Peacekeeping Activities Research Articles

The role of Muslim organizations in North Ossetia in the development of interfaith relations in the republic in the early 1990s and late 2010s.

This article is devoted to the study of the specific features of the participation of North Ossetian Islamic spiritual organizations in the development of interreligious relations in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in the late twentieth and the first decades of the 21st centuries and their role in the development of the spiritual sphere of the republic’s public life and the stabilization of the political situation in this territorial subject of the Russian Federation. This study examines the features of the peacekeeping activities of the Muslim community of North Ossetia in the republic and in the North Caucasus as a whole. This article examines the role of the chairman of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of North Ossetia A.H. Evteev, H.M. Tavkazakhov and H.H. Gatsalov in the formation and the development of interfaith dialogue in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

Germany’s Strategic Activity in the Sahel and the Problem of Sovereignty for Regional States: The Case of Mali

Using Mali as an example of a geostrategically important African state, the article explores the extent to which Germany’s political and military steps contributed or did not contribute to the sovereignty of the state that was trying to overcome the instability. Taking into account the ambiguous issue of the completeness of the sovereignty of Germany itself, the author analyzes the FRG’s fundamental ability to transfer its experience in this field to other states. In the second half of the 2010s, the scope and effectiveness of German efforts to stabilize the situation in Mali were insufficient. Germany, especially in the first stages of the settlement (from 2013 to 2015), did not make a noticeable contribution to peacemaking and peacekeeping activities. The use of the Bundeswehr in the field became noticeable only from 2016–2018; however, it did not lead to the necessary results. By the mid-2010s, Germany had already begun to take an active part in the security sector reform in Mali. However, the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the newly trained personnel of the Malian army were insufficient to ensure peace and security in the country. Having accepted the functions of one of the main external participants in the settlement, Germany did not accompany this with the necessary efforts. In addition, Germany was not ready to ensure efficiently the nationalization of the settlement, that is, to transfer control over the process to those internal forces that were capable of leading the country to peace. The incomplete resolution of the armed conflict and its degradation since the end of the 2010s have manifested the regress of Mali’s gaining sovereignty. Therefore, the Malian militaries, since 2020‒2021, have been trying to realize another scenario without the built-in participation of Western democracies. The paper explores the perception by the new Malian powers of the German military presence in the country.

UKRAINE’S PARTICIPATION IN PEACEKEEPING MISSIONS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PRE-WAR PERIOD

The article analyzes Ukraine’s participation in peacekeeping missions of international organizations, particularly the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The purpose of the article is to examine Ukraine’s influence on peacekeeping processes, with a focus on legislative changes and initiatives aimed at strengthening international law and the protection of peacekeepers. Key issues requiring further development are identified, such as the need for improved strategic planning and legislative development. The article focuses on global changes in international relations caused by globalization processes and identifies the role of international organizations in preventive measures and conflict resolution. Ukraine’s contribution to peacekeeping operations since its declaration of independence includes initiatives aimed at enhancing the UN’s peacekeeping capacity and changes in legislation regulating the country’s participation in international peacekeeping operations. The article emphasizes the importance of the experience gained by Ukrainian military personnel during their participation in peacekeeping missions for maintaining the combat readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and highlights the financial aspects of the country’s participation in international peacekeeping operations. It identifies the need to further expand the civilian component in peacekeeping activities and focuses on the importance of involving qualified police and legal personnel, particularly through the improvement of the national training system for specialists and the creation of a national peacekeepers’ registry. Ukraine’s participation in peacekeeping operations of international organizations like the UN and NATO enhances the country’s international image, develops its defense capabilities and military experience, and creates new opportunities for international cooperation in ensuring global security. The conclusions of the article underline the strategic importance of peacekeeping activities for strengthening Ukraine’s international status and supporting its Euro-Atlantic integration.

