The Global Governance Institute led a new advice project for the United Nations’ Department of Peace Operations (Light Coordination Mechanism) and the regional Latin American and Caribbean Network for Cooperation in Peacekeeping Operations (RELACOPAZ) . The new network was created in 2022 following an initiative by Peru and has the main objective to advance stronger regional cooperation in matters related to UN Peacekeeping.
As part of the Lima Declaration of 2022, 16 Latin American and Caribbean Countries committed to “promoting greater regional participation and collaboration in peace operations, strengthening capacities and the exchange of good practices, as well as deepening knowledge of the barriers to women's participation in conflict prevention. and peacekeeping”.
The meeting in Lima in 2022 also called for an independent study on the barriers to and opportunities for greater Latin American and Caribbean participation in UN peacekeeping operations.
The Global Governance Institute was tasked by the 16 signatory states to carry out the in-depth independent study, in coordination with the United Nations Department of Peace Operations’ Light Coordination Mechanism (LCM).
The study was led by Joachim Koops and Maria Maldonado and examines the main obstacles LAC countries currently face in contributing to UN peace operations and to suggest recommendations for addressing those challenges. The report’s analysis is placed in the wider context of the evolution of the LAC countries’ past contributions and a discussion of the main strengths and added value to UN peace operations more generally. The study also examines some lessons from past and current cooperation arrangements across the region (at the bilateral and multilateral levels) and explores opportunities and limitations for strengthening regional approaches of cooperation and coordination (ranging from training to co-deployments) for enhanced participation in UN peace operations. Particular emphasis is being placed on pragmatic recommendations that take into consideration the specific political, socio-economic and military contexts of the region and countries. To this end, wide ranging interviews and background conversations have been carried out by GGI with national representatives of the Declaration of Lima signatories. Interview partners ranged from members of the national permanent representations to the UN in New York, officials from national ministries of defence and foreign affairs to regional scholars and members of the think tank community. This approach ensured that the main analysis reflects the views of the 16 countries as well as insights from scholars and policy analysts that are intimately familiar with the region and topic.
The 40-page report was presented on 12 September 2023 to the RELACOPAZ members in Buenos Aires.
You can download the report here.
