GPPlatform

On September 8th, UNITAR and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform jointly held a panel discussion on peacekeeping capacity development in Africa, on the occasion of the 2nd session of the Peacekeeping Training Programme Advisory Board. 

The roundtable brought together the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform’s Advisory Board members, UNITAR’s Peacekeeping Training Programme’s Advisory Board members and members of the Senior Peacebuilding Advisory Group for the Review of International Civilian Capacities.

Drawing from their direct involvement in the organization and command of peacekeeping missions, retired Lt Generals Marc Caron, Roméo A. Dallaire and Satish Nambiah, and H.E. Jean-Marie Guehenno shared their own insights and analysis on the current peacebuilding challenges in Africa and on the ability and preparedness of the United Nations and African organizations and countries to respond to crises and to manage peacekeeping operations effectively.

The discussion, which also benefited from the participation of UNITAR’s Director General, Carlos Lopes; Interpeace’s Director-General, Scott Weber, and ‘Funmi Olonisakin, Senior research fellow at the Conflict, Security and Development Group at King’s College London, who analyzed the contribution of African institutions to peace operations and discussed different options to reinforce the capacities to address conflicts and run peace missions.

Topics discussed included: most suitable organizations for planning, deploying, managing and sustaining peace operations in Africa; role of the United Nations in strengthening the capacity of African Institutions; allocations of resources and strategies for the best reinforcement of existing capacities; role of training in supporting peacebuilding endeavors.