ConflictBarometer_2015

MEASURES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
ritories, constituted an 800 personnel CSDP mission based
in the West Bank in support of Palestinian state building
process. In July, the Council of the EU decided to extend the
mission's mandate in Palestine until 06/30/16 [→ Israel (PNA
/ Palestinian Territories)]. The EU was also active in Libya to
support border enforcement. Due to the political situation,
however, the staff of EUBM operated from Tunisia, from
where 14 officers coordinated activities with the internationally
recognized Libyan government [→ Libya (opposition)].
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
The UN peacekeeping missions in Sub-Saharan Africa were
located in Côte d'Ivoire, Central African Republic, DR Congo,
Liberia, Mali, Sudan and South Sudan. In Côte d'Ivoire, the
UNOCI mission was established in 2004 with the aim to
stop violence carried by armed groups and facilitate their
disarmament and demobilization. Lastly, UNOCI's mandate
entailed activities aimed at strengthening border security [→
Côte d'Ivoire (opposition)]. Since 2014, the 10,806-strong
MINUSCA mission operated in the Central African Republic
with the mandate to protect civilians, support the political
transition process, and deliver humanitarian assistance.
Throughout the year, MINUSCA soldiers repeatedly engaged
in fatal encounters with Anti-Balaka and ex-Séléka militants
[→ Central African Republic (Anti-Balaka - ex-Séleka)].
Constituting the world's largest DPKO mission with 19,784
personnel, MONUSCO continued to operate in the DR Congo.
A so-called Force Intervention Brigade equipped with an offensive
mandate by the UNSC formed the core of the mission.
In July, the deployment of several thousand troops by FARDC
and MONUSCO significantly reduced violence between Bantu
and Batwa communities in Eastern Katanga province [→ DR
Congo (Bantu - Batwa / Katanga)]. MONUSCO bolstered
the army's offensives against several armed groups in the
East [→ Burundi, DR Congo (FNL); DR Congo (Ituri militias);
DR Congo, Uganda (ADF)]. Notably using attack helicopters
against FRPI in Orientale province. The UNMIL peacekeeping
mission in Liberia was established in 2003 to oversee the
ceasefire after the civil war as well as to assist a national
security reform. The MINUSMA mission operated in Mali since
2013 to support and monitor the ceasefire between Tuareg
armed groups and the government [→ Mali (HCUA, MNLA
et al. / Azawad)]. Throughout the year, the mission carried
out airstrikes against MNLA in Gao region. Islamist militants
attacked MINUSMA on a frequent basis in the regions of Gao,
Timbuktu, Bamako, and Kidal [→ Mali (Islamist groups)]. T
he UNMISS peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, was established
in 2011. While its original mandate was to support
peace consolidation as well as long-term state building and
economic development, due to the deteriorating political
and security situation in 2013, the mission shifted its focus
to the protection of civilians [→ South Sudan (SPLM/A-in-
Opposition)]. In August, UNMISS gave shelter for civilians
after clashes between tribes had erupted in Yambio, Western
Equatoria [→ South Sudan (intercommunal violence)]. The
disputed region of Abyei between South Sudan and Sudan remained
under interim administration by the UNISFA mission
established in 2011 [→ Sudan - South Sudan]. The UN-AU
hybrid mission in Darfur, Sudan, UNAMID was established
in 2007. Its core mandate continued to be the protection
of civilians, but, additionally, UNAMID aimed at securing
humanitarian assistance and promoting human rights and
the rule of law. Moreover, it also monitored the situation
along the borders with Chad and the Central African Republic.
The mission's mobility was often restricted by government
forces and UNAMID peacekeepers were repeatedly attacked
by unknown assailants [→ Sudan (Darfur)].
In addition to the joint mission in Darfur, the AU established
two own missions which were approved by the UNSC. The
African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was established
in 2007 and was mandated to ''take all necessary measures,
as appropriate, [...], to reduce the threat posed by al-Shabaab
and other armed groups, as well as to assist the Federal
Government of Somalia (FGS) to expand the control of its
national territory [→ Somalia, Kenya (al-Shabaab)]. Furthermore,
AMISOM supported the FGS in state building and the
coordination of humanitarian aid. In Central Africa, the AU-led
and US-supported Regional Task Force for the Elimination of
the LRA (RCI-LRA) continued its fight against the armed group
in its third year [→ Central African Republic, DR Congo, South
Sudan, Uganda (LRA)].
The EU conducted most of its civil and military activities
in Africa, including missions in the Central African Republic
and Mali and two missions in Somalia. On January 19, the
organization issued the mandate for a subsequent mission in
the Central African Republic, following the deployment of a
military advisor to support the Central African authorities in
preparing a reform of the security sector with respect to the
armed forces of the Central African Republic (FACA). The 600
officers of EUCAP Sahel Mali and EUTM Mali provided support
to the country's security sector reform and supported the
government in its fight against terrorism and other criminal
activities. On January 15, the EU started planning a new
mission in the country after being invited by the government
in order to support its efforts in regaining control of the
northern territory. Civilian EU missions were present in Libya,
Mali, Niger, and DR Congo and a joint mission additionally
supervised operations in Djibouti, Somalia, Seychelles, and
Tanzania.
SANCTIONS
Sanctions were a tool used by countries or international
organizations to bring about a change in policy of a particular
government or group of governments by restricting trade,
investment or other commercial activity, and visa rights.
The UNSC may issue sanctions against states, groups, or people
who violate UN resolutions or human rights issues. The
sanction can be arms or trade embargos, freezing of assets,
cutting of communication and traffic lines as well as breaking
off the diplomatic relations. States that were sanctioned
by at least one kind of sanction in 2015 were Afghanistan,
DR Congo, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Kenya,
Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, DPRK, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe. Also
groups such as al-Qaeda or the so-called Islamic State were
the object of UN sanctions. For instance, in 2015, the UNSC
announced the freezing of bank accounts of 20 members of
the militant outfit Mujahideen Indonesia Timur [→ Indonesia
(Islamist militants].
Based on Article 215 TFEU, the EU can adopt restrictive
military and economic measures in order to bring about a
change in policy or activity by the target country, part of a
country, government, entities, or individuals. As of March
2014, the EU has progressively imposed restrictive measures
in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia.
On September 14, the Council extended these measures
until 03/15/16. The Council imposed substantial restrictions
on economic relations with Crimea and Sevastopol. These
measures included an import ban on goods from Crimea and
Sevastopol, imposed in June 2014, as well as restrictions
introduced in July 2015 on trade and investment related to
certain economic sectors and infrastructure projects. In ad-
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