UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations, the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping, and the UN Information Center invite you to

Peacekeeping in the 21^st Century:

A Roundtable Discussion Commemorating the

International Day of

United Nations Peacekeepers

Friday May 29, 2009

2:00-3:30 PM

at the UN Information Center

1775 K Street NW, 4^th Floor
Washington, DC 20006

Nearest Metro is Farragut West

Featuring

Ron Capps, Peacekeeping Program Manager, Refugees International

Peder Cox, Director of Business Development and Program Support for Ecolog International, with service in Haiti and Croatia

Wayne Long, retired US Army officer, with service as Chief Security Advisor to the UN Country Team Somalia

Colter “Buddy” Tillett, Logistics and Business Development Consultant, AECOM, with service in UN peacekeeping missions in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa

Deborah Owens, Programme Officer,Department of Field Support, United Nations (Moderator)

Other distinguished peacekeepers will also be in attendance.

RSVP to Jessica Hartl at jhartl@unausa.org or 202-462-3446.

With peacekeeping having changed both logistically and operationally over the last two decades, reform of the UN peacekeeping structure has been much needed, in order to enhance the UN's capacity to manage peacekeeping operations. In this event hosted by UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations, the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping, and the UN Information Center, former peacekeepers and peacekeeping policy experts will engage the audience in a roundtable discussion about the current state of UN peacekeeping. Issues to be discussed include specific reform recommendations – both in the field and at the Secretariat in New York - from those who have served in a variety of peacekeeping missions, to build upon reforms already implemented; efforts to engage countries such as China more extensively in peacekeeping missions; the challenges of peacekeeping - such as increasing demand for peacekeeping without the necessary resources, and working with personnel from multiple countries; the US administration’s and Congressional views on peacekeeping and funding for peacekeeping operations; review of relevant international treaties and international maritime peace making operations to ensure issues such as piracy off the coast of Somalia are adequately addressed; and more. Join us for this lively discussion to learn more about the vital work performed by peacekeepers.

The Council of Organizations, a division of the United Nations Association of the USA, is a coalition of more than 100 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that share the common goals of promoting greater public awareness about global issues and strengthening the United States-United Nations relationship.

UNA-USA’s Council of Organizations, the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping, and the UN Information Center invite you to

PEACEKEEPING IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
AROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION COMMEMORATINGTHE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPERS

Friday May 29, 2009
2:00-3:30 PM
at the UN Information Center
1775 K Street NW, 4th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
(Nearest Metro is Farragut West)

RSVP to Jessica Hartl via jhartl@unausa.org or 202-462-3446.

Join us for this roundtable discussion with former peacekeepers and peacekeeping policy experts about the current state of UN peacekeeping.

Further details will be sent shortly. Event updates can be found at www.unausa.org/councilcalendar.

The PEP site will continue to feature monthly reports regarding conflict situations and peace related activities in selected countires. The reports, both reports from 2008 and current reports, may be found underneath the "Information Center" heading or by clicking here.  

In the first forum of the new year, PEP invited two distinguished speakers from the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) to present a status update of GPOI's efforts to renew the program, GPOI accomplishments, gaps and challenges in global peace support capabilities, and objectives for Phase 2 of GPOI. The full invitation is listed under 2009 PEP Forums, and contains a link to the Power Point presentation given by the speakers.

Ron Capps joined Refugees International in January 2009 after 25 years of service with the U.S. government. He directs RI’s peacekeeping program and the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping. A retired Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Capps served most recently in the Department of State as deputy director in the Office for Analysis of Africa and previously in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Kosovo, Rwanda, Iraq and Sudan. He was also an officer in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve, serving in Uganda, Zaire, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mauritania, Chad and Afghanistan; he represented the U.S. on the African Union’s Cease Fire Commission in Darfur. Mr. Capps has lectured at the Foreign Service Institute, the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, the NATO School and The Henry L. Stimson Center. He has received numerous awards including two Department of State Superior Honor Awards, and two Bronze Star Medals. In 2007, the American Foreign Service Association awarded him the William R. Rivkin award for his dissent of U.S. policy in Darfur. Mr. Capps holds a Master’s Degree from the Johns Hopkins University and did further graduate work at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.