UN peacekeeping upon deployment: Peacekeeping activities in theory and practice

United Nations peacekeeping operations (UNPKO) have been deployed in conflict-affected countries for decades. While we thoroughly understand what UNPKOs are mandated to do, there is little research on what activities peacekeepers actually do upon deployment in their host countries and in which sequence, if any. To address this gap, we formulate descriptive hypotheses about the number of implemented peacekeeping activities, the expansion toward new activity categories, and the sequencing of implemented activities. We use the novel Extended Peacekeeping Activity Dataset to evaluate our theoretical expectations for all UNPKOs deployed after the end of the Cold War until 2017. Our findings show that UNPKOs implement more activities over time. Yet, the expansion of UNPKOs’ activities into new activity categories by generation (second, third, and stabilization) is not as clear-cut in practice as expected. Instead, there is a notable expansion of activities within activity categories—especially during third-generation UNPKOs. Finally, we find a security-first sequencing for second- and third-generation UNPKOs, while stabilization UNPKOs implement a high share of security activities long after initial deployment.

China’s peacekeeping activities within the UN: Features, challenges, and prospects

In recent years, China has been vigorously strengthening its international authority, consistently building its image as a responsible great power. One of the vivid manifestations of these efforts has been China’s active involvement in peacekeeping activities under the auspices of the United Nations. Currently, among the permanent members of the UN Security Council, China is the largest supplier of contingents for UN peacekeeping operations and the second largest donor of financing for these operations. At the same time, the PRC’s peacekeeping policy faces a number of endogenous and exogenous risks and challenges that remain somewhat understudied. The first section of the paper examines the key stages in the development of the PRC’s approaches to peacekeeping. It is shown that while all other members of the UN Security Council are gradually reducing the number of contingents and cutting funding to UN peacekeeping activities, China, on the contrary, is consistently increasing its of support for UN peacekeeping operations. The second section identifies current trends and prospects for the development of China’s peacekeeping activities. The author emphasizes that China is not only actively engaging into the existing UN peace-keeping mechanisms and initiatives, but also offers its own original conceptual approaches to address the challenges related to peacemaking and peacebuilding. The concept of ‘developmental peace’ proposed by Chinese researchers is of particular interest in this context. At the same time, as shown in the third section, this activity of the PRC faces a number of problems and challenges. The author notes that China’s objective contribution to peacekeeping activities and international recognition of its efforts are actually very asymmetrical. To this should be added the active efforts of Western countries aimed at discrediting the peacekeeping activities of the PRC, manifested in pushing of narratives about the exceptional selfishness of Chinese initiatives and China’s desire to achieve unilateral advantages in the ‘Taiwan issue’ by exploiting peacekeeping agenda. Assessing the prospects for the development of the PRC’s peacekeeping activities in these conditions, the author emphasizes the need to deepen cooperation with various regional organizations; increase the use of public diplomacy tools and improve the legislative framework for peacekeeping in China itself.

‘Undivided’ city in a divided society: explaining the peaceful coexistence of Albanians and Serbs in Kamenicë/Kamenica, Kosovo

ABSTRACT The goal of this paper is to examine which factors have influenced interethnic relations between Albanians and Serbs in Kamenicë/Kamenica, which is significantly less hostile compared to other towns in Kosovo. Utilizing a multi-method research approach, we find these factors include historical-demographic, geopolitical, institutional, economic and cultural factors, as well as the work of the members of the international peacebuilding and peacekeeping missions deployed in the municipality of Kamenicë/Kamenica in June of 1999. Based on our findings, the concept of local-local hybridization is proposed as the main theoretical contribution to the theory of hybrid peace. This concept entails long-lasting interactions between ethnic groups in a local (post-conflict) community under different social circumstances and factors that affected their coexistence, whereby this must be supported by peacebuilding and peacekeeping activities adapted to the aforementioned concept if peace is to be sustained.

Possibilities of Using Artificial Intelligence in EU and UN Peacekeeping Activities

Abstract The main purpose of writing this article was to show how disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, can be used in military operations. We also covered how the UN and other international organisations have begun to regulate this rapidly exploding field from a policy perspective. We presented some of the technologies that use AI and made suggestions for their general military application and how these technologies can be used in peacetime operations. Artificial intelligence and intelligent devices can also bring enormous benefits in the areas of command and control systems, reconnaissance and intelligence activities. We also presented issues and dilemmas related to developments in this direction, such as ethical, liability, security and information protection problems and dilemmas.

