promise of free pri-mary education for all.

Most of these challenges can be metonly with the continued assistance ofthe international community. To con-solidate the gains of the peaceprocess, ONUB will continue work-ing closely with the new government,focusing its activities on promotinghuman rights and helping to establisha National Truth and ReconciliationCommission, a vital step in the pro-moting national reconciliation.

It will also help train the nationalpolice force and assist security sectorreform. The Burundi Partners Forumwill also play an important role inmobilizing international support forBurundi’s nascent democracy. n

Despite progress achieved in preparingfor elections and in establishing a safe andsecure environment, the TransitionalGovernment and the UN StabilizationMission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) were con-fronted with serious political and securitychallenges during 2005. State institutionsremained generally weak; and lack ofresources continued to hinder localauthorities from functioning smoothly,with negative effects on the State’s credi-bility. In some areas, disbanded localauthorities remained in place, and vio-lence by criminal gangs continued.

While throughout the year electoralpreparations were faced with substantialtechnical difficulties and several post-ponements of the election dates, the reg-istration of parties, candidates and vot-ers included a relatively wide range ofHaitian political opinion. This enhancedthe credibility of the electoral processand the possibilities for a broad debateregarding the future of Haiti.

Remarkably, the registration of voterswas a resounding success. Over a periodstretching for five months, more than 3.5

million Haitians, out of an estimatedmaximum 4.5 million eligible voters,registered to vote in the elections at the450 centres established nationwide,including in the slum of Cité Soleil.

The registration of 35 presidentialcandidates and 42 political partiesgives an idea of the breadth of theHaitian political spectrum. Their par-ticipation in the electoral processsymbolised the commitment by amajority of Haitians to take part inthe democratic process. Recognizingthe importance of dialogue amongdifferent political parties, MINUS-TAH succeeded in getting politicalparties to agree on codes of conductagainst corruption and not to use vio-lence for political purposes.

The Provisional Electoral Councilannounced in late November that itwas again postponing the country’sfirst elections since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced out ofoffice in February 2004. The Councilcalled for presidential and legislativeelections, to be held in early 2006, to be

MINUSTAH's Office of Public Information and the Electoral Assistance Section hold a sessionat the Petionville High School for teenagers in order to introduce and discuss the upcomingelections. Students read pamphlets describing MINUSTAH's role in Haiti, 11 December 2005

Haiti: MINUSTAH prepares foroverdue elections

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followed by a possible run-off inFebruary and local and municipal elec-tions in March. The Prime Ministerannounced that the TransitionalGovernment would resign on 7February, but would carry out ongoingbusiness until the naming of a newPrime Minister [elections were held on7 February, 2006].

The different postponements in theelectoral calendar were the result anarray of factors ranging from thecrumbling infrastructure in thecountry to the weaknesses of theProvisional Electoral Council (CEP).The latter, however, were largelyaddressed through the appointmentin October of a Director-Generaland the adoption of a decree spellingout the division of responsibilitieswithin it.

Throughout 2005, MINUSTAH wasproviding extensive logistical andtechnical assistance to the CEP inorganizing the elections with a view toensure the credibility of the process.By the end of the year, the mission haddeployed dozens of senior trainers inthe provinces to train 1,325 electoralagents and 809 polling station super-visors. The electoral agents, in turn,were expected to train over 37,000polling station personnel.

Hundreds of electoral observers fromdifferent international organizationsand countries had started arriving inHaiti, expecting to contribute to theconduct of free and fair elections.Their presence, alongside local elec-tion observers, was to help to prevent,report and correct election irregulari-ties, particularly given concerns overpossible links between political par-ties and armed groups, questions overthe independence of electoral work-ers, and other technical issues whichcould impede voter access and thetransparency of the voting and count-ing processes.

Inside the country, the overall securitysituation also improved, despite gangviolence that continued to threaten thepublic in many areas. While outside

Port-au-Prince the security situationbecame relatively calm followingMINUSTAH operations, the situationin the capital remained fragile.

Kidnappings surged in Port-au-Princeduring the spring and became a majorsource of income, affecting victims ofall ages and economic backgrounds,despite several operations by MINUS-TAH and the Haitian National Policeto arrest suspected kidnappers andfree their victims.

To counter the violence, MINUSTAHreinforced its troop numbers to itsauthorized strength of 6,700 and laterin the year to almost 7,500, following aSecurity Council decision to increasethe number of peacekeepers in view ofthe many security threats linked to theelectoral process.

Over the summer, the situation inPort-au-Prince improved substantial-ly in the Bel-Air area, where MINUS-TAH and the Haitian National Police(HNP) established a permanent secu-rity presence. However, the slum of

Cité Soleil, another hotspot in thecapital, continued to pose a serioussecurity threat, and several peace-keepers were killed or wounded inshooting incidents over the course ofthe year.

The HNP remained weak despiteMINUSTAH’s efforts to reform andrestructure the force. Of particularconcern was the pattern of allegedserious misconduct of HNP officers,including their alleged involvement inthe summary execution of at least ninepeople on 20 August at a football gamein Port-au-Prince.

In addition to political and securityproblems, Haiti also continued to faceeconomic catastrophe. Massive unem-ployment, a high illiteracy rate and adestroyed infrastructure have com-bined to make Haiti one of the poorestcountries in the world.

There is no doubt Haiti was at a criti-cal juncture at the end of the year.High voter registration, however, andthe presence of candidates represent-ing a broad range of opinion hadimproved the prospects for credibleelections in early 2006. MINUSTAHmade progress in handling urgentsecurity threats. Nevertheless, thegains remained fragile. n

MINUSTAH Public Information staff interviewing a local resident of Cite Soleil, Haiti,30 November 2005

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The lack of strong and profes-sional rule of law institutionsremain one of the biggestchallenges facing Haiti.


The UN and its partners in the interna-tional community continued efforts tomove Côte d’Ivoire’s peace process for-ward, encourage the parties to the con-flict to reach a negotiated agreement,avoid violence and end the three-year-old conflict in the West African nation.

A May 2003 ceasefire monitored by theUN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire(UNOCI) and the French Licorneforces, continued to hold, with nomajor violations of the UN-imposedarms embargo. However, the targetdates by which combatants were to bedisarmed, demobilized and reintegrat-ed into society were not met, nor wasthe deadline for a presidential election,which constitutionally, should havebeen held by 30 October 2005. Thecountry remained divided. The Forces

Nouvelles former rebel movementretained control over the north of thecountry, while the south remainedunder governmental control. UNpeacekeepers and French forces main-tained peace along the Zone ofConfidence separating the two sides.

In June, the Security Council author-ized an increase in UNOCI’s militarystrength by 850 troops, bringing theMission’s military strength to just over7,000. It also raised the number of UNpolice officers to 725.

A sign of hope emerged in April whenthe Ivorian parties, at a meeting con-vened by South Africa’s PresidentThabo Mbeki, the African Union medi-ator, signed the Pretoria Agreement,which addressed a number of con-

tentious issues on elections and disar-mament. Under the accord, the twosides agreed not to veto the presidentialcandidates put forward by the signato-ries of the Linas-Marcoussis Accord, ofJanuary 2003. The Pretoria Agreementalso included a timetable to disarmthe former rebels and dismantle pro-government militias.

The Pretoria Agreement breathed newmomentum into the peace process, andboth former rebel and governmentforces withdrew heavy weapons fromthe frontline on each side of the Zoneof Confidence. However, the momen-tum was, short-lived. In June, theForces Nouvelles announced that itwould not disarm until pro-govern-ment militias laid down their weapons,thus delaying the peace process. A new

Côte d’Ivoire: Peace efforts move on despite asuccession of delays

Ivorian police cadets respond to commands at the inauguration ceremony of their new training centre. These police officers will provide securityat DDR sites during the disarmament process, 5 August 2005

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timetable for disarmament was setwhen the two sides met again inPretoria in June and approved anagreement urging international sanc-tions against anyone obstructing peace.However, once again the parties failedto implement the provisions of thePretoria Agreement.

By September, it had become clear thatelections could not be held by the end ofOctober 2005 as scheduled. Combatantshad not disarmed; the registration ofvoters had been held up and the countrywas still divided. As the deadlineapproached, new disagreementsemerged over presidential decrees andthe work and composition of theIndependent Electoral Commission.

With a missed electoral deadline andthe threat of a constitutional vacuumlooming, leaders of the EconomicCommunity of West African States(ECOWAS) and the AU agreed toextend President Laurent Gbagbo’sterm of office for a year. Significantpowers would be entrusted to a PrimeMinister – acceptable to all parties –who would oversee a power-sharinggovernment and the transition to freshelections by October 2006. ECOWASand the AU also created two new bodies,the International Working Group and aMediation Group to oversee the peaceprocess, with both bodies co-chaired bythe UN Special Representative in Côted’Ivoire. The Security Council endorsedthese decisions in October.

The International Working Groupwas established to evaluate and mon-itor the peace process and to ensurethat all Ivorian parties respect theircommitments. The group also was toact as a guarantor and impartial arbi-trator of the peace and reconciliationprocess leading to elections before 31October 2006. In early December, theChairperson of the African Union,President Olusegun Obasanjo ofNigeria; the Chairperson of ECOW-AS, President Mamadou Tandja ofNiger; and the African UnionMediator, President Mbeki brokeredthe appointment of Charles KonanBanny, the governor of the Central

Bank for West African States, as thenew Prime Minister.

