Peacekeeping Research Articles

LOCAL WISDOM MODEL BASED ON TECHNOLOGICAL SOVEREIGNTY AND CULTURAL SHOWCASEFOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUSANTARA CAPITAL CITY

Background: The relocation of Indonesia's capital to Nusantara was announced in 2019, with a vision to create a sustainable, economically significant, and culturally diverse world-class city. This qualitative research explores the development of Nusantara by formulating a model of local wisdom, focusing on technological sovereignty and cultural representation.Method: Data collection techniques were employed to develop this model. It emphasizes the realization of technological sovereignty aligned with national interests and the representation of Indonesia's cultural diversity. The study also assesses the absence of social friction among people from various cultural backgrounds, highlighting unity and cooperation as guiding principles.Results: The study found that technological sovereignty, when aligned with local cultural values, contributes to Nusantara's potential as a global problem-solving model. Furthermore, the cultural showcase, embodying the diversity of the Indonesian nation, is a unifying force that fosters cooperation, rather than conflict, among culturally diverse residents.Conclusions: In conclusion, Nusantara's development model, rooted in technological sovereignty and cultural representation, aligns with local cultural values, and has the potential to address global challenges. It serves as a symbol of unity and cooperation, positioning Nusantara as a worthy "world city for all.".

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.

Gender based violence (GBV) coordination in a complex, multi-crisis context: a qualitative case study of Lebanon’s compounded crises (2019–2023)

BackgroundSince 2019 Lebanon has faced multiple compounded crises. Political and social instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Beirut Port explosion, alongside the influx of refugees related to the ongoing Syrian conflict, have resulted in a nationwide economic emergency. In the context of the humanitarian response to the Syrian conflict, the UN and government-led gender-based violence (GBV) task force has coordinated the sub-sector since 2012. The compounded crisis, however, created new challenges for GBV coordination and service delivery, which we explore in this paper. We highlight lessons for strengthening GBV coordination in Lebanon and other complex emergencies.MethodsWe conducted 29 remote in-depth interviews, reviewed key policy documents and observed seven GBV task force meetings. We analysed and presented our findings across three key themes: context-relevant and adaptable coordination mechanisms; coordination to support GBV service delivery; and stakeholders’ roles, legitimacy and power.ResultsParallel response frameworks developed to address the multiple crises, created a complex humanitarian architecture within an increasingly challenging operating context, with some perceived inefficiencies. Positively, coordination was integrated under the established government-UN interagency system and the GBV task force maintained GBV sub-sector coordination. The task force was commended for effectively adapting to the evolving context, including working remotely, maintaining essential GBV services, assessing the compounded crises’ impact on programming and adjusting accordingly, and harmonising guidance, tools and approaches. The importance of ensuring a government co-led response was highlighted by both UN and government informants, who pointed to examples where marginalising government leadership compromised coordination effectiveness and sustainability. The participation of local actors had become increasingly important but more difficult, with the impact of the various crises, and remote modalities, challenging service delivery and staff wellbeing.ConclusionExperiences from Lebanon highlight the essential role of government leadership in coordination; the value of investing in local GBV capacity; the significance of effective national, subnational and intersectoral coordination to support service delivery and address cross-cutting GBV issues; the importance of targeted interventions to support marginalised populations; and the need to prioritize the well-being of front-line staff during crisis response. In Lebanon, and other complex crises, donors are encouraged to increase flexible, multiyear funding for GBV coordination and services, while women-led organizations should be at the forefront of recovery efforts, contributing to a more equitable society.

A Key Success Factor: Elucidating the Meaning of Legitimacy for UN Peacekeepers

ABSTRACT Legitimacy has become a widespread term within policy documents of international organizations, not least international peacekeeping. But legitimacy is also a contested concept, so it matters greatly how it is understood on the ground. In this article, I ask what meanings the UN Department of Peace Operations attributes to the concept of legitimacy. Using a qualitative content analysis to study policy and training documents published by the department, I argue that the department understands the local legitimacy of UN peacekeeping missions as a (mis-)perception of its international legitimacy and underappreciates how other actors might undermine UN and state legitimacy.