Activities of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Central Asia (2002–2022)

The article identifies the contribution of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Central Asia (CSTO) to the process of ensuring security in Central Asia. Conceptual approaches to the CSTO in the foreign policy of the Russian Federation and its allies in the region are analyzed. The documents of the CSTO are examined, as well as its practical activities to ensure regional security, prevent military threats, combat extremism, and terrorism and drug trafficking. The peacekeeping activities of the CSTO are examined. At the same time, an answer is given to the question why the CSTO did not deploy a peacekeeping mission at the request of Kyrgyzstan during the unrest in 2010, but responded to a similar request from Kazakhstan during the January events of 2022.

Exploring trends in U.N. Peacekeeping Activities in Korea through Topic Modeling and Social Network Analysis

Exploring trends in U.N. Peacekeeping Activities in Korea through Topic Modeling and Social Network Analysis

Topical issues of the use of peacekeeping operations in modern realities, including the military and police component: A case study of the UN and regional organizations

This study systematizes and analyzes the legal aspects of changes in the deployment of international peacekeeping forces over the past 50 years. The article deals with topical political and legal problems facing the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations (UN) and regional international organizations. These problems emanate from both natural institutional and artificially created factors. Overcoming the challenges ahead is possible only through the development of multilateral diplomacy, the aim of which is to achieve long-term and realizable agreements to resolve conflicts and establish lasting and sustainable peace. The study analyzes the role, effect, and potential of peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN and other regional international organizations to ensure international security as a timely response to legal and institutional challenges related to the interests of certain players in the world arena, where Russia and some countries in Europe and Asia have been affected.

African Solutions to African Problems: Peacekeeping Efforts of the African Union and African Regional Organizations

In the course of its postcolonial development, the African continent has faced many challenges, ranging from socio-economic crises to political instability and the proliferation of terrorism. The lack of security, which remains a source of constant concern for Africans, and the gradual disengagement of the international community, primarily the United Nations (UN), from armed involvement in the resolution of military conflicts on the continent in the 1990s, led to the emergence of the concept of “African solutions to African problems.” The phrase, which reflects the determination of Africans to solve their problems without the participation of external actors, has become a source of their pride; however, the possibility and ability of the inhabitants of the continent to implement this approach still raises justified doubts for a number of reasons that are to be discussed in this paper. The concept of “African solutions to African problems” has now become the main principle that determines the level and nature of the peacekeeping activities of the African Union (AU) and African regional blocs; the verbal adherence of the AU member states to this maxim has been noted by many Russian and foreign researchers. However, a comprehensive analysis of the reasons for the unsuccessful implementation of this concept has not yet been carried out by Russian scholars, so the present article aims to fill this gap. In particular, the paper examines attempts of Africans to solve their problems in the field of security independently. The study allows us to claim that the African continent, primarily due to its insufficient integration and lack of consensus on a number of issues of political development and security, is not yet ready to carry out full-fledged peacekeeping operations without external support, although the gradual acquisition of relevant experience, the decrease in economic dependence on the West, and the diversification of foreign policy will contribute to laying a solid foundation for the idea of “African solutions to African problems.”

The Peacekeeping Role of the Organization of African Unity During the Nigerian Civil War, 1967-1970