The Ivorian crisis has affected the popula-tion in many ways: thousands lost theirjobs, poverty deepened, political violencespread, and social cohesion has been dis-rupted. UNOCI documented humanrights abuses by armed individuals,groupsand forces throughout the country.

Continuing ethnic clashes limitedUNOCI’s capacity to help. Violence ingovernment-controlled areas in the vil-lages of Guitrozon and Petit Duékoué ledto restrictions on UNOCI’s freedom ofmovement. Pro-government supportersbarred UN peacekeepers and Licorneforces from entering some villages andtowns, thus hampering their operations.In July the obstructions spread to thesouth after unidentified assailantsattacked the towns of Agboville andAnyama, sparking fears that the peaceprocess might unravel. The ForcesNouvelles also restricted the movement ofpeacekeepers in areas under its control.

In the latter months of 2005, a numberof senior UN officials visited Côted’Ivoire, each time highlighting the

need to resolve the crisis. UN HighCommissioner for Human Rights,Louise Arbour, visited in July and calledfor an end to the reign of terror, fuelledby impunity, by both sides. During hervisit, UN Deputy Secretary-General,Louis Frechette, raised awareness of sex-ual exploitation and abuse, while thechairman of the UN SanctionsCommittee on Côte d’Ivoire,Adamantios Vassilakis, warned leadersthat sanctions would be imposedagainst anyone obstructing the peaceprocess. The Special Adviser of theSecretary-General for the Prevention ofGenocide Juan Mendes, also visitedCôte d’Ivoire and expressed concernthat ongoing tensions could lead to fur-ther serious human rights violations.

Despite setbacks in the Ivorian peaceprocess in 2005, optimism remained thatCôte d’Ivoire’s new roadmap – drawn upby the International Working Group–would move the country out of the cur-rent impasse of no-war-no-peace andresult in the disarmament of combatants,dismantlement of militias, restoration ofState authority throughout the country,and, ultimately, to the holding of nationalelections by October 2006. n

Ivorian reggae star Alpha Blondy becomes UNOCI's first Musician for Peace and accepts hisnomination at a ceremony marking the fourth International Day of Peace, Abidjan,Côte d'Ivoire, 21 September 2005

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Three important events dominated thepolitical landscape of Sudan in 2005: thesigning of the historic ComprehensivePeace Agreement, ending a 21-year civilwar in the southern Sudan between theGovernment and the Sudan Peoples’Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A);the establishment of the UN Mission inSudan (UNMIS) to assist in implement-ing the Agreement; and the unexpecteddeath of SPLM/A leader John Garang,three weeks after he was sworn in asSudan’s First Vice President.

The news of Garang’s death in a heli-copter crash on 30 July sparked off vio-lent riots that left dozens of peopledead and destroyed property inKhartoum and several other areasincluding Juba and Malakal in southernSudan. The riots threatened to undonot only the gains made since the sign-ing of the peace accord in January, butalso the stability of the Government.The SPLM moved swiftly to confirmSalva Kiir as Garang’s successor, and asstipulated in the peace accord, he alsobecame Sudan’s First Vice Presidentand President of the semi-autonomousgovernment of Southern Sudan.

Under the terms of the ComprehensivePeace Agreement, the South will beautonomous for six years after which itwill hold a referendum to decidewhether to secede or remain under aunitary state. Oil revenues and otherresources will be shared equallybetween the Government and theSouth. The political system of theKhartoum government will be restruc-tured on principles of democracy andrespect for human rights. And the twoarmies will merge if the South decidesagainst secession in six years. These areno doubt enormous challenges that willrequire full mobilization of the institu-tional capacity, human resources andpolitical will by both parties.

A Government of National Unity final-ly took office on 22 September, after

delays in implementing the PeaceAgreement caused by Garang’s deathand disagreements over the allocationof cabinet posts between theGovernment and the SPLM. InDecember, the Government ofSouthern Sudan was established afterthe adoption of the interim constitu-tion of Southern Sudan.

The establishment of the Governmentof National Unity and positive develop-ments in Southern Sudan despiteGarang’s death gave momentum to theimplementation of the peace accord.Yet, UNMIS faced mounting challengesin launching such a large and complexoperation in a country roughly the sizeof Western Europe, and as of 13December, it had deployed about 4,300military personnel out of its authorizedstrength of 10,000 troops.

While UNMIS worked to increase itspeacekeeping presence in Sudan, themission also started, along with UNagencies, assisting the country toresolve ongoing conflicts, promotingsocial reconciliation and encouragingdialogue as well as identifying the needsof the new Government. The UN and

its international partners agreed to pro-vide technical support to help in settingup key commissions to assist with theimplementation of the ComprehensivePeace Agreement. In August, theGovernment set up the CeasefirePolitical Commission to supervise,monitor and oversee implementationof the Agreement, as well as to providea political forum for discussionsbetween the parties and the interna-tional community.

UNMIS was also providing good officesand political support to the numerousefforts being made to resolve the ongo-ing conflicts in the country. TheSudanese Government, with the sup-port of UNMIS, UNDP and UNICEF,was finalizing plans to disarm, demobi-lize and reintegrate combatants under aprogramme tailored to pay specialattention to the needs of child soldiers,women and the disabled associatedwith the various armed groups. Therehas also been a steady flow of funds forthe disarmament programme fromseveral donor countries.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement,however, did little to ease the crisis in

Sudan: New mission deploys, provides assistanceto the African Union in Darfur

Peacekeepers from Bangladesh busy with road construction work in Juba, Sudan, 18 July 2005.

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the Darfur region where two localrebel groups, the Justice and EqualityMovement and the Sudanese LiberianMovement/Army, were still fightingGovernment forces and allied militiagroups. The rebels took up arms in2003, claiming neglect and marginal-ization in the country’s political andeconomic life. Mass killings, attacks onvillages and rapes had left tens ofthousands of people dead and morethan 2 million fled their homes intorefugee camps in Darfur and neigh-bouring Chad.

Outraged by the continued killingsand mass displacement of whole vil-lages, the African Union Mission inSudan (AMIS), supported by logisticsfrom the UN and funds from theEuropean Union, the United States,NATO and other donors, increased itsdeployment of ceasefire monitors tomore than 6,300 troops to help endthe crisis in Darfur. UNMIS assistedthe AU monitors in planning and pro-viding technical advice through theUN Assistance Cell to the AU, based in

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The UN wasalso working closely with other inter-national partners to facilitate the AUCommission’s efforts to get resourcesand other needs for AMIS.

In addition to monitoring the fragileceasefire in the Darfur region, the AUalso stepped up efforts to broker a dealto end the fighting between the rebelgroups. However, despite severalrounds of talks in Abuja, Nigeria, asolution remained elusive as divisionswithin the rebels widened. To givebacking to the AU’s mediation efforts,UNMIS met with political and mili-tary commanders of both armedmovements to encourage politicalflexibility in the negotiations andgreater political will to reach an agree-ment at the Abuja talks. UNMIS hasalso been supporting the reconcilia-tion process in Darfur by maintainingcontacts with local civil society groupsand encouraging them to support theAbuja negotiations. As part of the rec-onciliation drive, UNDP and academicinstitutions in Darfur have been run-

ning a series of seminars on the rule oflaw and on conflict resolution.However, in late 2005, the situation inDarfur has became more complexwith the proliferation of armed groupsand bandits and the entry of Chadianrebels and army deserters assemblingin Darfur to attack Chad.

As 2005 came to an end, theGovernment of National Unity con-tinued to face several challenges. Ithad to end conflicts in the east, southand west of the country, particularlythe ongoing instability in Darfur,which remained a threat to the overallsecurity situation in Sudan and theregion. Both parties to the peaceaccord would need to show the neces-sary political will required to imple-ment the Comprehensive PeaceAgreement, as they were alreadyfalling behind schedule in meeting itstimetable. Sudan also faced seriouschallenges in delivering the dividendsof peace that would convince its peo-ple, particularly the Southerners, ofthe merits of peace and unity. n

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In 2005, the UN Mission in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo(MONUC) took a series of importantsteps in supporting the country’s tran-sitional political process and changingthe overall scope of UN peacekeeping.

With an authorized strength of 16,700uniformed personnel under SecurityCouncil resolution 1565, the missionbegan the year began with the estab-lishment of the first multinational divi-sional headquarters in UN peacekeep-ing history. (Most peacekeeping mis-sions operate as a single division.)Based in the north central city ofKisangani, MONUC's Eastern Divisionbegan operations in February, oversee-ing a brigade with four battalions inIturi District, and two more brigades inthe two Kivu provinces.

MONUC’s Divisional Headquarters inthe troubled region of Ituri carried out

a pilot disarmament and communityreintegration programme, which theDRC Transitional Government hadlaunched in late 2004 in conjunction

with MONUC and UNDP. By mid-April, some 15,000 militiamen hadbeen disarmed and 7,000 weaponsrecovered. To support the stabilization

DR Congo: Robust posture hastens political process

First training and deployment of the integrated brigade of the Armed Forces of Congo,crossing the river into Lituri, Kisangani, DR Congo, 29 November 2005


and continue applying pressure on theestimated 2,000-strong remnants of Ituriarmed groups, MONUC subsequentlycreated the Ituri Task Force of UN peace-keepers and the Congolese army, ForcesArmées de la République Démocratiquedu Congo (FARDC), with the capacity toconduct “robust” peace operations any-where in the district.