The language education and the language component as an element of countering hybrid threats in Ukraine

This article examines the role of language education and the language component as an element in countering hybrid threats in Ukraine. Language is explored as a symbol of national identity and a unifying force among Ukrainians in the face of external threats. The literature review investigates language shift and transition from Russian to Ukrainian, particularly among Russian-speaking Ukrainians, as an act of resistance and assertion of Ukrainian identity. Survey data revealed that 90.5% of respondents consider the Ukrainian language important, and 88.5% believe it is necessary to exclusively communicate in Ukrainian within Ukraine. Notably, 41% of Russian-speaking Ukrainians have already transitioned fully or partially to Ukrainian since the invasion. The study also found a decrease in the proportion of Ukrainian residents speaking only Russian at home, from 37% to 13% between 2012 and 2022. Additionally, prior to the invasion, approximately half of Ukrainians frequently watched Russian films or listened to Russian music. Findings emphasize the importance of language education and promotion in countering hybrid threats and preserving linguistic diversity in Ukraine. This research contributes to the understanding of the language component in Ukraine's response to hybrid threats and provides insights for policymakers and educators in fostering language resilience and national identity. This research sheds light on the evolving language dynamics and underscores the importance of the language component in countering hybrid threats in Ukraine. It provides valuable insights into the language attitudes and behaviors of the Ukrainian population and highlights the role of language education and promotion in preserving national identity and resilience in the face of hybrid warfare.

Peace, Propaganda, and Natural Resources: The Geoeconomics of Rwandan Peacekeeping in Mozambique and Implications for European and African Regionalism Projects

Since the end of the genocide in Rwanda, the small nation has solidified its reputation as an economic powerhouse among African countries, as well as the continent’s largest peacekeeping force. Some foreign governments have explicitly called on Rwanda for peacekeeping and military interventions before calling on larger regional organizations (namely, the Southern African Development Community). At the same time, other entities and analysts have questioned the legitimacy of Rwanda’s missions as well as the country’s ability to finance such missions, claiming the funds secretly arrive from France to protect French interests in Africa. This essay focuses on Rwanda’s peacekeeping missions in resource-rich areas of Mozambique, positing that, besides any geo-economic interest that may derive from Rwanda’s presence in such areas, the unilateral nature of Rwandan peacekeeping may represent a threat to African regionalism projects. Furthermore, French funding to Rwanda would imply a lack of alignment between the EU and its member states on dealings with foreign governments and security forces. The essay concludes with a series of proposals for the EU and AU, including ensuring greater alignment with its member states on external affairs and facilitating locally led peacebuilding and reconciliation platforms to root ownership of natural resources within the local population of northern Mozambique.

Operation Sukola II in the DRC: A critical review of the application of the UN human rights due diligence policy

ABSTRACT This article examines the extent to which peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and specifically Operation Sukola II, effectively applied the UN human rights due diligence policy (HRDDP) in the period under review (2014–2021), based upon reports and interviews with individuals with knowledge of the peacekeeping operations. It analyses the complexity and challenges the peacekeepers and Congolese government confronted in the application of HRDDP in the DRC, noting the different challenges in applying this policy due to the highly volatile situations faced. The study argues that in applying the policy in situations such as the DRC, where the conflict is complex, the UN needs to be responsive to unexpected contingencies, with a high degree of flexibility and resilience. It recommends that the UN should review its HRDDP and update its procedures based on gained experience.

Barn and Badger

Passed down from the previous generation, alpine land in the Swiss Bernese Oberland is owned by three families with different ideas about what taking care of old structures and land looks like. Cattle come up from the valley in the summer. When the ancient barn is leaning and in need of repair, they discover the work of a badger, a powerful digger. Conflict arises. In due time, the barn project turns into a unifying force, lifting family shadows. This is a work of nonfiction.

Mzansi Magic

Mzansi Magic

‘The Wise Let the Sword Rest, but not Rust’: Celebrating an Armed Peace on a Civic Guard Portrait

Amsterdam civic guards are posing as armed keepers of peace and order on Govert Flinck’s Company of Captain Joan Huydecoper and Lieutenant Frans Oetgens van Waveren from 1648-50. That peace and order was deeply rooted in self-interest and conceived by them as a prerequisite for the arts. This deliberate portrayal of the men as peacekeepers actively silences the fact that they also participated in trade wars and colonial activities and/or profited of them, either directly or indirectly. In depicting these men in this way Flinck addressed to their needs as well as his own. The painting proved a very important step in the course of his successful career. Flinck – and other artists from the 17th century – played their part in immortalizing the 17th century in Amsterdam as a peaceful and prosperous ‘golden age’. The stories of war and conflict meanwhile were at the same time effectively silenced by the same people that profited of them.

