UN launches High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations

NEW YORK, Oct 31 (KUNA) -- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Friday the establishment of a High Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations.
"The world is changing and UN peace operations must change with it if they are to remain an indispensable and effective tool in promoting international peace and security," Ban said in a statement.
The Panel will make a comprehensive assessment of the state of UN peace operations today, and the emerging needs of the future, as it will consider a broad range of issues facing peace operations, including the changing nature of conflict, evolving mandates, good offices and peacebuilding challenges, managerial and administrative arrangements, planning, partnerships, human rights and protection of civilians, uniformed capabilities for peacekeeping operations and performance, the statement said.
This panel is the first to examine both peacekeeping operations and special political missions Ban said in his statement that the last major external review of peace operations was undertaken in 2000 and led by Lahkdar Brahimi.
"As we approach the 15-year anniversary of the Brahimi report, we must acknowledge that peace operations today are increasingly called on to confront politically complex and challenging conflicts, often in volatile security environments where operations are directly targeted," he said.
Stock of evolving expectations must be taken, and considerations on how the Organization can most effectively advance peace, assist countries caught in conflict and ensure that peacekeeping operations and special political missions remain strong and effective in a changing global context, the UN top official stressed.
Furthermore, the statement released by the press office said that the Panel will work closely with the main UN Departments concerned, as well as with Member States and the UN system as a whole.
"The Panel's recommendations to me will be available for consideration by the General Assembly at its 2015 General Debate," Ban confirmed.
Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste was appointed by Ban to chair the panel, which will draw together individuals with a wide range of experience and expertise.
The panel members include Jean Arnault of France, Abhijit Guha of India, Ameerah Haq of Bangladesh, Andrew Hughes of Australia, Alexander Ilitchev of Russia, Hilde F. Johnson of Norway, Bruce Jones of Canada, Youssef Mahmoud of Tunisia, Ian Martin of Britain, Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu of Ghana, B. Lynn Pascoe of US, Floriano Peixoto Vieira Neto of Brazil, and Wang Xuexian of China. (end) mao.bs