The creation of a fully-fledged armyand police force was among the DRC'smost pressing needs. In 2005,MONUC trained six army brigades and18,000 Congolese police officers. Thefirst phase of integrating the new armywas completed at the year's end withthe deployment of the sixth integratedFARDC brigade.

In a partial victory for the peaceprocess, on 31 March, the RwandanHutu insurgent group, the DemocraticForces for the Liberation of Rwanda(FDLR), which had been operating inthe Kivus, denounced the 1994Rwandan genocide and pledged toreturn home peacefully. MONUCswiftly set up six assembly areas in theKivus, but FDLR members did not sur-render in significant numbers. In June,the FDLR leadership subsequently split,delaying the full repatriation of therebels to Rwanda.

At the end of June, the TransitionalGovernment announced its intention toforcibly disarm FDLR combatants oper-ating in the east. Using its mandate toprotect civilians, MONUC peacekeep-ers and government forces launched aseries of joint robust military opera-tions that attempted to flush out therebels and clear their camps. Theseoperations while achieving someimpressive results, did not complete thefull repatriation of the foreign armedgroups. At several points throughoutthe year, intensified action by MONUCpeacekeepers in Ituri and the Kivusdrew retaliatory fire from would-bespoilers and hostile combatants.Thirteen blue helmets were killed incombat in 2005, while dozens of otherssuffered injuries. The most deadly inci-dent happened on 25 February whennine MONUC peacekeepers from

Bangladesh, who were on a routinefoot patrol to protect a camp of some8,000 internally displaced persons,were killed in a well-planned andcoordinated ambush at Kafé, some 80kilometers north of Bunia on LakeAlbert.

MONUC's strong mandate coupledwith a high level of international sup-port facilitated in 2005 what wouldhave seemed impossible just a fewyears earlier: more than 24 millionCongolese registered to vote. BetweenJune and December, MONUC provid-ed the country’s IndependentElectoral Commission with logistical,technical and advisory expertise. Voterregistration kits were distributed to9,000 registration centres throughouteven the most remote corners of theDRC, a country the size of WesternEurope. Some materials were eventransported by canoe. The commit-ment of MONUC troops furtherallayed widespread fears that internalstrife and violence would derail theregistration. In Ituri, almost 90 per-cent of the electorate registered, whileseven out of the DRC's 11 provincescompleted the registration process.Significantly also on 18 and 19

December, polling for the constitu-tional referendum took place in theabsence of serious security incidents,marking a turning point in the historyof the country, as it represented thefirst opportunity for the Congolesepeople to choose their system of gov-ernance in over 40 years.

While peacekeepers ensured safetywhere they were deployed on theground, MONUC aviation set new safe-ty records in the sky. The DRC is a vastcountry with its infrastructure virtuallydestroyed, and almost all key logisticaltransport is by air. On 18 October, whenMONUC marked its sixth anniversary,the mission had recorded 130,000 hoursof safe operations, yet another mile-stone in UN peacekeeping. With a fleetof 68 aircraft operating from more than60 airports and airfields, MONUC avia-tion came to rival commercial carriersand overtook them to become Africa'slargest airline. Furthermore, this infra-structure proved indispensable in thetransport of electoral kits, cargo andpersonnel in support of the organiza-tion of elections scheduled for 2006.

In the area of mission support andreform, MONUC took the lead

MONUC Moroccan contigent doctors treat refugees in Che, Ituri after they fled their homesdue to violent militia fighting 4 February 2005.

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through its implementation of an“integrated mission” concept. Diversemembers of the UN family present inthe DRC operated in tandem toachieve such results as the repatriationof Congolese refugees from Tanzaniaand the production of cross-cuttingvideos and radio programmesdesigned to educate Congolese citizenswhile mobilizing funds from the inter-national community.

MONUC meanwhile set a tangibleexample for future peacekeeping oper-ations with the opening on 1 March ofthe Office for Addressing Sexual Abuseand Exploitation, the first of its kind ina peacekeeping mission. Eleven staffmembers worked on policy develop-ment, training, and advocacy, and alsoinvestigated some 100 civilian and mil-itary cases over a six-month period.The efforts of the office resulted in atotal of 38 repatriations, dismissals andcriminal charges for severe misconduct.

Also, in 2005, Radio Okapi, the jointradio project launched in 2002 byMONUC Public Information andFoundation Hirondelle, a Swiss non-governmental organization, becamethe largest national radio network notonly in the DRC but also in the histo-ry of UN peacekeeping. Broadcastingin both FM and shortwave transmis-sion, Radio Okapi’s listenership sky-rocketed in all of country’s provinces,including in the capital Kinshasa. Asthe electoral calendar unfolds in 2006,the radio network, with its credibilityestablished as the “voice of MONUC”,will serve as a key tool in helping vali-date the democratic electoral processand poll results even in the most iso-lated corners of the country.

During 2005 MONUC made consid-erable advances towards meeting itscore objectives. Its partners remainedoptimistic that in 2006, the DRC'sfirst independent elections in morethan 40 years would yield sustainablepeace and security, while alsoattempting to address the war’s legacythrough tangible humanitarian andeconomic development. n

On 24 October, the UN SecurityCouncil provided the green light toinitiate the process to determine thefuture status of the ethnically-dividedKosovo. The process began inDecember under the leadership ofMartti Ahtisaari, the UN SpecialEnvoy, thus marking the culminationof a political process lasting six yearsand signalling, the beginning of thenext phase of the life of the UNInterim Administration Mission inKosovo (UNMIK).

Over the past four years, UNMIK hasattempted to implement policy accord-ing to the formula “Standards forKosovo”, more generally known as “stan-dards before status.” Under this arrange-ment, Kosovo was expected to developstable democratic institutions underUNMIK administration before anydecision could be made on its future sta-tus. The standards include promotinghuman rights, establishing the rule oflaw and protecting minority rights.

The task was clearly huge, andprogress of the fledgling institutions ofKosovo had been inconsistent.However, despite frustration on thepart of the majority Kosovo Albaniansover lack of progress toward their ulti-mate goal of independence, there havebeen some positive developments overthe past year. Significant steps havebeen taken in meeting the “standards”.Whereas security improved, imple-mentation in the area of rule of lawwas inconsistent. Progress has beenparticularly slow in the protection ofminority rights and return of internal-ly displaced persons.

In October, Ambassador Kai Eide, whowas appointed by the UN Secretary-General to review the situation inKosovo, noted that progress in meetingthe standards had been uneven.However, he recommended startingthe process leading to the determina-tion of Kosovo’s future status. He cau-

tioned though that “standards” and“status” were not the be-all and end-allof the political process leading to gen-uine protection of minority rights bythe majority population. TheNorwegian diplomat warned thatpolitical life in Kosovo could not beconsumed entirely by status talks, vitalas they would be. There was a hugeamount of work to be done even astalks proceeded, he emphasized.

Meanwhile, in September, UNMIKstarted working on six priority areas:continued implementation of the stan-dards, a comprehensive reform of localgovernment, improving security, build-ing local capacity, maintaining a safeand secure environment and restruc-turing the mission itself.

Progress was already evident in someareas. UNMIK has drawn up a plan torestructure its presence in Kosovo. Itinitiated informal, technical-leveltalks with the European Union andthe Organization for Security andCooperation in Europe on contin-gency planning for possible futurearrangements for their involvement inKosovo following the determinationof its future status. The mission start-ed discussions with all Kosovo com-munities on their future securityarrangements. By the end of 2005, themission will commenced the transferof some police and justice responsibil-ities from UNMIK to the new min-istries of interior and justice. Thetransfer of police station managementwas completed, with all 33 police sta-tions and five of the six regionalpolice headquarters being run byKosovans at the end of 2005.

While the duration and eventual out-come of status talks remained as yetuncertain, the Security Council deci-sion meant that UNMIK had starteddown the road which will eventuallysee it join growing group of successfulpeacekeeping missions. n

Kosovo: Status talks getunderway


The year 2005 saw the stalemate inthe Ethiopia-Eritrea peace processbecoming more entrenched, and thepossibility of an outbreak of warincreased as the year came to a close.Though the leadership of UNMEEcontinued to engage all stakeholdersin the peace process in an effort toresolve the deadlock, the two partiesremained as polarised as ever.Sustained efforts by the internationalcommunity to convince Eritrea toengage Ethiopia in dialogue were alsoin vain. While Ethiopia continued toreject significant parts of the decisionof the Eritrea- Ethiopia BoundaryCommission (EEBC), Eritrea main-tained its rejection of the Five-PointPeace Plan that Ethiopia announcedin November 2004.

