a guide to peace support operations - The Watson Institute for ...

• develop plans for operations including election monitoring;
• undertake contingency planning for possible new peacekeeping
operations;
• propose resource requirements;
• arrange logistic and administrative support for field operations;
• maintain contacts with the parties to the conflict and Security
Council members concerning the effective implementation
of the Security Council’s decisions; and
• liaise and coordinate operational needs with member states,
United Nations agencies, and NGOs.
(3) The department’s organizational elements are:
• Office of the Under-Secretary-General, including the undersecretary-general,
the military advisor, Policy and Analysis
Unit, and Situation Centre;
• Office of Operations including four geographical divisions
(Africa, Asia and Middle East, Europe, and Latin America)
and an Electoral Assistance Division; and
• Office of Planning and Support including a Planning Division,
(Mission Planning Service, a Civilian Police Unit, a
Demining Unit, and a Training Unit), and a Field Administration
and Logistics Division.
b. The Department of Political Affairs
(1) The DPA provides advice and support on all political matters to the
secretary-general. DPA is based in New York and headed by an undersecretary-general.
(2) The department’s main tasks are to:
Part I, paragraph 14
• monitor and assess political developments throughout the
world;
• identify potential or actual conflicts in whose control and
resolution the United Nations could play a useful role;
• recommend to the secretary-general appropriate action in
such cases and execute the approved policy;
• assist the secretary-general in carrying out political activities
in the areas of preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping,
and peace building, including arms limitation and
disarmament;
23