ConflictBarometer_2016

MEASURES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
ernment unifying the different actors that had been claiming
to represent the Libyan government, failed. It did not succeed
to end the coexistence of different governments within the
country [→ Libya (opposition)].
In Syria, international peace negotiations regarding the termination
of the ongoing civil war were held without yielding
results. In several instances, however, agreements were
reached regarding the evacuation of civilians and fighters
and the allocation of humanitarian assistance. The nationwide
ceasefire based on UNSC Resolution 2254 from December
2015 came into effect on February 27, but crumbled
shortly after until its total collapse in April. After residents
and opposition fighters had agreed to surrender in
Daraya on August 25, most of the fighters were transferred to
opposition-dominated Idlib while civilians were transferred
to government-held areas in Damascus. Also at the end of
August, government officials and opposition forces in the
opposition-held neighborhood al-Waer of Homs city agreed
to end the government's siege and attacks on the area. In
exchange, militants accepted to withdraw. On December 19,
during the siege of Aleppo, Russian, Turkish, and Iranian officials
agreed on the evacuation of about 4,000 people from
Fu'ah and Kefraya, 35,000 people from eastern Aleppo, and
1,500 persons from Zabadani and Madaya.
In 2016, efforts to settle the conflict in Yemen between
al-Houthi-forces and the government continued [→Yemen,
Saudi Arabia (al-Houthi)]. Another round of UN-sponsored
talks between the main conflict parties began in Kuwait on
April 20. However, they were canceled after three months,
when the al-Houthi claimed their political demands were not
met and installed a ten-member governing body in Yemen.
twt, vs
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
23
Peacekeeping missions, observer missions, and peace enforcement
are tools of conflict resolution, established within
the UN system and considered to end conflict as well as to
support democratic transition on a national and subnational
level. Since 1947, a total of 71 operations have been conducted,
with 16 being active in 2016. This year, all missions
accounted for 117,306 deployed uniformed and other personnel.
Throughout the year, 79 personnel died in ongoing
missions (3,520 in total since 1948) due to combat, disease,
or other mission-related causes. The overall budget is estimated
at USD 7.87 billion from July 1 to 06/30/17, and is
renewed and approved annually by the UNSC in mid-June.
All operations are mandated by UNSC resolutions and supervised
by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
(UNDPKO). Apart from UN-led efforts, the UN recognizes regional
measures forconflict resolution, such as by the EU Monitoring
Mission in Georgia in 2008, EULEX in Kosovo/Serbia,
as well as the African Union's AMISOM in Somalia since 2007,
and the UNAMID hybrid mission in Darfur/Sudan [→ Georgia
– Russia; Serbia (Kosovo); Somalia, Kenya (Al-Shabab); Sudan
(Darfur)]. Since the first mission in 1948 (UNTSO Middle
East), the mandate of peacekeeping missions has gradually
advanced to better respond to political changes [→ Israel
(PNA / Palestinian Territories]. Missions provide assistance in
disarmament, demobilization of ex-combatants, mine action,
security sector reform, rule of law-related activities, protection
and promotion of human rights, electoral assistance, and
economic and social development. By doing so, each mission
is based on three principles: the consent of the parties, impartiality,
and the non-use of force except in self-defence and
defence of the mandate. As of 2016, questions about lacking
accountability mechanisms have risen due to reported
allegations of sexual assault of peacekeepers against the local
population. As a reaction to general criticism, the UNSC
convened in April to discuss potential reforms of the current
peacekeeping system.
MIDDLE EAST AND MAGHREB
The United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western
Sahara (MINURSO), an observer mission with an annual
budget of USD 56 million [→ Morocco (POLISARIO / Western
Sahara)] continued in 2016. Since its establishment
on 04/29/91 upon recommendation by the UN Secretary-
General, 15 MINURSO personnel died. The mission is located
in El Aaiun and employs 227 uniformed personnel,
241 civilian personnel, and nine UN volunteers. MINURSO
was mandated to supervise the ceasefire between the Moroccan
government and Frente POLISARIO over contentious
territorial claims, involving resource-rich parts of Western Sahara.
Originally established to ensure the disarmament of
both parties and the peaceful exchange of POWs, the mission
failed to accomplish the registration of voters in the run for
a general referendum deemed at determining the status of
Western Sahara as part of Morocco or an independent state.
In 2016, the UNSC held six meetings and issued two Presidential
statements regarding the political situation in the Sahel
region and the Lake Chad Basin. The statements highlighted
political challenges arising from organized crime, corruption,
poverty, and desertification. The Mission came under criticism
due to concerns about transparency in consultations as
well as language issues. On an organizational level, the Office
of the Special Envoy for the Sahel and the United Nations
Office for West Africa (UNOWA) were unified.
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a peacekeeping
mission located in Naqoura, South Governorate,
Lebanon, employing 11,389 personnel in total continued
in 2016. The current annual budget is USD 488 million. Established
on 03/19/78 to oversee the decampment of Israeli
troops and to restore peace and state authority in Southern
Lebanon, UNIFIL's mandate today is based on Chapter VII of
the UN Charter. Following the Lebanon war in 2006, UNIFIL
was also tasked to monitor the 225 km long coastline to prevent
illicit arms trading [→ Israel – Lebanon; Israel (Hezbollah)].
On January 4, a Hezbollah unit destroyed two armored
Israeli vehicles with a roadside bomb on the Israeli-Lebanese
border near the Sheeba Farms. Following the incident, UNIFIL
reinforced its presence in the area.
United Nations Disengagement Observer Force in Syria
(UNDOF), a peacekeeping mission established on 05/31/74
continued in 2016. The Mission is located at Camp Faouar,
Quneitra governorate, Syria, employing 970 personnel in total.
The current annual budget is USD 48 million. Originally,
UNDOF's mandate was the monitoring of the ceasefire between
Israel and Syria on the Israeli occupied Golan Heights
[→ Syria – Israel]. Due to the conflicts in Syria, the current
area of UNDOF operations became contested. In March 2013
and August 2014, UNDOF peacekeepers had been kidnapped