Two factors further worsened the ten-sion. First, Ethiopia moved its armedforces closer to the TemporarySecurity Zone (TSZ), betweenDecember 2004 and early 2005.Although Ethiopia insisted the changewas largely defensive, Eritrea viewedthis as an aggressive stance. Ethiopiadid not heed Security Council calls toreverse its decision. Then, on 5October, Eritrea imposed a ban on allUNMEE helicopter flights in its air-space, as well as many night-timepatrols by the Mission’s vehicles insidethe TSZ. The Government said the banwas needed to protect its territory, butthe move generated suspicion withinthe international community – andmore so in Ethiopia – as to Eritrea’sreal intentions.

The helicopter ban immediatelyreduced the Mission’s ability to mon-itor and observe developments in theTSZ and its capability to warn theinternational community of anyimpending danger. In addition, theban endangered the safety of UNMEEpeacekeepers deployed along the TSZ,as it meant that in the event of acci-dents, medical evacuations by air

were also not possible. UNMEE,joined by the UN Security Counciland the Secretary-General, amongothers, made urgent appeals, in vain,to the Eritrean Government to lift theban immediately.

In November, the Security Councildemanded that Eritrea lift all itsrestrictions imposed on UNMEE andurged both parties to exercise maxi-mum restraint and to return to thestatus that existed in December 2004,within 30 days. On 6 December, theEritrean Government requested thatUNMEE staff with nationalities fromthe US, Canada, Europe and theRussian Federation leave Eritrea with-in 10 days, a decision which wasstrongly condemned by the UN. In astatement, the Secretary-Generalstressed that Eritrea’s decision contra-vened its obligations under theCharter and the fundamental princi-ples of UN peacekeeping.

The helicopter ban forced UNMEE torelocate some of its deployment sitesfor the safety of peacekeepers and toavoid logistical problems. The deepen-ing stalemate and continued restric-tions imposed on UNMEE also forcedthe Security Council to authoriseUNMEE to temporarily relocate someof its personnel from Eritrea toEthiopia, an operation which was car-ried out in December.

These difficulties notwithstanding,the Mission continued to focus itswork on other important areas. Forexample, in 2005, UNMEE’s humani-tarian component began to advocatea more coordinated approachtowards the implementation of thequick impact projects, the HIV/AIDSprogramme, sexual exploitation andabuse training, as well as the inclu-sion of gender view points in itswork. A forum met regularly tocoordinate work, exchange informa-tion and implement projects. As a

result of its initiatives, the forumtook steps to improve managementof quick-impact projects, speed uptheir adoption and get Mission fundswith minimum delays.

UNMEE, in collaboration with theInternational Committee of the RedCross and the office of the UN HighCommissioner for Refugees, contin-ued to monitor and report humanrights cases involving vulnerablegroups such as children and women,especially abductions, disappearancesand border crossing in the TSZ andsurrounding areas.

In response to the stalemate,UNMEE increased its public infor-mation activities by reaching com-munities on both sides of the borderto raise awareness of UN days andthe issues they represent. Theseactivities were carried out in bothcapitals as well as in the Sectors,

Deminers of the Bangladeshi Contingenthard at work as part of UNMEE's IntegratedDemining Operations in the TemporarySecurity Zone, Eritrea, 19 June 2005

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Ethiopia-Eritrea: Political stalemate continuesamid rising tension


where they were received mostenthusiastically by the public.

UNMEE’s work to clear landmines inthe TSZ has been largely successful. In2005, UNMEE formed an “integrated”approach to clearing landmines, com-bining the Mission’s military resourceswith those of a private demining con-tractor, Mechem of South Africa.Mechem’s use of mechanical tech-niques and mine detection dogs com-plemented the manual deminingexpertise of the peacekeepers. This ini-

tiative led to an immediate, significantrise in mine clearance at a much loweroperational cost. So far UNMEE hascleared millions of square metres ofminefields in some of the most heavi-ly mined areas of the TSZ. The landhas been returned to the local popula-tion for farming and occupancy.UNMEE’s unique approach to inte-grated demining could serve as amodel for future UN peace operations,and has already been adopted by theUN mission in Sudan.

For UNMEE, 2005 began with a note ofconcern over the increased Ethiopiantroop strength close to the border. Theyear ended on an even more disquiet-ing note with the mission’s ability tomonitor the TSZ degraded by some 60percent due to the helicopter ban andother restrictions imposed by Eritreaon its ground patrols. The stalemateremained intractable, and a real threatof renewed hostilities existed betweenEthiopia and Eritrea, despite calls forrestraint by the Security Council. n

The UN Observer Mission in Georgia(UNOMIG) was established by theSecurity Council in August 1993 to veri-fy the ceasefire agreement between theGovernment of Georgia and the Abkhazde-facto authorities in Georgia. Its man-date was expanded following the signingby the parties of the 1994 Agreement ona Ceasefire and Separation of Forces.Being a relatively small mission in a cur-rently generally calm area, UNOMIG hasa tendency to be overshadowed by larger,multidimensional missions deployed involatile situations.

It is often overlooked, however, thatUNOMIG has been given one of themost extensive mandates, ranging frompursuing a comprehensive political set-tlement of the conflict to monitoring theceasefire and other military arrange-ments agreed upon by the two parties.Additional responsibilities in the field ofhuman rights and humanitarian activi-ties, as well as recently added certain civil-ian police functions further enhance thelevel of complexity of the mission’s work.

Since its arrival in Georgia two yearsago, a small team of UNOMIG policeofficers have started to make its presencefelt. The officers have gained the trust ofthe local population by working togeth-er with local law enforcement agencies,and have started helping build thecapacity of the local police force.

The team of 12 police officers fromseven nations operates on the

Georgian Government-controlledside of the ceasefire line. Abkhazauthorities, however, continued torefuse a UN police presence on theirside of the line.

The mandate of the UN police teamincludes creating conditions thatwould encourage the return ofrefugees and internally displaced per-sons to their homes left during the

conflict of 1992-1993. UN police offi-cers carry out patrols, train localpolice on law enforcement and humanrights issues, provide equipment andforensic assistance.

The team’s biggest achievements to dateare in crime prevention and communi-ty policing. UN police have set up sev-eral crime-prevention committees incooperation with local and regional

Georgia: UNOMIG police mark two years

Police officers at an event marking the establishment of Georgia's first Policewomen’sAssociation in, Zugdidi-town, Georgia, November 2005

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police commanders. With the encour-agement of an UNOMIG female policeofficer, the local police force has set upthe Police Women’s Association, withthe goal of encouraging more womento join the force.

The refusal by Abkhazia to allow thedeployment of UN police officers in theGali region continues to hamper coop-eration across the ceasefire line. It hasalso hindered progress in criminal inves-tigations and has limited the effective-

ness of anti-crime efforts. During hisbrief visit to Georgia in November, UNSecretary-General Kofi Annan empha-sized the importance of ensuring therespect for rule of law and human rightsin the conflict zone. n

Other, long-term peacekeeping missionscontinued to provide valuable measuresof stability in areas where sustainablepeace has not yet been fully achieved.

A landmark bus service across theIndian-Pakistani ceasefire line in Jammuand Kashmir was inaugurated on 7 April,marking what UN Secretary-Generalcalled “a powerful gesture of peace and anopportunity to reunite families dividedfor nearly 60 years.” The UN MilitaryObserver Group in India and Pakistan(UNMOGIP) has been observing aceasefire in disputed state of Jammu andKashmir since 1949. The state was splitbetween India and Pakistan after theywon independence from the UnitedKingdom in 1947. UNMOGIP also pro-vided assistance to the victims of thepowerful earthquake that struck north-ern Pakistan in October. After 57 years ofUN presence, conflict has not resumed,and small steps towards reconciliationhave increased.

In Cyprus, the situation remained gen-erally calm and stable along ceasefirelines but progress toward a politicalsolution was negligible at best. In 2005,the opening of additional crossingpoints and small increases in tradebetween the Greek Cypriot and theTurkish Cypriot communitiesenhanced opportunities for people-to-people contacts. The UN PeacekeepingForce in Cyprus (UNFICYP) contin-ued to enjoy generally good coopera-tion from both sides, although therewere no official contacts between them.In June, former UN Under-Secretary-General Kieran Prendergast, traveled toCyprus, Turkey and Greece for consul-tations on how best the UN could helpbring about a settlement. He recom-mended that the UN continue to offerits good offices to both sides and that

the Secretary-General appoint a SpecialAdviser who would engage the partiesin exploring common ground neededto resume talks.

In the Middle East, the 31-year old UNDisengagement Observer Force(UNDOF) continued to observe theceasefire between Israeli and Syrianforces in the Golan Heights, a bufferzone set up after the 1973 Arab-IsraeliWar. In calling for the renewal ofUNDOF’s mandate in December, theUN Secretary-General noted that thesituation in the Middle East remainedtense and was likely to remain so. Acomprehensive settlement covering allaspects of the Middle East problem wasneeded to resolve the situation. In car-rying out its mandate, UNDOF was alsoassisted by military observers from theUN Troop Supervision Organization(UNTSO) based in Jerusalem.

