UN peacekeeping operations

The courageous story of fallen peacekeepers like Captain Mbaye Diagne should serve as a reminder that the UN’s duty to protect “should prevail over all other considerations”, his foundation has said.

Captain Diagne, from Senegal, was killed during the Rwanda genocide in 1994 while working as a military observer for the UN.

He is credited with saving 1,000 lives, a remarkable feat that has been recognized by the UN Security Council, which created a medal in his honour for exceptional bravery.

A “vanguard brigade” of UN Peacekeepers which can be deployed within 60 days to new trouble-spots, would have been “impossible” to envisage just two years ago.

But not any longer, according to Hervé Ladsous, the out-going Peacekeeping chief, who said in his final interview with UN News that the department (DPKO) had become more efficient in recent years, without “lowering the quality” of often life-saving services it provides around the world.

“Huge positive developments in Somalia” as elections continue

In the past decade, armed groups have been responsible for 60,000 deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa alone, according to the head of UN peacekeeping operations.

Herve Ladsous made the remarks at an event to mark the tenth anniversary of community violence reduction (CVR) programmes in peacekeeping.

These community-driven programmes aim to combat insecurity and include mediation and development of alternative livelihoods for youth involved in armed violence.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations.

Police officers working for the United Nations in trouble spots around the world can play an important role in helping local populations to “recover hope for the future.”

That’s according to the head of UN peacekeeping operations, Hervé Ladsous.

He was speaking as 110 national police chiefs met for first time at the UN to discuss how to address policing challenges of the twenty-first century.

There are some 14,000 UN police deployed globally today; that’s up from 2,500, 15 years ago.

Protecting citizens expected to be major challenge for UN in 2016

“We are moving” to enact necessary reforms to UN peacekeeping in 2016, says the top official in charge of operations.

Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), said that 2015 had been a very important year for his team, with the publication of a major review on its work, in June.

That High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations recommended a shift towards political solutions, and more flexible operations in the field.

Matthew Wells asked Mr Ladsous to highlight the reform process, moving forward.

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The United Nations is walking “side-by-side” with the people of South Sudan as they pursue a path towards peace, prosperity and development, says the head of the Department that supports UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.

Atul Khare was recently in South Sudan where the UN has been protecting thousands of civilians displaced by two years of bloody fighting between government troops and opposition forces.

Despite an agreement signed by both sides in August, the UN says the country remains at a “critical stage” as it works to ensure its implementation.

A deadly hostage situation at a hotel in Mali which has reportedly led to the deaths of more than 25 people, is over, the UN has confirmed.

Armed terrorists had entered the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako, early on Friday morning, taking more than 150 hostages.

The hotel is popular with foreign business people, and airline crews.

The UN mission in Mali, MINUSMA, supported the rescue operation providing security personnel and deploying medical resources.

The joy the people of South Sudan felt at independence four years ago has turned to “complete tragedy”; that’s the view of the chief of UN peacekeeping operations, Hervé Ladsous.

The newly independent African country has suffered internal conflict and violence since the deposed former Vice President turned on the government in December 2013.

The UN mission in the country (UNMISS) has provided safe havens for tens of thousands of South Sudanese who have been forced to flee their homes.