Dialogue on Sustaining the Momentum for a Holistic Implementation of the A4P Commitments

On 19 February, in the margins of the 2020 Special Committee on Peacekeeping (C-34) substantive session, Challenges Forum and Partners hosted a high-level ambassadorial lunch dialogue session at the UN Headquarters in New York. The session centered around efforts to advance the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) reform agenda as the C-34 deliberations initiated.

The Challenges Forum lunch was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Permanent Mission of Arab Republic of Egypt to the UN, Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to the UN and Permanent Mission of Sweden to the UN.

Dr. Björn Holmberg, Director of the Challenges Forum International Secretariat, introduced the dialogue session by sharing some of the consolidated recommendations that emerged from the last two year’s Challenges Annual Forums. Within the area of political solutions, Dr. Holmberg emphasized the importance of clarity of strategic roles in the missions. Secondly, the need to adopt at a wider approach when looking at performance was highlighted, both at the strategic and tactical level. Finally, Dr. Holmberg mentioned the importance to strengthening the meaningful participation of women in peace processes. The consolidated recommendations paper can be found here.

Dr. Björn Holmberg,  Director of the Challenges Forum International Secretariat, presenting the consolidated recommendations from the last two year’s Annual Forums.

Representatives of the host countries gave introductury speeaches. Shown below are H.E. Ambassador Anna-Karin Eneström (Sweden), Brig. General Victor Hasundungan Simatupang (Indonesia) and H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Edrees (Arab Republic of Egypt). Ambassador Ashraf Swelam, Director of CCCPA also attended the event.

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The objectives for the meeting were:

  1. Identify how the C-34 can better support the integrity of the A4P framework by monitoring the implementation of the Declaration of the Shared Commitments. 
  2. Exchange ideas on how the broader peacekeeping stakeholders, including partnership and networks such as the Challenges Forum, EPON, etc., can further support C-34.

Participating in the dialogue session were key A4P stakeholders including Member States and the UN Secretariat. Speakers were invited to share their view on how to further advance the A4P reform agenda and Declaration on Shared Commitments in order to strengthen the effectiveness of peace operations. Speaking at the event were:

  • H.E. Ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal, South Sudan
  • Mr Robert Piper, Assistant Secretary-General (ASG), Development Coordination Office
  • Ms Barrie Freeman ,Director and Deputy Head, the Officer-in-Charge of the Peace building Support Office
  • Ms Rania Dagash, Deputy Director of The Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (DPET), Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPO)
  • Mr Micheal Kingsley-Nyinah, Director, African Division, DPO
  • Mr Victor Casanova Abos, Lead Author of the SCR Report on Prioritized & Sequenced Mandate
  • Ambassador Ihab Awad Moustafa, Deputy Assistant Foreign Ministers United Nations, Affairs, Arab Republic of Egypt
  • Ambassador Richard Arbeiter, Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada
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At the lunch dialogue it was highlighted that A4P success also depends on mutual transparency and accountability by Member States and the UN Secretariat. Reference was made to the recent survey carried out by UNDPO, to gather perceptions of progress in A4P implementation and register concrete actions being taken by UN Peacekeeping Stakeholders to implement the commitments in the A4P Declaration.