History of the PEP

The PEP got its start as the Peacekeeping Working Group, founded by the World Federalist Association (WFA) and the Campaign for UN Reform (CUNR) to support peacekeeping initiatives in Congress. In early 2001, WFA hired Peter H. Gantz, who came to Washington from the Carter Center, to serve as the Coordinator of the working group's efforts. The working group soon had its new name (the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping), a new website, and new Co-Chairs--Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International, and Don Kraus, Executive Director of CUNR.

The PEP's original purpose was to support legislation in Congress that advocated the creation of a UN rapid reaction peacekeeping capacity. But it was soon clear the challenges confronting the UN peace operations system necessitated a broader approach. Peter Gantz and WFA Director of Programs Heather Hamilton led a reconfiguration effort that in late 2001 resulted in a wider mandate for the PEP.

The new mandate does not restrict the PEP to support for any one solution to the problems with the UN peace operations system, but rather allows the PEP to embrace all potential solutions and encourage frank debate and outside-the-box thinking.

During 2002, the PEP grew dramatically. The monthly meetings became the Peace Operations Policy Forums, where advocacy organizations, practitioners, and think tanks can come together and candidly discuss policy issues pertaining to peace operations. The PEP Public Briefings, held to educate Members of Congress, their staff members, and the media about peace operations issues, are also highly successful. The PEP proved effective at sharing information and multiplying the impact of advocacy as a wide array of NGOs worked to secure passage of the Afghan Freedom Support Act, which did pass in late 2002.

In early 2003, the PEP and Peter Gantz transitioned to Refugees International. The PEP during late 2002 and early 2003 focused on the Iraq situation, discussing many of the problems confronting the coalition military forces in Iraq. However, the PEP also continued to focus on Afghanistan, where the security situation remains precarious, and on other crisis points, such as Cote D'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Haiti, Sudan, and others.

During late 2003 and early 2004, the PEP was the facilitator for policy and strategy discussions concerning proposals to improve the U.S. government's civilian capacity to plan for and participate in post-conflict stability operations. As the U.S. government has moved to create better capacity for peace and stability operations, through the creation of the State Department Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, and the Global Peace Operations Initiative, the PEP has been in the thick of the policy debates and a key player in advancing initiatives with Congress.

In 2005 and 2006, the PEP facilitated policy debates on UN reform, and helped lead and coordinate advocacy for practical and achievable U.S. policies for UN reform.

The PEP has produced leading analysis of US funding for UN peacekeeping, worked to support full US funding for UN peacekeeping, and has continued to press Congress on creating greater US government civilian capabilities for peacebuilding.