The UN played several roles in Lebanonin 2005. The 40-year old UN InterimForce in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continuedto monitor a ceasefire to prevent furtherescalation of sporadic outbreaks of vio-lence that occurred in 2005 betweenHezbollah militia in Lebanon and Israeltroops along the Blue Line the two coun-tries. Violence along the Blue Line result-ed in civilian casualties on both sides. InJuly, the Security Council extendedUNIFIL’s mandate, acknowledging thatthe occasional exchange of fire in theShab’a farms area in Lebanon showedthat the situation remained volatile andfragile and could deteriorate at any time.There was political tension and uncer-tainty in Lebanon following the assassi-nation of former Prime Minster RafikHariri in February. The Secretary-General appointed a Special Envoy,Detlev Mehlis, to investigate the assassi-nation. Mehlis’ investigation implicated

senior officials in the Syrian andLebanese security services. On 15December, the Security Council extend-ed the inquiry into the assassination by afurther six months, saying Syria had notcooperated fully with the investigators.In April, Syrian forces withdrew fromLebanon at the request of the SecurityCouncil, which was followed by free andfair elections in May and June.

In Western Sahara, the UN Mission forthe Referendum of Western Sahara(MINURSO) continued to play an impor-tant stabilizing and ceasefire monitoringrole in the region. This was in spite of con-tinued instability as a result of the politicalimpasse between the MoroccanGovernment and the Frente POLISARIOindependence movement, as well as con-tinued violations of their military agree-ment and alleged human rights abuses. Inaddition to monitoring a ceasefire, the 14-year old mission is also seeking to organizea referendum in the former Spanishcolony which Morocco has claimed as itsown, and where the POLISARIO has beenfighting for independence. A senior UNenvoy, Peter van Walsum, who visited thearea in October to break the political dead-lock, concluded that the positions of mostkey players in the Western Sahara disputewere “quasi-irreconcilable”, although theyall held strong views on the need for adurable solution.While there was progresson removing unexploded mines, and therelease of 404 prisoners of war after 20years of incarceration by the POLISARIO,both sides continued to violate the cease-fire by increasing their military presence inthe restricted areas, staging incursions inthe buffer zone and restricting movementsof the UN military observers. Meanwhile,MINURSO restructured its military postsby decreasing some stations while simulta-neously increasing the number of militaryobservers. n

Other DPKO-led missions


OTHER PEACE OPERATIONS

Following last year’s historic presidentialelections that brought President HamidKarzai’s government into office, Afghansonce again headed to the polls inSeptember this year to elect a new parlia-ment, its first fully representative legisla-ture in three decades. The birth of thenew parliament also marked a successfulconclusion of the Bonn Agreement, thepolitical blueprint that has guidedAfghanistan’s transition to peace andnational reconciliation since it wassigned in Germany in December 2001.

The parliamentary election highlightedthe immense strides Afghanistan hasmade in a few short years. Civil societyand the media participated actively atevery step of the process, and there was amarked improvement in how govern-

ment institutions managed the elections,particularly the military and the police.

Threats and attacks on election workersand candidates failed to derail theprocess. More than half of the 12.4 mil-lion registered voters went to the polls,with relatively few security incidents.About 5,800 candidates ran for election,with 25 percent of the seats reserved forwomen. In addition, women also wonseats in their own right in about 13 ofthe 34 provinces. It took more than amonth to count and certify the elec-tions, and the final results wereannounced in early November.

In spite of positive changes, however,turnout was lower than expected insome parts of the country, and many

electoral complaints were filed. The sin-gle non-transferable voting system,under which people voted for individualcandidates not political parties, sawmany candidates without affiliation toany political party being elected intoparliament at the expense of establishedpolitical parties.

The 2005 parliamentary provincialcouncil elections, which were supportedby the United Nations, also presentedsignificantly greater challenges than in2004, from the need for extensive civiceducation to the transporting of votingmaterials to more than 26,000 pollingstations – roughly ten times last year’svolume – with some ballots listing hun-dreds of candidates. UNDP startedtraining 270 parliamentary staff begin-

Afghanistan: Beyond the Bonn Agreement

Women mark their ballots in Afghanistan's National Assembly and Provincial Council elections, Kabul, 18 September 2005.

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ning in February to ensure the smoothfunctioning of the legislature. The newAfghan parliament opened its first ses-sion in December, signaling the birth ofa new nation and the fulfillment of apromise made four years ago in Bonn.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission inAfghanistan (UNAMA) continued itswork supporting Afghan institutions inthe face of several challenges that includ-ed persistent security problems, a boom-ing illegal economy fuelled by opiumpoppies, a weak justice system and gov-ernment institutions susceptible to cor-ruption. Nonetheless, the groundwork thatUNAMA and its international partnerslaid over the past several years enabledimportant steps to be made towards fur-ther stability and development.

The disarmament, demobilization, andreintegration programme, which begunin 2003, was completed in July. Of the63,380 ex-fighters who were disarmedunder the programme, more than 60,000had received or were undergoing trainingin agriculture or business.A few thousandcombatants joined the Afghan NationalArmy, which is expected to reach its targetstrength of 43,000 by September 2007,three years ahead of schedule. The currentplan provides for the training of 62,000police officers, two-thirds of whom weretrained by the end of the year.

UNAMA has also taken an active role inmediating long-standing tribal disputes.The most successful was the settlementin June of a 60-year-old feud betweenthe Balkhel and Sabari tribes in Khostprovince in the southeast. The disputehad caused the death of dozens of peo-ple in recent years, along with kidnap-pings, livestock losses, and the closure ofan important road linking the affectedarea to the provincial capital.

Even without continued insecurity,Afghanistan faces enormous develop-ment challenges. The government’sendorsement in 2005 of Afghanistan’sfirst Millennium Development GoalsReport, drafted with UNDP andUNAMA assistance, represented a cru-cial step. The priority of the UN family inthe country will be to assist Afghanistanto meet the MDG targets. n

Although events in Iraq during 2005 werewell chronicled in the media, the contri-butions of the UN Assistance Mission inIraq (UNAMI) received less attention.Yetthroughout the year, UNAMI’s team ofpolitical, electoral, constitutional, infor-mation, humanitarian and human rightsexperts-- working mostly from withinBaghdad’s International Zone and fromAmman and Kuwait,--employed theirexpertise and resources to assist the Iraqipeople and government with their politi-cal and economic development.

The mandate given UNAMI in SecurityCouncil resolution 1546 tasks the mis-sion with facilitating the politicalprocess in Iraq and encouraging thatprocess to be as inclusive and transpar-ent as possible. In November 2005 theSecurity Council reaffirmed UNAMI’smandate with the passage of resolution1637. To that end the SpecialRepresentative of the Secretary Generaland the UNAMI team engaged Iraqis ofall political and ethnic backgroundsthroughout the year.

As Iraq underwent the complexity of apolitical transition process, UNAMIfocused its activities on providing polit-ical, electoral and constitutional sup-port, while at the same time coordinat-ing donor assistance and providing sup-port for Iraq’s reconstruction and devel-opment. The mission’s human rightsoffice monitored abuses and strove tosupport the rehabilitation of Iraqi insti-tutions that would be responsible forimproving the human rights situation inthe country. Terrorism, torture, arbi-trary detentions and extrajudicialkillings continued to present a majorchallenge to the rule of law.

In 2005, the Iraqi people voted threetimes on the future of their country,including a referendum on 15 Octoberon the new Iraqi constitution. Throughits assistance to the IndependentElectoral Commission of Iraq (IECI),the UN provided critical support tothese electoral processes.

With UN assistance, Iraq was able tomeet each major stage during the pastyear’s political timetable as set by theSecurity Council. Elections for theTransitional National Assembly inJanuary 2005, organized by the IECI,produced a Transitional IraqiGovernment and set in motion theprocess to draft a national constitu-tion. Intense negotiations over thedrafting went on from May throughmid-October, with the SRSG encour-aging all parties to support theprocess, and emphasizing that theconstitution be inclusive and repre-sentative of all Iraqis.

During this period, UNAMI’s Office ofConstitutional Support provided techni-cal advice, capacity-building and donorcoordination. Together with UNDP, theOffice also arranged for the printing anddissemination of the constitution, whilethe Iraqi authorities were responsible fordistributing it. UNAMI also mobilizedthe Iraqi media to raise public awarenessof the entire process.

With the 15 December elections for aCouncil of Representatives, Iraq enteredthe last phase of its formal transitionprocess under the TransitionalAdministrative Law. However, Iraq con-tinues to face significant challenges, par-ticularly with regard to national security,which continues to be a daunting andelusive goal.

While the tenuous security forced theUN’s 95 international staff to remainlargely confined to the Green Zone, theUN deployed hundreds of local andinternational staff in Iraq at the peak ofoperations during 2005, including inBasra and Erbil.

On 12 November, 2005 Secretary-General Kofi Annan visited Iraq to reit-erate the UN’s commitments.

In his last report of 2005, the Secretary-General cautioned that the Decemberelections would not mark the end of the

Iraq: UNAMI underpins thetransitional political process


country’s political transition, “but thebeginning of a new phase in whichresponsible politics and leadership willmake the difference between success andfailure.” In 2006 UNAMI is to remain

engaged in further implementing itsSecurity Council mandate with a view topromoting national dialogue and recon-ciliation and shaping the democraticfuture of Iraq. n

Secretary-General Kofi Annan Arrives in Baghdad, Iraq, 12 November 2005

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UNSCO mediates, coordinates UNwork in the Middle EastFor Gaza, where the United NationsSpecial Coordinator’s Office (UNSCO)for the Middle East works to improvethe prospects for real peace, the high-light of 2005 was Israel’s unilateralwithdrawal from the occupiedPalestinian territories of Gaza Strip andparts of the northern West Bank. Thewithdrawal raised hopes of a resump-tion of the peace process under theRoad Map, the peace plan presented tothe parties in 2003 by the Quartet, adiplomatic grouping comprising theUN, the European Union, Russia andthe United States.

