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GS Paper 2
Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
Context:
External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar has announced the rollout of a technological platform in partnership with the UN — ‘UNITE Aware’ — to help enhance the safety of UN peacekeepers. The platform has been used in four UN missions.
The minister has also outlined a four-point framework for securing the peacekeepers:
- Need for the deployment of proven, cost-effective and field-serviceable technologies that were environmentally friendly in their construction.
- Peacekeepers needed sound information and intelligence.
- Need for precise positioning and overhead visualisation.
- Investment in capacity building and training of peacekeepers with regard to technology.
Outcomes of the meet:
A Memorandum of Understanding has been announced between India and the UN in support of the “Partnership for Technology in Peacekeeping” initiative and the UN C4ISR Academy for Peace Operations (UNCAP).
UNITE AWARE:
UNITE AWARE is a mobile tech platform developed by India to provide terrain-related information to the UN peacekeepers so as to ensure their safety. It is being developed in partnership with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Operational Support. India has spent 1.64 million USD for this project.
How are UN Peacekeeping operations funded?
- While decisions about establishing, maintaining or expanding a peacekeeping operation are taken by the Security Council, the financing of UN Peacekeeping operations is the collective responsibility of all UN Member States.
- Every Member State is legally obligated to pay their respective share towards peacekeeping. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 17 of the Charter of the United Nations.
The top 5 providers of assessed contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping operations for 2020-2021 are:
- United States (27.89%).
- China (15.21%).
- Japan (8.56%).
- Germany (6.09%).
- United Kingdom (5.79%).
What is peacekeeping? It’s significance?
- United Nations Peacekeeping is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support.
- Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
Composition:
- UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
- Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
- Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.
UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles:
- Consent of the parties.
- Impartiality.
- Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.
Insta Curious:
Did you know that In 2007, India became the first country to deploy an all-women contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission? Know about the current 13 peacekeeping operations, Rad here.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- Who funds peacekeeping operations?
- Role of UNSC.
- Composition of Peacekeepers?
- Why peacekeepers are called as Blue Helmets?
- Guiding principles of UN peacekeeping.
- Ongoing peacekeeping missions.
Mains Link:
Write a note on UN Peacekeeping and its significance.
Sources: the Hindu.
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