2005 Peace Operations Policy Forums

The PEP sponsors Policy Forums that serve as a venue for humanitarian and advocacy organizations to connect with think tanks By focusing on peace operations problems and opportunities, PEP meetings inspire and help organize policy action to promote better peace operations capacities. A regular feature of PEP meetings are informal, off-the-record briefs by practitioners who have recently returned from conflict areas.

December 2005

The PEP sponsored a peacekeeping policy discussion with Congressional staff on December 19th. Topics included UN reform legislation, the US payment of UN peacekeeping assessments, and other peacekeeping policy issues.

November 2005

A group of PEP participants met at the UN Foundation on November 10th to discuss the range of advocacy priorities concerning peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and share strategies for advancing those priorities in the upcoming months. The discussion centered around developing a list of talking points to serve as a resource for PEP members working on the following list of topics: Peacebuilding Commission; Standing Police Capacity at UN DPKO; Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Peacekeepers; US Support for UN Peacekeeping Funding (CIPA account); US Support for Global/Regional Peacekeeping Capacity; US Government Civilian Capacity for Peacebuilding; Defense Department Stability Initiatives; and Responsibility/Capacity to Protect.

June 2005

Participants heard from RI advocate Sarah Martin on the recent Refugees International assessment mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Participants than engaged in a policy discussion focused on the UN Reform Act of 2005 (the Hyde bill), a strategy discussion on the USIP Gingrich-Mitchell UN Reform Report, and heard updates on the funding situation for the State Dept. Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, the UN, UN peacekeeping, etc.

May 2005

Participants concentrated on laying out and developing strategies for advancing important public policy initiatives within the general PEP interest: UN peacekeeping funding, funding for the State Department Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS), and the Global Peace Operations Initiative. Meeting participants also reviewed the advocacy surrounding the FY05 Emergency Supplemental to determine what went right and what could be done better.

April 2005

The April Policy Forum featured a packed agenda and a crowded meeting room. Robert Lawrence, with Rep. Dreier's office (R-CA), discussed new legislation released by the office--the International Security Enhancement Act of 2005. This legislation authorizes the State Department Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS), and provided useful language regarding the requested $100 million fund to pay for the mobilizations of S/CRS. Courtney Richardson, with the National Defense University's (NDU) Africa Center discussed a new NDU Project - Operationalizing the Concepts within the Power to Protect report from Refugees International. Participants also discussed the current status of the State Dept. Authorization legislation, including UN and UN peacekeeping funding and UN reform amendments. They also discussed the FY05 Emergency Supplemental, addressing UN Peacekeeping Funding again, as well as funding for S/CRS. Finally, participants reviewed other new legislation, from Sen. Lugar & Biden with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Stabilization and Reconstruction Civilian Management Act of 2005, and the lack of progress with the Global Peace Operations Initiative. Wrangling between the State Department and the Defense Department have stalled this important initiative.

March 2005

This Policy Forum featured multiple briefings: Ken Bacon (Refugees International) discussed the Darfur situation and the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, following from his trip to Darfur in February; Sarah Martin (Refugees International) discussed the recent release of the UN Report on Sexual Exploitation and Peacekeepers; Peter Gantz (Refugees International) discussed the peacekeeping situation in Haiti following a recent trip there in February; Morgan Courtney (CSIS) discussed findings from a recent CSIS mission to Afghanistan; and Don Kraus (Citizens for Global Solutions) discussed the release of the UN Emergency Force legislation. Participants also discussed the FY05 Emergency Supplemental with regards to UN Peacekeeping Funding and Funding for the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization; the impact of the Bolton nomination for UN ambassador on UN peacekeeping issues (not good), and the release of Secretary-General Annan's report on UN reform, following from the Report of the High Level Panel, with regards to its impact on UN peacekeeping.

February 2005

This Policy Forum featured a presentation: Nick Birnback, External Relations/Media Affairs Officer, Office of the Under-Secretary-General, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, discussed current UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations missions and candidly laid out the challenges faced by the UN on a number of levels, such as sexual exploitation and significant capacity and funding problems. A lively and informative question and answer session followed. Participants also discussed the upcoming FY05 Emergency Supplemental and a likely request for UN peacekeeping funding; implementation of the Global Peace Operations Initiative by the State Department now that funding transfer authority had been provided by Congress, allowing the Defense Dept. to transfer funds to State for GPOI; and the current status of the State Dept. Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization.