Celebrated every year on May 29, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers marks the start of the first UN peacekeeping mission (UNTSO) in 1948 and shines the spotlight on the brave men and women working to maintain peace worldwide. It’s also an occasion to remember those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. So far, over two million peacekeepers from 158 countries have served in 71 operations, and sadly, over 4,300 peacekeepers have lost their lives while on duty.
In fact, the global community commemorates the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers to honor the remarkable uniformed and civilian personnel who have served in UN peacekeeping missions. This special day pays tribute to their dedication, professionalism, and bravery, while also remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of peace. Today, on the 76th anniversary of the UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations commemorates it under the theme: “Fit for the Future, Building Better Together,” which embodies the supreme commitment to progress and collaboration for a more equitable and sustainable world for all.
Peacekeeping has evolved and undergone many transformations since the first peacekeeping missions of the 1950’s. The scope and range of related activities were relatively narrow. With one exception (ONUC, 1960-64), UN peacekeeping forces were utilized to monitor borders and establish buffer zones following cease-fire agreements. But over time, the objective has undergone the transformation from monitoring peace towards actually maintaining the peace. With this broader range of objectives, UN operations promptly became multifunctional, and the multiplicity of tasks expanded to include security, humanitarian, political and socioeconomic objectives, with an eye towards achieving more comprehensive and lasting responses.
Faced with this reality and given such diversity, it became critical to develop a new multidimensional approach to ensure unity of effort. Peacekeeping now combines various fields of expertise and brings together administrators, economists, military, police officers, legal experts, deminers, electoral observers, human rights monitors, specialists in civil affairs and governance, humanitarian workers, experts in communications and public information, etc. Thus, an important partnership is reflected in the composition of all UN peacekeeping operations.
Furthermore, a broader array of peacekeepers undertakes a wider variety of demanding tasks and plays a pivotal role in helping countries transition from conflict to peace. For instance, they preserve ceasefires, facilitate political processes, mediate local conflicts, protect civilians, promote human rights, coordinate elections, disarm, demobilize and reintegrate former combatants, while reforming the security sector and supporting rebuilding institutions and societies within the framework of today’s multidimensional peacekeeping objectives. UN peacekeepers are also on the frontlines of climate-related crises–hoping to mitigate climate change–which has been proven to have a devastating impact on countless communities.
The peacekeeping operations have proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. In this sense, the UN Security Council (UNSC) holds the primary responsibility for international peace and security and for mandating peacekeeping operations. The General Assembly plays a key role in the financing of peace operations and monitoring the performance of UN Peacekeeping through its Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. As part of UN’s peace and security apparatus, the Secretary-General informs the UNSC of any matter which may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.
Peacekeeping operations are deployed by UNSC mandates, acquire their troops and security forces from Member States’ contributions, are conducted by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), and are supported by the Department of Operational Support (DOS) at UN Headquarters in New York. Currently, 11 peacekeeping operations are led by the DPO in a more challenging political and security environment. In this respect, UN Peacekeeping has constantly adapted to meet the demands of different conflicts and a changing political landscape. At present, the initiative “Action for Peacekeeping” (A4P), launched in 2018, remains the core agenda of UN Peacekeeping that is aimed at enabling the UN to be in tune with the multidimensional challenges facing peacekeeping operations today.
Furthermore, the A4P+ came to focus on key priorities and to address the urgent challenges facing UN peacekeeping to promote long-term stability. In this context, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasizes, “A4P+ aims to enhance the safety, security and well-being of the UN personnel, while increasing the participation and expanding the role of women in UN missions.” On this basis and in accordance with the High Royal Instructions, the Kingdom of Morocco provides unwavering support to various initiatives conducted by the UN Secretary General, in particular the UN “A4P.”
Thus, embracing the ideals of the UN Charter, the Kingdom of Morocco has contributed since 1960 to 14 Peacekeeping Operations mandated by the UN Security Council, and more than 80,000 Moroccans have served as peacekeepers. Morocco has also established 17 military field hospitals in 14 countries, providing over 2,650,000 medical services to locals and refugees. Today Morocco is among the ten largest troop-contributing nations to the UN, by deploying about 1,700 Blue Helmets in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in line with the efforts of the United Nations to restore security and peace in these two brotherly countries.
On this anniversary of Peacekeepers, it is significant to recall the outstanding contribution of Morocco to United Nations peacekeeping operations: in Congo (UNOC), Somalia (UNOSOM-UNITAF-UNOSOM II), Haiti (MINUSTAH), Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC – MONUSCO) and Central African Republic (BINUCA-MINUSCA). In addition, it is important to praise the civilian, police, and military personnel who have served and are serving under UN flag with dedication and valor to ensure the promotion of peace worldwide. Furthermore, this memorable day is an opportunity to mark the sacrifices of over 60 Moroccans who made the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN missions.
Finally, in honoring the remarkable men and women who have served in UN peacekeeping missions and acknowledging the UN commitment to protecting communities from the scourge of war and to building sustainable peace, it is crucial that some endeavors be carried out, as far as effectiveness and peacekeepers’ lives are concerned. Implementing new measures to improve the safety and security of peacekeepers may also prove to be the best investment, as the risks and threats faced by them are multifaceted. These heroes and heroines conduct their day-to-day operations in violent, dangerous operating environments, and must battle sophisticated attacks and the rise of disinformation. Last but not least, dealing with many challenges requires a strong political commitment to peacekeeping operations and continuous support by all stakeholders to UN priorities in order to build peacekeeping operations fit for the future.