This hope, however, has yet to be met.Following the withdrawal, there was abrief period of quiet before yet anothercycle of violence was set in motion,causing deaths and injuries on both

sides. Restrictions on the movement ofpeople and goods continued to have adevastating impact on the Palestinianeconomy. Israeli authorities easedrestrictions somewhat on the move-ment of Palestinians in the West Bankthis year by removing several militarycheckpoints, but numerous constraintsto social and economic developmentremained. As a consequence, a highproportion of Palestinians now rely onhumanitarian assistance.

UN agencies continued to deliverhumanitarian and development assis-tance under the leadership ofUNSCO. Meanwhile, UNSCO contin-ued its mediation efforts, bilaterallywith the parties to the peace process,and also as part of the wider interna-tional community. n

The main tasks for UN political mis-sions, which are run by theDepartment of Political Affairs, areto prevent or resolve deadly conflictsaround the globe and to consolidatepeace in societies emerging from war.

In May, the UN Mission of Support inTimor-Leste (UNMISET) completedits mandate after six years of steeringthe country’s independence fromIndonesia. In its report released inJuly, the Commission of Experts setup to review the prosecution of seri-ous crimes in Timor-Leste recom-mended that Indonesia review itsprosecutions and that some cases ofabuse be reopened.

As a testimony of UNMISET’s successand the country’s political stability, itssuccessor, the UN Office in Timor-Leste (UNOTIL), did not have peace-keeping troops. The internationalcommunity had recognized thatTimor-Leste was safe and peaceful andthat its authorities were able to takeover the responsibility for maintaininginternal and external security.

UNOTIL’s mandate included supportin capacity building to Timor-Leste’sstate institutions, such as the nationalpolice. In December, as evidence ofthe transformation of the world’snewest nation from a beneficiary to acontributor to UN peacekeeping oper-ations, 10 UNOTIL-trained policeofficers from the Timor-Leste nationalpolice were deployed for peacekeepingduties with the UN police contingentsin Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Timor-Leste’s relationswith Indonesia continued to improve.

The UN Observer Mission inBougainville (UNOMB) ended in Junewith the swearing in of Bougainville’sfirst autonomous provincial govern-ment. The mission had helped to endviolence in the province ofBougainville Island which had fought along secessionist struggle against

Political missions:


Papua New Guinea. During its stay inthe region, the UN was instrumentalin negotiating, mediating and facilitat-ing the resolution of the decade-longconflict that ended in 1998. The UNalso supervised the collection anddestruction of some 2,000 weapons,pushed the parties to meet agreed pre-election deadlines and ultimately facil-itated the election itself.

With The Central African Republicgradually returning to a path ofpeace, economic recovery, recon-struction and sustainable develop-ment, the UN Peacebuilding SupportOffice (BONUCA) continued topursue its mandate to strengthenpolitical dialogue and promote therule of law.

However, the country’s economicrecovery was hindered by an upsurge incross-border banditry and the prolifera-tion of weapons in the sub-region.

The UN Peacebuilding SupportOffice in Guinea-Bissau (UNOG-BIS) supported the country’s presi-dential elections in June and the run-off held in July. On 1 October, thewinner, João Bernardo Vieira, wassworn into office as President, endingthree decades of coups and counter-coups. With the swearing in of a newleader, the country hoped to moveaway from the divisions of the pasttowards a more harmonious andconstructive future.

However, political tensions along per-sonality and party lines continued tocast a shadow on the prospects for sta-bility. Meanwhile, UNOGBIS contin-ued to promote the rule of law andhuman rights, consolidate peace andassist national authorities in drafting

legislation on the prevention, treat-ment and control of HIV/AIDS.

The UN Political Office for Somalia(UNPOS) provided intensive supportto the Somali National ReconciliationConference held in Nairobi, Kenya,under the auspices of the Inter-govern-mental Authority on Development(IGAD), and worked with internation-al partners to help Somali leaders agreeon a transitional administration.

By early 2005, the Conference had pro-duced a broad-based TransitionalFederal Government which movedback to Somalia in mid-2005 from itstemporary base in Nairobi.

Somalia continued to be beset by seri-ous political problems, including anassassination attempt in Novemberagainst Prime Minister Ali MohammedGedi in Mogadishu, and an increasedinflow of illegal weapons inside thecountry in violation of the UN armsembargo and political violence.

The UN Tajikistan Office ofPeacebuilding (UNTOP) was instru-mental in helping to build democraticinstitutions and foster peace in thecountry during the vulnerable post-civil war period. It provided technicalassistance for the parliamentary elec-tions in February 2005.

UNTOP’s human rights informationresource centre became popular withTajiks who were able to use it for study-ing human rights, accessing the inter-net and receiving legal consultations.

By the end of the year, UNTOP, withsupport from UNDP, had trained1,100 police officers on human rights.More than 300 people from 41 district

commissions and 3,000 local electioncommission members took part in aseries of seminars on internationalelection standards, election laws andprocedures in Tajikistan.

The UN Office for West Africa(UNOWA) was active in promotingcooperation among UN peacekeepingand political missions based in theregion. There was visible progress inmaintaining political stability inSierra Leone, and in Liberia, whereelections led to the election of the firstwomen head of state in Africa, EllenJohnson-Sirleaf.

The situation in Togo stabilized afterdays of violence caused by the deathof former President Eyadema.However, a political stalemate in Côted’Ivoire caused the postponement ofthe country’s elections.

Regional challenges included the flowof small arms and light weapons inthe region; disarmament, demobiliza-tion and reintegration of former com-batants; the fight against HIV/AIDS;refugees and displaced persons andyouth unemployment. n

The main tasks for UN politicalmissions, which are run by theDepartment of Political Affairs,are to prevent or resolve dead-ly conflicts around the globeand to consolidate peace insocieties emerging from wars.

One of the demobilized women who recent-ly graduated as a police officer after train-ing offered by UNDP, Hargeisa, Somalia,30 October 2005

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UNOWA used its good officesto coordinate UN support tothe region, mediate andorganize meetings in aneffort to address sub-regionalcross-border challenges topeace and security.


CHALLENGES IN PEACE OPERATIONS

Over the past year, DPKO set in motionsweeping reforms of the culture ofpeacekeeping, initiated in the wake ofrevelations of sexual exploitation andabuse on peacekeeping missions duringthe previous year.

In June, the General Assemblyapproved a wide-ranging package ofrecommendations proposed by theSecretary-General's Advisor on SexualExploitation and Abuse by UNPeacekeeping Personnel, Prince ZeidRa'ad Zeid Al-Hussein.

Subsequently DPKO establishedConduct and Discipline units at UNheadquarters and in the eight largestpeacekeeping operations, prepared afar-reaching policy on victims assis-tance, launched communications andpublic outreach strategies, designedand implemented mandatory trainingfor personnel in all categories, strength-ened management accountability,worked to improve living conditionsand welfare for peacekeepers and madeprogress in amending legal agreementsof various categories of peacekeepingpersonnel to include prohibitions onsexual exploitation and abuse. Thisincluded amendments to the memo-randa of understanding between theUN and troop-contributing countries.The Secretary-General also appointed a

Group of Legal Experts to study ways tostrengthen the criminal accountabilityof UN personnel who commit crimeswhile serving on UN peacekeepingoperations. DPKO is also working withMember States to ensure effective fol-low up when offenders are repatriated.

A task force led by the UN Secretariat'stwo high-level policy groups--theExecutive Committee on Peace andSecurity and the Executive Committee onHumanitarian Affairs--worked through-out the year to develop the details of thesepolicy changes. Meanwhile, the DeputySecretary-General visited five peacekeep-ing operations to carry the Secretary-General’s message of zero tolerance forsexual misconduct.

In the field, investigations into allega-tions of sexual exploitation and abusecontinued, now handled by the Officeof Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).A comprehensive data base is beingdeveloped to track and report all mis-conduct cases. Since January 2004,investigations were completed of some291 peacekeeping mission personnel,resulting in the dismissal of 16 civilians,the repatriation of 16 members offormed police units and 137 repatria-tions or rotations home on disciplinarygrounds of military personnel, includ-ing six commanders.

The Peacekeeper’s DUTY OF CARE

• You are privileged to have been select-ed to serve in a UN peacekeeping oper-ation. This privilege confers upon youserious responsibilities towards thepopulation you have come to serve.

• When serving in a peacekeeping oper-ation, you represent the UnitedNations. The Blue Beret should beworn with pride and with awareness ofits meaning to the world.

• The trust bestowed upon the UnitedNations and the mandate entrusted to theUnited Nations by the international com-munity call upon you to exercise thehighest standards of professional conductand behaviour, whether on or off duty.

• UN peacekeepers are deployed intoextraordinary situations in which localpopulations are often at extreme risk.The entire population that we serve areconsidered beneficiaries of our assis-tance. It is the duty of each peacekeep-er to protect the vulnerable and torefrain from doing harm.