This study examines the peacekeeping activities of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in resolving the Nigerian crisis. On May 30, 1967 the eastern part of Nigeria, the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra, tried to secede from Nigeria. This led to a civil war that lasted from July 6, 1967 to January 15, 1970. Biafra’s army was defeated and capitulated. The reference to the history of the OAU peacekeeping experience is relevant, because it can be applied to the settlement of contemporary crises and conflicts in Africa. The author was guided by the principles of historicism, scientific objectivity and reliance on sources. The aim of the article is to clarify the nature and methods of the OAU’s peacekeeping activities, to identify internal and external factors that hindered the achievement of peace, and to assess the effectiveness of the organization’s peacekeeping efforts. The article uses for the first time information and analytical memos of Soviet diplomats found in the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation (AVP RF) on the OAU’s activities to stop the civil war in Nigeria. The author concludes that the Nigerian crisis was a unique international conflict for the Cold War period. The motives of the external actors were primarily determined by geopolitical aspirations and national interests, rather than bloc solidarity. The author identifies factors that negatively affected the OAU’s potential as a peacemaker: a split among African countries (four of which recognized Biafra’s independence) and competition from Great Britain, which vigorously promoted its own peacekeeping agenda. The OAU’s decisions were not binding on member states; it had no effective mechanism for implementing them, and it had no armed forces of its own that could be used to disengage the warring parties. The OAU succeeded in diplomatically securing overwhelming African support for Nigeria’s territorial integrity, though its mediation efforts failed to achieve peace. The Biafra leadership was not going to capitulate while there was still room for resistance and the federal government was not inclined to question the country’s territorial integrity. The results of the OAU’s peacekeeping can be assessed as positive: it prevented the legitimization of separatist Biafra, which could have had a domino effect with disastrous consequences for the entire African continent.

The Role of Mediation in Resolving Conflicts Between Ecuador and Peru

The study deals with the problem of mediation in the settlement of the longest territorial conflict in Latin America between Peru and Ecuador, highlighting its origins. The main goal of conflict resolution is not only the elimination of the conflict itself, but the transformation of a real conflict situation into a peaceful process of social or political change, where mediation is a strategy or a tool to end the conflict. The authors use an integrated approach, where the most appropriate theoretical basis for considering and resolving these conflicts is neoliberalism, as well as the problem-chronological approach, the historical method, which makes it possible to trace the prerequisites and the development of the territorial conflict, and mediation efforts to resolve it. It was concluded that the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war, although it was the result of the perception of divergent territorial interests, was caused by the unsuccessful mediation activities of the guarantor countries (Brazil, USA, Chile and Argentina). The mediation activities of Brazil, the USA, Chile and Argentina in 1995-1998 led to the so-called “elegant agreement,” one way or another taking into account the interests of Peru and Ecuador. In this regard, the special importance of the mediation activities of the guarantor countries in resolving the conflict was emphasized, as well as their main tools, such as: negotiation processes, signing documents on the territorial dispute, participating in the demarcation of borders, monitoring compliance with the agreements reached, contributing to the active development of Ecuadorian-Peruvian relations after the signing of the peace treaty and preventing the escalation of the conflict in the future. As a result of the consideration of the role of each intermediary country in the settlement of the Alto Cenepa conflict, their own interests were touched and the key areas of participation in peacekeeping activities were listed, and it was concluded that Brazil’s position was the most active.

Миротворческая деятельность Международной черкесской ассоциации по урегулированию военных конфликтов в Республике Абхазия и Чеченской Республике в конце XX века

The article presents an analysis of the peacekeeping activities of the International Circassian As-sociation for resolving military conflicts in the Republic of Abkhazia and the Chechen Republic at the end of the 20th century. It was revealed that during the Georgian-Abkhaz war (14.08.1992.–30.09.1993), the ICA, together with the Circassian public organizations of the Republic of Adigh-eya, the Kabardin-Balkarian Republic and the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic, conducted stirring activities to support the people of Abkhazia: it condemned the aggression of Georgia against Ab-khazia; made the statements and appeals to the leadership of the Russian Federation, the leader-ship of the regions of the North Caucasus, to the highest officials of some countries and to interna-tional organizations (UN, UNPO) with requests to take immediate measures to peacefully resolve the conflict; participated in the organization of humanitarian aid to the people of Abkhazia. The peacekeeping activity of the ICA to some extent contributed to the victory of the people of Abkha-zia. In the post-war period, the ICA appealed to the leadership of the Russian Federation and the UN with requests to take measures to ensure that the Georgian side observe the ceasefire agree-ments of 1993 and 1994 and the prevention of a new confrontation between the sides, on the lift-ing of the economic blockade from Abkhazia, established by the Council of Heads of the CIS Member States in 1996. The peacekeeping activities of the ICA contributed to the lifting of the economic blockade of Abkhazia.

