By: James Arbuckle

James Arbuckle — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 15:52:54 +0000

Good points, Georgios, and thanks for sharing that with us.

Jamie

By: Georgios Kostakos

Georgios Kostakos — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 11:19:27 +0000

A lot of respect and praise is due to UN peacekeepers and DPKO for the work they have been doing in very difficult conflict areas over the last seven decades.
That, however, does not prohibit critical comments and suggestions meant for further improvement (and not just troop reduction, which seems to be becoming a key goal under pressure from the new US Administration). Here are some of those critical comments, questions and suggestions, in no particular order:
a. A UN officers corps that would invest in the training, socialisation and deployment of officers fully versed in the special requirements of UN peacekeeping would go a long way to reconcile “parallel command” tensions and enforce high standards of operation and behaviour across troops contributed by various countries;
b. Although the number of contributing countries may have been increasing, the participation of developed countries with professionally trained troops and advanced equipment seems to have been decreasing, as a percentage of the total at least, which undermines the effectiveness, credibility and visibility (in part of the world at least) of UN peacekeeping;
c. Late and half-hearted responses to gross mistakes or outright crimes perpetrated by UN peacekeepers do not contribute to the credibility, acceptability and broad respect that UN peacekeeping needs to be effective. From the Haiti cholera epidemic to child abuse in African countries the admission of guilt and punishment / compensation should be quicker and more directly undertaken by the UN, with clear rules that do not fudge national and UN responsibilities.

Comments on: SAVING SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS

By: James Arbuckle

By: Georgios Kostakos