• UN peacekeepers have a unique oppor-tunity to help populations emergingfrom difficult conflict situations and tocontribute to a lasting peace and stabil-ity. Because of our sensitive role, mis-behaviour of one single peacekeepercan diminish the positive role of theentire UN. Maintain respect for thelocal population and the highest stan-dards of professionalism at all times.

• Any form of exploitation or abuse ofthe local population is unacceptable.UN standards of conduct forbid sexualexploitation and abuse. These stan-dards apply to all peacekeepers irre-spective of local customs or laws, or thecustoms or laws of your own country.

• The United Nations is an expression ofthe best hopes and aspirations of theinternational community. Each peace-keeper is an ambassador of this organ-ization. Stay mindful of your role andof your responsibilities.

DPKO stresses conduct and a duty of care

Soldiers of ONUCI Ghanaian battalion 3 participate in sexual exploitation and awarenesstraining, 22 July 2005

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Mission such as MONUC in the DRCemployed strict measures such as no-goareas and establishments, curfews andpolicies requiring troops to wear uni-forms both on and off-duty. They alsoestablished focal points and hot lines toreceive complaints from the public.

In order to reinforce the message that serv-ice with a UN peace operation is a privilegenot a right, DPKO introduced thePeacekeepers Duty of Care (see box) and afilm on conduct which stresses the crucialand unique relationships between individ-ual peacekeepers and members of the host

population.DPKO is committed to eradicat-ing exploitation and abuse with preventativeand disciplinary measures while also re-enforcing the message that UN peacekeepersmake a real and tangible difference in peo-ples’ lives all over the world in a service tooimportant to be derailed by misconduct.

This year saw remarkable progress inwomen’s participation in many aspectsof peacekeeping in countries emergingfrom conflict.

In Afghanistan, an action plan devel-oped by the United Nations AssistanceMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) toimprove the participation of Afghanwomen in political life continued tohave a significant impact. The ElectionTask Force chaired by UNAMA’s genderadvisor worked with various women’sgroups to promote women’s representa-tion in the election process both as vot-ers and candidates. In the Septemberparliamentary elections, 44 percent ofthe voters registered were women, anincrease of 4 percent from the 2004presidential elections. In the lowerhouse of the new Parliament, 68 of 249seats were reserved for women. In addi-tion, women also won seats in their ownright in about 13 of the 34 provinces.

Since the appointment of the first gen-der advisor of the UN Office inBurundi (ONUB) in 2004, a majorfocus has been disarmament, demobi-lization and reintegration of womenfighters. As a result of the gender advi-sor’s lobbying, the category of “womenfighters” was redefined to include notonly active fighters but also womenwho supported the war in differentroles, including porters, cooks and sex-ual slaves. Of the 485 women disarmedin Burundi, 231 joined the country’spolice force. Using the same method,the UN Mission in Liberia facilitatedthe disarmament and demobilizationof more than 21,000 women and girls.

When a provisional survey showed thatwomen made up only 25-30 percent ofthose who registered to vote in Liberianelections, the interim governmentlaunched a nation-wide awareness cam-paign encouraging women to register.UNMIL supported initiatives advocatingthe government to adopt laws that wouldgive women 30 percent representationon all political parties’ candidates lists.Although the Electoral Reform Law didnot include quotas, the political parties’guidelines stipulated that 30 percent ofthe candidates be women. In November,Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected Africa’sfirst woman head of state.

A full third of lawmakers in the newBurundi parliament are women,including the speaker of parliamentand several cabinet ministers.

Despite progress achieved in involvingwomen in peacekeeping missions, majorchallenges remain, including endingsexual exploitation and abuse by somepeacekeepers. The UN’s zero tolerancepolicy and strategies of prevention,enforcement of discipline standards andregulations, training and raising aware-ness, which the UN started implement-ing together with the Member States in2004, has started to have real impact.

While these steps are clearly needed,abuse cannot be prevented withoutempowering women and girls throughgender mainstreaming, and the inclusionof gender issues in all aspects of the UN’swork. To advance the efforts, the Under-Secretary General for PeacekeepingOperations, Jean-Marie Guehenno,

issued new policy guidelines on gendermainstreaming in March, with an actionplan finalized later in the year.

The adoption of gender sensitiveapproach in all aspects of peacekeepingremained a new area for the UnitedNations. Much more remains to be doneto ensure that all peacekeeping personneland Member States alike embrace gendermainstreaming as a critical strategy formaking peacekeeping more effective. n

Gender in peacekeeping: an evolving field of practice

A potential police recruit hoping to make theminimun height (1.60m) required for a womanto register to become a HNP recruit, PoliceAcademy in Frere, Haiti, 16 November 2005

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UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS


Peacekeeping operation since 1948 ..............................................................................................................................................60

Current peacekeeping operations ................................................................................................................................................15

Current peace operations directed and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations ........................................18

PERSONNELUniformed personnel .............................................................................................................................................................69,748Countries contributing military and police personnel .............................................................................................................108International civilian personnel ............................................................................................................................................. 4,730Local civilian personnel .......................................................................................................................................................... 8,041 UN Volunteers ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1,649Total number of personnel serving in peacekeeping operations ....................................................................................... 83,808Total number of fatalities in peace operations since 1948 ....................................................................................................2,226Fatalities in 2005 .........................................................................................................................................................................121

FINANCIAL ASPECTSApproved resources for the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006.......................................................... About $5.03 billionEstimated total cost of operations from 1948 to 30 June 2006................................................................... About $41.04 billion Outstanding contributions to peacekeeping (30 November 2005)................................................................. About $1.99 billion

NOTE: The term “uniformed personnel” refers to troops, military observers, and UN police.


CURRENT PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

UNTSO Since May 1948 United Nations Truce Supervision Organization Strength:military observer 150; international civilian 104; local civilian 119;total personnel 371 Fatalities: 44Appropriation 2005: $29.04 million

UNMOGIP Since January 1949 United Nations Military Observer Group in India and PakistanStrength: military observer 42; international civilian 22; local civilian 47; total personnel 110Fatalities: 11 Appropriation 2005: $8.37 million

UNFICYP Since March 1964 United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus Strength: troop 840; police 69; international civilian 37; local civil-ian 110; total personnel 1,057Fatalities: 175 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $46.51 million including volun-tary contributions of one third from Cyprus and $6.5 millionfrom Greece

UNDOF Since June 1974 United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Strength: troop 1,047; international civilian 37; local civilian 105;total personnel 1,188 Fatalities: 42 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $43.71 million

UNIFIL Since March 1978 United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Strength: troop 1,989; international civilian 100; local civilian 297;total personnel 2,390Fatalities: 256 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $99.23 million

MINURSO Since April 1991 United Nations Mission for the Referendum in WesternSahara Strength: military observer 195; troop 31; police 6; internationalcivilian 120; local civilian 96; total personnel 449Fatalities: 14 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $47.95 million

UNOMIG Since August 1993 United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia Strength: military observer 122; police 12; international civilian 107;local civilian 187; UN volunteer 2, total personnel 419 Fatalities: 10 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $36.38 million

UNMIK Since June 1999 United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo Strength: military observer 37; police 2,146; international civilian623; local civilian 2,289; UN volunteer 202; total personnel 5,482Fatalities: 42Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $252.55 million

MONUC Since November 1999 United Nations Organization Mission in the DemocraticRepublic of the Congo Strength: military observer 707; troop 15,046; police 1,038; internationalcivilian 828; local civilian 1,388; UN volunteer 491; total personnel 19,247Fatalities: 75 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $1,153.89 million

UNMEE Since July 2000 United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea Strength: military observer 202; troop 3,130; international civilian191; local civilian 228; UN volunteer 75; total personnel 3,837Fatalities: 13 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $185.99 million

UNMIL Since September 2003 United Nations Mission in Liberia Strength: military observer 197; troop 14,824; police 1,091; internationalcivilian 552; local civilian 828; UN volunteer 286; total personnel 17,768Fatalities: 67 Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $760.57 million

UNOCI Since April 2004 United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire Strength: military observer 195; troop 6,698; police 696; interna-tional civilian 358 ; local civilian 424; UN volunteer 205; total personnel 8,541Fatalities: 14Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $438.17 million

MINUSTAH Since June 2004 United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Strength: troop 7,286; police 1,748; international civilian 449; local civilian 512; UN volunteer 171; total personnel 10,108Fatalities: 13Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $541.30 million

ONUB Since June 2004United Nations Operation in BurundiCurrent strength: military observer 187; troop 5,170; police 82;international civilian 316; local civilian 388; UN volunteer 146;total personnel 6,466Fatalities: 20Approved budget 07/05–06/06 $307.69 million

UNMIS Since March 2005United Nations Mission in the SudanStrength: authorized – troop 10,000; civilian police 715;proposed – international civilian 1,018; local civilian 2,632;UN volunteer 214; total personnel 14,579Current strength: military observer 467; troop 4,009; police 289; inter-national civilian 526; local civilian 1,023; UN Volunteers 71;total personnel 5,783Approved budget 07/05–06/06: $969.47 million

Missions completed in 2005:

UNAMSIL (22 October 1999 – 31 December 2005)United Nations Mission in Sierra LeonePeak strength: (31 March 2002); military 17,368; UN Police 87;international civilian 322; local civilian 552Fatalities: 188Total expenditures: $2.8 billion

UNMISET (20 May 2002 - 20 May 2005)United Nations Mission of Support in East TimorPeak strength: (31 August 2002): military 4,776; UN police 771;international civilian 465; local civilian 856;Fatalities: 25Total estimated expenditures: $565 million

NOTE: UNTSO and UNMOGIP are funded from the United Nations regular biennial budget. Costs to the United Nations of the other current operations arefinanced from their own separate accounts on the basis of legally binding assessments on all Member States. For these missions, budget figures are for one yearunless otherwise specified. All budgets include requirements for the support account for peacekeeping operations and the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi (Italy).