On the question of the linguistic and cultural features of the Eastern Argumentative Model in Political Ecology

The article discusses the issues of argumentation of the environmental agenda, which occupies a significant place in the modern linguistic society and is implemented in various discursive practices. The authors proceed from the fact that the environmental problem is a universal topic that is approved by all people. Therefore, the discussion of environmental problems has a great unifying force. The reaction of the audience to the discussion of environmental plans is always predictable, this topic is approved by all segments of the population. It can be said that the media and politicians always make the most of environmental issues. The combination of political speech and ecology, covered in the media, is a synergistic effect when the sum of the components is greater than a simple addition: 1+1+1→5. The synergy of politics and ecology is the object of this work, and the subject of the study are argumentative structures that provide this synergy. The article contains a review of works showing the specifics of logic and the philosophical tradition of China, which were the basis for specific models of reasoning that make up the Eastern model of argumentation. The purpose of the work is to analyze the argumentation in the speeches of Chinese politicians on the environmental topic and to monitor the implementation of the Eastern or Western model of argumentation. The main conclusions of the article are conclusions about the universality of the Western style of argumentation, which is implemented in arguments about environmental problems. The authors also point out the undesirability of leveling argumentation styles. The novelty of the work lies in the fact that these conclusions, being projected on the field of political ecology, allow us to conclude that the linguistic and cultural characteristics of each country affect the implementation of environmental policy. The authors' contribution to the research of the topic consists in a comparative analysis of the Eastern and Western styles of argumentation and in observing the implementation of one of them in ecological topos in Chinese.

Participation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in Enhancing African Police Personnel Peacekeeping Capacity

The peacekeeping became actual agenda of international relations due to increased number of internal conflicts with mass human rights violations in different regions of the world including Africa. The problems of ensuring peace and security have become priority for United Nations (UN) and regional organizations involved in constant search of conflict resolution best practices. Peacekeeping actors admitted the key role of law-enforcement agencies, and first of all the police, in ensuring security in conflict or post-conflict reconstruction. Therefore, the UN actively developing the strategy of police methods usage in peacekeeping operations. Because of this process, the number of member states contributing police contingents to the UN including formed police units increased. Joint activity of police officers from different countries with different education, professional experience and specialization requires high-quality training of candidates for peacekeeping operations. The purpose of this article is to analyze the needs of African police officers in professional development and the capabilities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation in training of African police officers for the UN peacekeeping operations. The study is based on insights from non-participant observation, interviews and analyses of the UN official documents, policies and training materials. Actual Russian and foreign scientific publications were used. Results confirmed that Russian Federation has many years of experience in African policemen training for the UN peacekeeping operations. The promising areas of Russian Federation participation in the development of the peacekeeping potential of African police, along with the provision of standardized pre-deployment training based on the UN certified programs, can be training in the crime investigation methodology and the training of special police units of the UN member states.

UN Peacekeeping in Africa: Nature, Scope and Development

The hybrid nature and scope of contemporary conflicts, the terrorism threat, and the dramatic increase in competition for resources, global militarization and security challenges in Africa do not only carry the risk of state collapse, but have conditioned concerted efforts by national, regional and international actors to protect human rights and remedy the humanitarian situation. In many ways, the African continent with its unique and diverse nature of conflicts has become a platform for the renewal of the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping through the development of new operational and normative practices and strategies that, as a distinctive feature of the UN missions in the African continent, have gradually moved from the status of innovations to the category of quite commonplace global practice. This article attempts to assess UN peacekeeping in Africa from the 1960s till 2022. The authors examine the characteristics, nature and scope of peacekeeping operations (PKOs) as well as strategies for transforming peacekeeping mandates. Using a problem-chronological approach, comparative analysis and quantitative assessments of the UN peacekeeping missions, the formats of cooperation with regional organizations (the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)), gender composition of the UN missions, in particular, the authors come to the natural conclusion that the number of the UN peacekeeping operations and political missions in Africa remains high and their mandates have expanded and become more complex with increased activity of the leading world powers. The authors conclude that stabilization and conflict resolution in Africa will greatly depend on effective cooperation between the UN and regional organizations, as well as on the UN reforms and its ability to adapt rapidly to changing conflict scenarios in each African state.

Strengthening Global Security: Evaluating the Feasibility of a Nuclear-Armed UN Peacekeeping Force

This research paper examines the possibility of enhancing global security by establishing a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force armed with nuclear weapons. Innovative approaches to conflict resolution and deterrence mechanisms are of the utmost importance in an era marked by geopolitical tensions and regional conflicts. This study's primary objective is to evaluate the viability and ramifications of providing UN peacekeepers with nuclear capabilities. To accomplish this objective, a multifaceted research strategy was employed. First, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to comprehend the historical context, current challenges, and potential benefits of a UN peacekeeping force armed with nuclear weapons. To assess the legal and ethical implications of such an initiative, an exhaustive analysis of international legal frameworks, disarmament agreements, and pertinent UN resolutions was conducted. The implications of this research are intricate and nuanced. A UN peacekeeping force armed with nuclear weapons could enhance deterrence and facilitate conflict resolution, but it raises significant concerns regarding proliferation risks, sovereignty, and global power dynamics. The discussion section delves into these findings, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that carefully weighs the pros and cons and the importance of global cooperation in ensuring a secure and peaceful global order. This paper provides policymakers and academics contending with the evolving international security landscape with valuable insights.