THE CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE OF MALAYSIA AS A NON-PERMANENT MEMBER OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC) IN THE QUESTION OF PALESTINE (QOP)

Malaysia as a small country and member of the United Nations (UN) has contributed a great deal of assistance and expertise to the international community. Even more serious when Malaysia has been elected as a non-permanent member of UNSC in four interval terms (1965, 1989-1990, 1999-2000 and 2015-16). Many peacekeeping activities that Malaysia involved under the UN umbrella such as in Kosovo War, East Timor Crisis, and also in African conflicting countries. However, the Question of Palestine (QOP) is close to Malaysia, since Independence Day. Moreover, Malaysia has consistently voiced the Palestinian issues on the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and UNSC platforms. The purpose of this paper is to analyze Malaysia’s role as a non-permanent member of the UNSC in resolving the QOP. Undoubtedly, Malaysia as a non-permanent member of the UNSC has demonstrated its effort and capability to alarm the international community in response to the QOP.

The information dimension of the Middle East conflicts

The article is devoted to the problems of the Middle East conflicts from the point of view of the development of the information society and the increasing influence of digital technologies. The author focuses on the problem of propaganda, censorship and the development of the free media in the Middle East conflict zones. The problem of regional conflicts` “informatization” and the “information wall” phenomenon is examined in the article. An attention was paid on a duality of informational influence upon the Middle East conflicts. On the one hand, the influence of mass media within the conflicting state is increasing. In fact, the national press determines the assessment of the outcome of the war. On the other hand, there is an effect of an “information wall” between the warring parties, which cuts off communications between the antagonists and hinders diplomatic ways of resolving the situation. Two different trends are taking place in the Middle East were researched in the article. Some states, such as Qatar or Oman, are trying to become information centers, their mass media are becoming very influential either in the Arab world, or all over the planet. Other states tends towards the complete censorship and control. the “packaged journalism” during the Middle East conflicts was described in the paper. “Packaged journalism” means unequal working conditions for journalists. Such circumstances cause an uneven review of events in favor of specific conflict side. The conclusions state that the degree of informatization of the societies of the Middle East directly affects the intensity of conflicts and determines their outcome. In its further perspectives, studies of the information dimension of conflicts reveal the prospects of analysis and practical conclusions regarding the expansion of peacekeeping activities and the possibilities of reducing the intensification of crisis situations in the world.

Gender Perspective in UN Police Peacekeeping

Despite the upsurge in conflicts at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries and the increase in peacekeeping activities, women’s participation in peacekeeping operations has been the exception to the rule rather than the standard practice. However, the UN has focused on the negative and disproportional impact of internal armed conflicts on women and children. For the past two decades, the UN has been working to incorporate a gender perspective into the peacekeeping architecture. The starting point was UN Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, which fully recognized the importance of the gender perspective in peace and security. The UN’s further systematic actions in this direction have changed the simplistic view of women as victims of internal armed conflicts and have recognized them as active contributors to peace and security. The purpose of the article is to comprehensively examine the current state of the international community’s commitment to women, peace and security in order to fill the existing theoretical gaps and find further ways to enhance the role of women in peace and security activities. The study is based on interdisciplinary, historical and structural-functional approaches, and uses content analysis of official UN documents and data, analytical reports of international organizations, relevant scientific materials and publications. The authors conclude that UNSCR 1325 (2000) initiated a major shift in UN peacekeeping in the context of a large-scale “Women, Peace and Security” agenda and has led to new approaches to women’s participation in all stages of peace processes. Women’s active and equal participation in peace negotiations and the implementation of political decisions has become an important factor in strengthening peace and security. Moreover, the UN’s current activities are not limited to women’s participation in peacekeeping. In addition to changes in the planning and staffing of peacekeeping operations, the UN has also taken steps to address less visible behavioral issues, including the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as the professional skills of peacekeeping personnel. At the same time, the increase in the number of women in the military and police components of UN missions has raised some international concerns about the potential masculinization of female peacekeepers.