UNITED NATIONS POLITICAL AND PEACEBUILDING MISSIONS


NUMBER OF MISSIONS .....................................................................................................11

PERSONNEL

Uniformed personnel ...................................................................................................................................139

International civilian personnel .................................................................................................................. 817

Local civilian personnel .............................................................................................................................1,741

UN Volunteers ..............................................................................................................................................163

Total number of personnel serving in political and peacebuilding missions ........................................2,860


UNAMA* Since 28 March 2002United Nations Assistance Mission inAfghanistanSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General: JeanArnault (France) Strength: international civilian 185; local civilian 751;military observer 11; civilian police 7; UN volunteer 42

BONUCA Since 15 February 2000United Nations Peacebuilding Office in theCentral African RepublicRepresentative of the Secretary-General and Head ofBONUCA: Lamine Cissé (Senegal) Strength: international civilian 25; military advisers 5;police 6; local civilian 44; UN volunteer 2

Office of the Special Since 19 December 1997 Representative of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes RegionSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General:Ibrahima Fall (Senegal) Strength: international civilian 8; local civilian 8

UNOGBIS Since 3 March 1999United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office inGuinea-BissauRepresentative of the Secretary-General and Head ofUNOGBIS: João Bernardo Honwana (Mozambique) Strength: international civilian 11; military adviser 2;police adviser 1; local civilian 13

UNSCO Since 1 October 1999Office of the United Nations Special Coordinatorfor the Middle EastSpecial Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Processand Personal Representative of the Secretary-General tothe Palestine Liberation Organization and thePalestinian Authority: Alvaro de Soto (Peru)Strength: international civilian 27; local civilian 23

UNPOS Since 15 April 1995United Nations Political Office for SomaliaSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General andHead of UNPOS: Francois Lonseny Fall (Guinea) Strength: international civilian 5; local civilian 3

UNTOP Since 1 June 2000United Nations Tajikistan Office of PeacebuildingRepresentative of the Secretary-General for Tajikistan:Vladimir Sotirov (Bulgaria) Strength: international civilian 10; police adviser 1;local civilian 18

Office of the Special Since 29 November 2001 Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa Special Representative of the Secretary-General:Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah (Mauritania)Strength: international civilian 7; local civilian 7

UNAMI Since 14 August 2003United Nations Assistance Mission for IraqSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq:Ashraf Jehangir Qazi (Pakistan) Authorized strenght: 816 (344 international, 472 local)Current strength (staff based in Iraq, Jordan andKuwait): international civilian 222; local civilian 365;military advisor 5

UNOTIL* Since 21 May 2005United Nations Office in Timor-Leste Special Representative of the Secretary General andHead of Office: Sukehiro Hasegawa (Japan)Strength: international civilian 158; local civilian 281;military advisor 15; police 57; UN volunteer 36

UNIOSIL* Since 1 January 2006United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra LeoneExecutive Representative for UNIOSIL: Victor da SilvaAngelo (Portugal)Strength: international civilian 159; local civilian 228;military observers 10; police 20; UN volunteer 83

Mission completed in 2005:

UNOMB 1 January 2004 - 30 June 2005United Nations Observer Mission in Bougainville

* Political or peacebuilding mission directed and supported by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. All other political andpeacebuilding missions are directed by the Department of Political Affairs. For information on political and peace-building missions,visit the United Nations website at http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_dip/fst_prev_dip.htm

CURRENT POLITICAL AND PEACE-BUILDING MISSIONS

http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/prev_dip/fst_prev_dip.htm



1. Albania 3 32. Algeria 10 2 123. Argentina 26 7 864 8974. Australia 18 23 9 505. Austria 24 15 385 4246. Bangladesh 478 92 8,959 9,5297. Belgium 15 1 168. Benin 77 32 312 4219. Bolivia 21 223 244

10. Bosnia and Herzegovina 23 14 3711. Brazil 14 30 1,226 1,27012. Bulgaria 52 8 2 6213. Burkina Faso 169 23 2 19414. Cambodia 4 415. Cameroon 135 4 13916. Canada 136 40 211 38717. Central African Republic 11 1118. Chad 34 12 4619. Chile 23 6 541 57020. China 197 71 791 1,05921. Congo 5 522. Cote d’Ivoire 8 823. Croatia 5 20 9 3424. Czech Republic 17 14 3125. Denmark 25 33 7 6526. Djibouti 40 4027. Dominican Republic 4 428. Ecuador 25 68 9329. Egypt 50 69 623 74230. El Salvador 21 16 3731. Estonia 2 232. Ethiopia 22 3,388 3,41033. Fiji 55 2 5734. Finland 8 28 4 4035. France 152 38 392 58236. Gabon 5 537. Gambia 30 16 3 4938. Germany 252 17 24 29339. Ghana 84 62 2,374 2,52040. Greece 11 13 2 2641. Guatemala 26 189 21542. Guinea 96 19 11543. Honduras 12 1244. Hungary 10 14 82 10645. India 381 93 6,810 7,28446. Indonesia 24 175 19947. Iran 3 348. Ireland 18 26 429 47349. Italy 38 21 53 11250. Jamaica 15 1551. Japan 30 3052. Jordan 739 76 2,888 3,70353. Kenya 62 79 1,341 1,48254. Kyrgyzstan 5 14 19


55. Lebanon 2 256. Lithuania 8 857. Madagascar 6 658. Malawi 27 37 112 17659. Malaysia 16 52 7 7560. Mali 35 49 3 8761. Moldova 9 1 1062. Mongolia 5 563. Morocco 5 1,701 1,70664. Mozambique 6 12 1865. Namibia 7 21 862 89066. Nepal 431 41 2,994 3,46667. Netherlands 9 14 1 2468. New Zealand 12 1 1369. Niger 104 27 367 49870. Nigeria 374 84 1,954 2,41271. Norway 27 29 8 6472. Pakistan 394 107 8,498 8,99973. Palau 2 274. Paraguay 46 6 5275. Peru 31 214 24576. Philippines 113 30 340 48377. Poland 129 21 555 70578. Portugal 16 6 2279. Republic of Korea 28 21 4980. Romania 191 54 24581. Russia 115 96 1 21282. Rwanda 15 255 27083. Samoa 21 2184. Senegal 416 41 1,388 1,84585. Serbia and Montenegro 7 8 6 2186. Sierra Leone 7 250 25787. Slovakia 2 290 29288. Slovenia 15 2 1789. South Africa 26 1,984 2,01090. Spain 43 7 203 25391. Sri Lanka 40 11 961 1,01292. Sweden 64 27 236 32793. Switzerland 7 18 1 2694. Thailand 3 177 18095. Timor-Leste 10 1096. Togo 10 18 300 32897. Tunisia 50 474 52498. Turkey 236 5 3 24499. Uganda 33 12 2 47

100. Ukraine 202 32 486 720101. United Kingdom 69 14 266 349102. United Rep. of Tanzania 3 18 3 24103. United States of America 359 18 10 387104. Uruguay 16 67 2,345 2,428105. Vanuatu 9 9106. Yemen 9 26 1 36107. Zambia 50 49 352 451108. Zimbabwe 70 20 90

POLICE UNMO TROOP

7,241 2,527 60,070

Military observers, Police and Troops as of 31 December 2005

Totals

69,838*Grand total in PKO

PEACEKEEPING CONTRIBUTIONS

* Includes 90 uniformed personnel from UNAMA, UNOTIL and UNIOSIL,which are political or peacebuilding missions also directed and supported by theDepartment of Peacekeeping Operations

Others - 24,077

Pakistan - 8,999

Bangladesh - 9,529

India - 7,284

Jordan - 3,703

Nepal - 3,466

Ethiopia - 3,410

Ghana - 2,520

South Africa - 2,010

Nigeria - 2,412

Uruguay - 2,428

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

MINURSO UNMEE UNMIS ONUB UNOCI UNMIL MONUC

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

16,000

232

3,332

4,765 5,439

7,589


31,031

24,919

14,879 14,347*18,460

37,773

47,108

39,65245,815

64,720

* As of 30 November 2004

As of 31 December of each year


Top 10 Troop Contributors

Surge in Troops: 1995-2005

Troop Strength of UN Peace Operations in Africa

69,838

2005

18,00016,112

16,791

PEACEKEEPING 2005 IN A SNAP SHOT

Documents

asdf - United Nations Peacekeeping · YEAR IN REVIEW 2005 1 For UN peacekeeping, 2005 was in many ways a banner year. After having launched four new opera-tions in 2004 and the Sudan