here - Center on International Cooperation - New York University

30 | Thematic Essaysa political actor, the UN’s membership of theQuartet alongside the European Union, Russiaand the United States, and the fact that the latterwill be the preeminent external actor in anyeffort to resolve the region’s inter-twined conflicts.The plethora of envoys, missions and offices createproblems of coordination within the UN. Thesehave not been helped by the overlapping aspects ofsome of the UN’s mandates in the Middle East, or,at times, the contrasting personalities of those wholead their implementation.Nonetheless, the UN fulfills a multitude ofessential political tasks that contain the effects ofconflict and may yet help ease the parties towardsresolution. 6 These include functioning as a valuedchannel of communication – even an occasionalmediator – between Israel, Syria and Lebanon;amongst Lebanese political actors; between Israeland Hezbollah and, quietly, between Hamas, Israeland other international actors.The UN’s good offices have been engaged inthe provision of technical advice to prevent crisesand keep political processes on track in Lebanon aswell as the occupied Palestinian territory. The organizationhas an unusual degree of access to regionalactors that others will not deal with directly – butcannot be ignored. In spite of limitations on theUN’s interactions with Hamas, especially on contactswith senior envoys, it has been able to maintainsubstantive dialogue at the working level. Such contactshave allowed the UN to mediate agreementsbetween Israel and Hamas that ensured that essentialgoods could be transported into Gaza and topass messages to other Quartet members.In the meantime, the UN has the advantage ofbeing able to act with relative impartiality amongstthe various Lebanese communities. It has longstandingrelations with Hezbollah as a consequenceof its peacekeeping responsibilities in the south ofthe country and high-level contacts on issues such asprisoner exchange. UNSCOL has passed messagesbetween Hezbollah and other political actors, anddraws on its access to Hezbollah to lower tensionscaused by security incidents with Israel.The political space for the engagement ofUN political missions in the Middle East isdetermined by factors and actors that lie far outsidethe office of the Secretary-General. The emergingpolitical role of the UN Assistance Mission inIraq (UNAMI), however, illustrates that changesin the overall political environment may allow forunexpected opportunities.In UNAMI’s case, these opportunities werefacilitated by a shift in approach by the UnitedStates and the adroit response to it by the mission’sleadership. In 2007 the US began to see the benefitsof the UN’s undertaking political tasks for which itsown overwhelming military presence in the countryrendered it unsuitable. A new SRSG (Staffande Mistura) arrived in Iraq soon after UNAMI hadbeen given an expanded mandate from the SecurityCouncil with instructions from the Secretary-General to do more to assist the Iraqis.UNAMI was tasked by the Security Council(SCR 1770) to “advise, support and assist” thegovernment and people of Iraq in advancing an“inclusive national dialogue and political reconciliation.”Balancing a desire to do more with respectfor sensitivities regarding Iraqi sovereignty led themission to assume a “cautiously proactive” attitude.It concentrated its efforts on a few initiatives ratherthan spreading itself thinly across an impossiblybroad mandate. By working in partnership with theUnited States and gradually winning the confidenceof the Iraqi authorities, it was able to provide extensivetechnical advice on Iraq’s electoral processesand to develop a major role in helping address thepotentially explosive problem of Kirkuk and otherdisputed areas.Political and Peacebuilding Missions in AfricaPartnerships of very different kinds shape allpolitical missions in Africa. The UN’s field operations,as its envoys deployed from New York, workclosely with the African Union and sub-regionalorganizations. Joint envoys have been appointed –and in the UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) ajoint AU-UN mission deployed. In Kenya a hybridmediation effort, led by Kofi Annan and the AU’sPanel of Eminent African Personalities but supportedby the UN and other actors, has given wayto a special political mission – the Coordinationand Liaison Office of the Panel of Eminent AfricanPersonalities – that continues to operate with UNassistance. In West Africa, UNOWA is specificallytasked to work with the sub-regional organizationECOWAS, which has taken the leadingrole in countering the region’s instability andconflict-prone tendencies.