4th Annual Conference - International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
This annual conference, jointly mounted by the United Nations Association, Westminster and RUSI has established itself as one of the UK’s most authoritative annual reviews of UN peacekeeping activities. Ensuring Success in Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Tasks for Peacekeepers and Those Who Follow Them
10:00, 23 May 2007
RUSI, Whitehall, London, SW1A 2ET
This year's conference concentrates on the interval between the departure of peacekeepers and the return to stable, locally-led government. The event will seek to challenge some of the more established thinking associated with this period of stabilization.
Programme
* 4th Folk Bernadotte Lecture: Assessing and predicting risks in post-conflict states
Professor Paul Collier
Director, Centre for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
Professor Collier will share with a London audience for the first time, findings from his ground breaking 2006 research programme. Compiled from the analysis of over 70 conflict scenarios, it analyses the potential risks in post conflict situations of regression back to unstabilized scenarios and prompts much reflection on traditional thinking in this area.
* The role of Private Security Companies in post-conflict states
Andy Bearpak
Director-General, British Association of Private Security Companies
Geoffrey Dennis
Director, CARE International
Private Security Companies (PSC) are tasked with undertaking many roles within the post-conflict environment. The speakers will examine the challenges PSCs face in post conflict scenarios as regards to their roles and accountabilities. Who should be the ultimate arbiter of PSC's performance and are the needs of the host state and international community mutually re-enforcing, or in conflict?
* The evolving role of women in the post-conflict process
Joan Link
Head of the Conflict Issues Group, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Lesley Abdela
Eyecatcher Associates/Shevolution
The United Nations has taken many initiatives on gender based violence and discrimination. UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) opens the way for women's participation in peacekeeping operations and the UN Secretary-General recently asked Member States to develop national action plans to promote this programme. The recent deployment in Liberia (and subsequent success) of the 103-strong Indian all-female Police Unit suggests that there is much more here to explore. But has the UK military aligned itself with the ambitions of the UK National Action Plan?
* An uncertain future for UNIFIL
The unprecedented surge in the number and size of UN peacekeeping missions has been led by the strengthening of UNIFIL in its role as peacekeeper in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL has been granted a "robust mandate" including authorization to use force against "hostile activity", and to intercept the movement of "unauthorized weapons". UNIFIL has also intensified its public relations offensives, emphasising the boost it gives to the local economy.
What should the priorities be? Our speaker, a senior UNIFIL commander, will identify the challenges and limitations against which the mission must operate on a daily basis.
* Cenotaph Memorial
Members of the diplomatic community and other organisations will lay wreaths at the Cenotaph in a short ceremony starting at 1pm, in remembrance of those from the 117 participating nations who have been killed while serving as UN peacekeepers.
A booking form is downloadable from the link below.
For booking enquiries please call Sabrina Downey on 0207 747 2622, or email her at [email protected]
For information on United Nations Association, Westminster please visit www.unawestminster.org.uk or email [email protected]
Event manager: Sabrina Downey, +44 (0) 207 747 2622
