ConflictBarometer_2016

MEASURES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
EUROPE
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) commits itself to political and military cooperation
between its 57 members. During the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly in June, member states adopted the Tbilisi Declaration
regarding the improvement of security in Europe.
This included anti-terrorist measures, non-proliferation of
nuclear weapons, multilateral disarmament as well as the
promotion of human rights and the rule of law. The OSCE
currently administers 16 operations, primarily in Eastern Europe
and Central Asia, in order to foster the development
of democratic institutions and the rule of law. The largest
mission was carried out in Kosovo, where the OSCE accompanied
and supervised judicial institution building and national
reconciliation processes [→ Serbia (Kosovo)]. Furthermore,
the organization continued its Special Monitoring Mission in
Ukraine's Donbas region [→ Ukraine (Donbas)]. In 2016, the
EU conducted six military and nine civilian missions under
its Common Defense and Security Policy (CSDP). In collaboration
with NATO, the EU conducted military operations in
Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it deployed 7,000 troops for
the purpose of capacity building and training. The EU carried
out most of its civil and military activities in Africa, including
missions in the CAR, Mali, and Somalia. Comprising 650 personnel,
EUCAP Sahel Mali and EUTM Mali provided support to
the government's security sector reform and its fight against
Islamist militants and criminals. Civilian EU missions were
present in Libya, Mali, Niger, and Somalia. EUPOL COPPS, the
114-strong EU Police Mission for the Palestinian Territories
based in Ramallah, West Bank, continued its support to the
Palestinian state building process. In July, the Council of the
EU decided to extend the mission's mandate until June 2017.
THE AMERICAS
Although the Organization of American States (OAS) is considered
the oldest international organization of regional cooperation,
it lacks power to bind and sanction members not
under the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights (IACtHR). Concerning the conflict about public security
in Mexico, which was triggered, among others, by the abduction
of 43 people on 09/26/14 in Iguala, Guerrero state, the
Interdisciplinary Independent Group of Experts, designated
by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR),
announced on March 30 that the government had not renewed
its investigation mandate expiring at the end of April
[→ Mexico (public security)]. Subsequently, demonstrators
set up a camp outside the Ministry of the Interior in the capital
Mexico City, Federal District, on April 15, demanding a
prolongation. They voiced concern over the possible closure
of all investigations, including those of the national general
attorneyship. On July 8, however, the Subsecretary of Human
Rights of the Interior Ministry, Roberto Campa Cifrián,
announced that investigations and searches would resume in
August.
ASIA AND OCEANIA
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established
in 1967 in order to promote economic and political
cooperation in the region while guaranteeing full national
sovereignty of its members. In May, members of ASEAN and
Russia signed the Sochi Declaration expressing the will to
extend cooperation in security-related matters. Following
the July 12 ICJ ruling rejecting Chinese claims on the South
China Sea, ASEAN failed to agree on a joint statement due to
a blockade by Cambodia. This marked the first deadlock of
the organization since 2012 [→ China – Vietnam et al. (South
China Sea)].
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
The Commission of Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS), as provided in Article 54 of the Conflict Prevention
Framework (ECPF) commenced to evaluate the level
of contribution of successful elections to democratic growth.
Following the Presidential elections in the Gambia, outgoing
President Yahya Jammeh refused to accept the vote and demanded
re-elections. The UNSC and ECOWAS condemned
his reaction, with the latter stating that standby forces could
intervene if Jammeh would not resign at the end of his term.
Subsequently, Jammeh denounced ECOWAS' statement as a
''declaration of war.” In 2016, ECOWAS deployed observer
mission to Ghana, Liberia, Benin, Niger, and Cape Verde to assist
in the run-up of national elections. Moreover, the UNSC
debated the deteriorating situation in Burundi. Adopting Resolution
2279, it called upon all conflict parties to cooperate
with the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, whom the East
African Community appointed as mediator and facilitator for
an inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue.
The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU)
held a meeting on January 21 in which it considered the outcome
of the conduct of the African Standby Force AMANI
AFRICA-II Field Training Exercise, within the framework of the
operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF) and the
Report on the Implementation of the AU Mechanism for Police
Cooperation (AFRIPOL). The Council also published a series
of communiques, press statements, and situation reports
on Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Kenya, the Central African Republic,
South Sudan, Sudan, Western Sahara, Gabon, and Somalia.
Topics discussed related to migration, small arms control, climate
change, natural resources and conflict, and conflicts
resulting from the activities of Boko Haram. Since 2015, the
Multinational Joint Task Force with troops from Niger, Nigeria,
Benin, Chad, and Cameroon is tasked to confine Boko Haram
by using military force.
SANCTIONS
Article 41 of the UN Charter enables the UNSC to ''establish
measures to maintain and restore peace and security.'' The
UNSC may issue sanctions against states, groups, or individuals
in violation of UN resolutions or human rights. Sanctions
may include arms or trade embargos, freezing of assets, cutting
of communication and traffic lines as well as suspending
diplomatic relations and imposing travel bans. UNSC
sanctions in 2016 affected Afghanistan, DR Congo, DPRK, Eritrea,
Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan,
Sudan, Syria, and Zimbabwe. Following DPRK's nuclear test
on September 9, the UNSC adopted Resolution 2321 which
strengthened the sanctions against DPRK [→ North Korea –
South Korea; North Korea – USA, South Korea, Japan]. The
newly imposed sanctions included the export ban of copper,
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