The Mission Monitor provides factual information on current UN and other missions, including summaries of key changes and developments.
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On 31 December 2007, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Darfur (AMIS), operating since 2004, was officially handed over to the UN under the UN-AU Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID). While the transfer means that the AU now manages only one mission, AMIS troops remain on the ground. Most of them were re-hatted from the AU mission and now form the bulk of the current strength of the hybrid force. The AU mission to Somalia (AMISOM), for its part, continues to face a shortage of troops. While a number of UN Member states support the possibility of deploying a UN peacekeeping mission to Somalia, this idea is unlikely to be feasible in the short-term, given the nature of the UN’s other commitments.
- AMIS (DARFUR)
An AMIS peacekeeping camp was attacked by rebels on 28 Sept. 2007, leaving 10 soldiers dead and 8 wounded. This is the worst attack the African Union has seen since first deployed in 2004. To date, the AU has suffered 32 casualties in Darfur. AMIS ended its mandate on 31 December 2007, upon transferring its responsibilities to UNAMID. - AMISOM (SOMALIA)
Ugandan troops are increasingly becoming the target of what are believed to be Al Qaeda affiliated insurgents.
Top UN officials have called the situation in Somalia ‘the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa.’ Members of the Security Council are urging the UN to continue planning for a possible deployment of a UN peacekeeping operation to Somalia.
The EU currently manages 10 military and civilian crisis management missions including two military and three police missions. The planned EU military force to Chad and the Central African Republic will be the EU’s fifth military crisis management mission since its first military operation in 2003. It is set to operate alongside the UN mission in the region, MINURCA.
- EUFOR Althea (BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA)
Major-General Ignacio Martin Villalain of Spain was appointed Commander of EUFOR Althea on 4 December 2007. The EU operation will remain in the region as long as necessary. - EUFOR TCHAD/RCA
The planned deployment of an EU military force to Chad and the Central African Republic, originally scheduled for the end of 2007, is falling behind schedule and could be postponed until May 2008 due to complications, including a lack of helicopters. Some analysts have also manifested concerns regarding the force’s operational capacity on the ground arguing that the force’s multi-dimensional nature and Chapter VII mandate may prove to be too much. Lieutenant General Patrick Nash will be the Operation Commander of the new force, which will be comprised of 4,300 troops from 20 nations; France is expected to provide half of the personnel.
NATO forces are currently involved in two major operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan with a total of approximately 56,000 personnel. In both missions, NATO works alongside a UN political mission and the EU. However, both environments present NATO forces with very different challenges, requiring NATO to adapt to each context and to collaborate closely with all partners.
- KFOR (KOSOVO)
NATO has agreed to maintain the strength of its Kosovo force (KFOR) to prevent the possible escalation of violence and protect civilians in the advent that Kosovo declares independence from Serbia. Such declaration, which many analysts expect will happen in early 2008, could spark the outbreak of violence in what is already a volatile region. - ISAF (AFGHANISTAN)
On 19 September 2007, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1776 extending the NATO-led ISAF until 13 October 2008. NATO members are under fierce pressure to increase their troop commitments in Afghanistan. This pressure comes at a time when many countries are reconsidering their commitments. The U.S. has also manifested increasing frustration toward many European countries unwilling to commit troops and share the burden of the fight against the Taliban. Meanwhile, NATO is in the process of developing a new strategic concept that will provide the basis for how to conduct operations over the next three to five years and for reorganizing the mission in a way that it can defeat the Taliban. In recent months, NATO has been increasingly criticized for failing to ensure the highest protection of civilians when conducting military operations against the Taliban.
The UN currently manages 20 missions worldwide with a total of 102,620 personnel deployed. In September 2007, the UN Security Council approved two new missions, UNAMID and MINURCAT, with a combined authorized strength of up to 27,000 military and police personnel. UNAMID is unprecedented in nature as command is shared between the AU and UN with the UN overseeing overall command while the AU oversees day-to-day operational activities.
- BINUB (BURUNDI)
On 19 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1791 extending the mandate of BINUB until 31 December 2008. - MINURCAT (CHAD/CAR)
The new UN mission to Chad and the Central African Republic, named MINURCAT, was approved by Security Council Resolution 1778 on 25 September 2007 for a period of 12 months. - MINUSTAH (HAITI)
On 15 October 2007, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1780 extending the UN mission in Haiti until 15 October 2008. In November 2007, the UN repatriated 108 Sri Lankan soldiers serving as part of MINUSTAH following accusations of sexual misconduct. Meanwhile, the Government of Honduras has agreed to send at least 200 soldiers to the UN mission in Haiti and China is expected to deploy a 125-member riot police squad in December 2007 (the sixth police squad to be sent by China since 2004). - MONUC (DRC)
On 21 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1794 extending MONUC until 31 December 2008. UN personnel have become the target of renewed violence between pro-government militia and rebel forces in eastern DRC. Recent clashes have forced thousands of civilians to flee. - UNAMID (DARFUR)
As called for by UNSCR 1769, on 31 December 2007, UNAMID took over peacekeeping responsibilities in Darfur. While the much anticipated transfer is the culmination of months of negotiations and planning, it will take some time before the force’s impact on the security in Darfur can be felt. In addition, the deployment of the force continues to be hampered by a number of challenges, including a lack of helicopters and the Sudanese government’s refusal to allow non-African peacekeepers to set foot in Darfur. The situation on the ground has also become much more complex over the past year, as rebel groups have splintered and as the number of deadly attacks on AU camps caused many AU troops to cut back on their basic peacekeeping responsibilities. In addition, attacks on international aid workers increased by 150 per cent in 2007, causing some organisations to scale back the provision of humanitarian relief, while some pulled out altogether. - UNDOF (GOLAN HEIGHTS)
On 14 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1788 extending the mandate of UNDOF until 31 June 2008. - UNFICYP (CYPRUS)
On 14 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1789 extending the mandate of UNFICYP until 15 June 2008. - UNIFIL (LEBANON)
On 24 August 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1773 extending the mandate of UNIFIL until 31 August 2008.
Indonesia plans to contribute 850 peacekeepers to the UN mission. - UNIOSIL (SIERRA LEONE)
On 21 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1793 extending the mandate of UNIOSIL until 30 September 2008, following which UNIOSIL’s mandate will be completed. To facilitate the drawdown of the mission, the resolution calls on the UN Secretary-General to submit a completion strategy by 31 January 2008. - UNMIL (LIBERIA)
On 20 September 2007, the UN mission was extended for another 12 months until 30 September 2008. - UNMIS (SUDAN)
On 31 October 2007, the UN mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) was extended for another six months until 30 April 2008. - UNMIT (TIMOR-LESTE)
The UN mission is expected to continue past its 26 February 2008 deadline, following recommendations made by the December 2007 Report of the Security Council mission to Timor-Leste. - UNOMIG (GEORGIA)
On 15 October 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1781 extending the mandate of UNOMIG until 15 April 2008.
Other
- MNF (IRAQ)
On 18 December 2007, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1790 extending the mandate of the multinational force in Iraq until 31 December 2008.
Given the PPC’s interagency and integrated focus, the Mission Monitor concentrates on multilateral United Nations Security Council-authorized missions under Chapter VI, VII, or VIII of the UN Charter. The term ‘missions,’ as it is used here, refers to peacekeeping, peace enforcement, and reconstruction and stability operations. While we do not include political missions in this understanding, a list of UN Political and Peacebuilding missions is provided for each continent.