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.”

A Literary Analysis of Oral Tradition in Ogba Cosmology

The whole world in Ogba cosmology exists for man’s sake and the universe is divided into two: the visible and invisible parts (the heaven or sky and the earth). The sky is the invisible as well as the underworld that is below the earth, while the earth is visible part. Ogba people believe in the link between earth and heaven which they reflect in their oral traditions. This paper analyses the oral tradition of the Ogba people; their origin, religion, belief system and their functions and relevance to human experience. And to achieve this, a brief analysis of Ngugi Wa Thiongo’s Devil on the Cross and Chinua Achebe’s Thing Fall Apart are used as oral traditional novels. The paper comprises the introduction, themes and languages of the oral tradition, the oral tradition of Ogba people, an overview of the oral tradition and finally conclusion. The paper discovers that oral tradition features prominently in the works of African writers; explaining in details the culture milieu as perceived in festivals, dances, funerals and songs. The paper focuses on the aesthetic values of the Ogba cosmology using ethnopoetics and historicism as a theoretical framework. The paper finds out that the oral tradition of Ogba people is a unifying force that brings the people together to live in peace, unity and love.

The outlook for UN peacekeeping operations

Several of the United Nations’ blue-helmet forces, particularly in Africa, have struggled to maintain order, and dissatisfied governments have been looking elsewhere for security assistance. And while many peacekeeping missions are winding down, deteriorating security conditions globally suggest that new UN forces may be created in the coming years in response to unexpected bouts of violence or unrest.

Sayed`s Theory of Everything (S-TOE): The Acting Unified Forces in the Universe for Cosmological and Subatomic Scale

Allah, the Creator, is the only Singular Super Force. A unified theory for the major forces gravity, weak, electromagnetic and strong nuclear forces is an intractable challenge to the scientists. This article is an innovative theory for unification of all forces in the universe; S-TOE. My published theory on quantum gravity was the first step. The main parameters and equations of the starting spherical singularity bubble of the early universe; acceleration, wavelength, radius, pressure and speed, were simply derived; named Sayed`s unified forces formula (SUFF). The violation of light speed at the early beginning of universe was dramatically found; 3.93 x 1027 m/s. The wavelength (λ) was also calculated and found to be 1.321 x 10-15 m. The difference, between the calculated force (9.29x1024 N) using SUFF and the Planck force (1.2103 x 1044 N) is might be due to contribution of other predicted forces. The calculated acceleration matches with Planck acceleration. Uniquely in this theory, the dark matter, dark energy and antimatter are among the acting forces control the universe. The Sayed`s forces diagram (SFD) is postulated and given. The anti-force term and concept is introduced to describe the opposite role of dark energy and matter. All the mentioned forces work together to keep the universe stable, expandable and equilibrium. Finally, it can be stated that some of the major universal constants need essential revision.

Russian Peacekeeping Operation in Nagorno-Karabakh (2020–2023)

The article presents the results of a study of the peacekeeping mission conducted by the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020–2023 and assesses its effectiveness. According to the trilateral agreement signed on November 10, 2020 by the Presidents of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Russian peacekeepers were introduced into Nagorno-Karabakh. After the signed trilateral agreement, two more agreements followed, which fixed effective activities and strengthened the need for the presence of peacekeepers in the region. In December 2022, Azerbaijani so-called “eco-activists” blocked the only road (the Lachin Corridor) connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, blocking the free movement of people and goods, hindering the activities of peacekeepers and creating a humanitarian crisis for the population of Nagorno- Karabakh.

Theorizing Decision-Making in International Bureaucracies: UN Peacekeeping Operations and Responses to Norm Violations

Abstract Many international organizations (IOs) provide assistance to governments through country offices or peacekeeping operations. Sometimes, government authorities in countries receiving IO services violate norms that underpin the IO’s engagement. IO officials must then choose between confrontational and conciliatory responses. These responses are located on a spectrum that ranges from a firm and public response to silence and downplaying. How do IO officials decide on their response? Based on over 200 interviews with UN peacekeeping officials, we argue that the factors that shape their decision-making are found across three categories: individual, departmental, and positional. In terms of individual characteristics, previous experience, career security, and the length of service at a particular duty station matter. Regarding departmental factors, politicization of work, professional composition, and the type of interlocutors predispose departments to be supporters or critics of authorities in recipient countries. In terms of positional considerations, the place of a post or department in the IO hierarchy, relations with other IO entities, and the distance from the field play a role. While important in its own right, decision-making by civilian UN peacekeeping officials is informative about similar processes in other complex international bureaucracies that employ individuals from diverse backgrounds.