Peacekeeping Reports

This annual report reviews the implementation of the C-34's previous proposals and sets up new proposals to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to fulfill its peacekeeping responsibilities.

Excerpt: Five years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) southern Sudan remains highly volatile, with longstanding tribal tensions, competition for land, and new economic competition fueling south-south violence that has resulted in 450 deaths and the displacement of 40,000 people this year alone. Just nine months from the planned referendum for southern independence, the Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) remains weak, and its army and police remain incapable of maintaining stability and protecting civilians. In this context, the UN peacekeeping mission, UNMIS, must develop and implement a clear mission-wide protection plan that incorporates all the relevant civilian, military, and policing units within the mission.

Excerpt: The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the capital, on January 12, 2010. The quake, centered about 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, had a magnitude of 7.0. A series of strong aftershocks have followed. Experts estimate the earthquake caused $8 to $14 billion in damage. Approximately 3 million people, roughly onethird of the overall population, have been affected by the earthquake with more than 1.2 million displaced. The government of Haiti is reporting an estimated 230,000 deaths and 300,000 injured. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, President Rene Préval described conditions in his country as “unimaginable,” and appealed for international assistance. As the humanitarian relief operation continues, the government is struggling to restore the institutions needed for it to function, ensure political stability, and address long-term reconstruction and development planning. Prior to the earthquake, the international community was providing extensive development and humanitarian assistance to Haiti. With that assistance, the Haitian government had made significant progress in recent years in many areas of its development strategy. The destruction of Haiti’s nascent infrastructure and other extensive damage caused by the earthquake will set back Haiti’s development significantly. A post-disaster needs assessment is being conducted, and Haiti’s long-term development plans are now being revised. The focus of this report is on the immediate crisis in Haiti as a result of the earthquake, the U.S. and international response to date, and long-term implications of the earthquake.

In this report, Erin Weir of Refugees International outlines the concrete steps that the UN Security Council, troop contributing countries, and UN Member States — including the U.S. — can take to increase protection for hundreds of thousands of civilians coping with violent conflict. The report ultimately examines what peacekeepers need in order to fulfill protection mandates and the challenges in meeting these needs.