Media Coverage of the Peacekeeping Activities of Pope Francis' Support of Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian Full-Scale War

The relevance of the study is due to the significance of the influence of Pope Francis’ peacekeeping activities as the head of the Catholic Church on global geopolitics. This influence is being actively implemented within the framework of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Thus, the study of the international diplomatic activity of the pontiff in the context of supporting Ukraine is aimed at establishing the features of the peacekeeping work of the Holy See. The study presents an analysis of news coverage on the stated issues in popular Ukrainian and foreign publications from December 2021 to October 2022. The Washington Post, Politico, Vatican News highlighted positive, dubious, and negative precedents by Pope Francis in the context of supporting Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian full-scale war. Also, special attention is paid to the special nature of the encyclicals of Pope Francis, in particular Evangelii gaudium 2013, Lumen Fidei 2013, Laudato si' 2015, and Fratelli Tutti 2020, where the priority thematic areas are current problems and conflicts. The results of the study indicate the inconsistency of the views, understandings, and actions of the pontiff, which is obviously due to the flexible diplomatic strategy of the Vatican. The overall picture points to the hesitation of the head of the Catholic Church during a tense situation on the European continent. Key words: Pope Francis, the Pope's peacekeeping activities, the war in Ukraine, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the Pope's support for Ukraine.

Manutenção da Paz Multidimensional: A paz local não dura quando a paz nacional falha

Abstract The United Nations’ multidimensional operations have recently been authorised to use force to protect civilians. Among their peacekeeping activities are initiatives to deal with conflict management/resolution at the local level. While contemporary peacekeeping tends to be highly concentrated at the national level, it has increasingly striven to implement initiatives at the local level. However, local level operations face certain difficulties. To address this, the UN tends to focus on the initiatives, approaches, and strategies it employs at the local level, one of which is the use of force to protect civilians during peace operations. The present analysis revolves around the argument that ‘local peace’ will not last long unless a peace agreement is achieved and sustained at the national level, and, consequently, that the connection between peace and conflict at both the local and national levels is key to tackling conflicts. This paper uses primary documents, secondary sources, and interviews, as well as specific examples from operations in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic, to inductively confirm this argument, and discuss the difficulties that peace operations face on the issue.

ПРОВЕДЕННЯ МИРОТВОРЧИХ ОПЕРАЦІЙ: ВИКЛИКИ СУЧАСНОЇ МИРОТВОРЧОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ

The article examines approval criteria, stages of implementation, and problems associated with conducting peacekeeping operations. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the United Nations criteria for approving peacekeeping operations, including the need for the consent of the parties involved and the availability of resources. The article also outlines various stages of implementation. In addition, the paper highlights the challenges and issues often encountered in peacekeeping operations, such as lack of funding, insufficient resources and political complexities. Peacekeeping operations are becoming increasingly important in resolving conflicts and promoting peace around the world. However, conducting these operations is a complex process that requires careful planning and management. To meet these challenges, policymakers and practitioners must adopt a proactive approach to peacekeeping operations, including providing adequate funding and resources, promoting effective communication and cooperation, and prioritizing the safety and security of personnel involved. The article also highlights some of the key challenges facing peacekeeping operations in the modern era, including the changing nature of conflicts, the politicization of peacekeeping and the challenges of ensuring the safety of peacekeepers on the ground. In addition, the problems of resource allocation and coordination between various participants in peacekeeping activities, such as the UN, regional organizations and member states, are explored, calling for more attention to these challenges and more effective cooperation between all participants in peacekeeping operations. It emphasizes the need for a more nuanced and adaptive approach to peacekeeping that takes into account the unique circumstances of each conflict and utilizes the experience of all parties involved. Overall, the article highlights the importance of continuing efforts to improve the effectiveness and impact of peacekeeping operations in the modern era.