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Minden járás garantált éves fejlesztési forráshoz jut a "Versenyképes Járások" programnak köszönhetően. A 65 milliárd forinttal rendelkező program legfőbb célja a területi különbségek csökkentése.

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Through the Action for Peacekeeping and Action for Peacekeeping Plus (A4P/A4P+) frameworks, member states and the UN Secretariat have reiterated their commitment to collective coherence behind a political strategy as a priority within UN peacekeeping. While this is often interpreted as pertaining to national-level political processes, local-level processes are also key to consolidating peace, and there is often a close relationship between local-level and national-level political dynamics.

In this context, IPI and the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN cohosted a policy forum on “The Primacy of Politics at the Local Level: The Work of UN Civil Affairs” on February 25th.

The purpose of this event was to discuss how missions understand and implement the primacy of politics at the local level by looking particularly at the work of UN Civil Affairs within peacekeeping settings. It also served to launch an IPI publication on the same topic, co-authored by Jenna Russo, IPI’s Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, and Allard Duursma, Assistant Professor in Conflict Management and International Relations at ETH Zurich.

Building on the insights of the report, this forum brought together representatives of the UN Secretariat, member states, and civil society organizations to discuss how UN Civil Affairs components navigate local political dynamics and explore ways to strengthen their role in aligning local engagement with mission-wide political strategies.

Welcome and Opening Remarks:
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute
Djeyhoun Ostowar, Counsellor, Deputy Head of Political Affairs Section, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Speakers:
Allard Duursma, Assistant Professor in Conflict Management and International Relations, ETH Zurich (Virtual)
Marco Donati, Team Leader Civil Affairs, Policy and Best Practices service of DPO
Hiroko Hirahara, Director of Civil Affairs Division, United Nations Mission in South Sudan (Virtual)
Eiko Ikegaya, Chief, Mediation Support and Gender, Peace and Security, Policy and Mediation Division, United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Moderator:
Jenna Russo, Director of Research and Head of the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations, International Peace Institute

The post The Local-Level Engagement of UN Civil Affairs appeared first on International Peace Institute.

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The “primacy of politics” has become a central tenet of UN peacekeeping. This reflects a broad recognition that peacekeeping operations should be deployed in support of a political solution to conflict. In practice, however, the primacy of politics is often narrowly understood as referring to formal, national-level political processes. This overlooks the fact that politics also happens at the local level, both formally and informally. It is critical for UN peace operations to address these local-level politics. Local-level conflicts account for a large share of conflict-related deaths in peacekeeping contexts. They are also closely tied to national-level peace efforts. This has led UN peace operations to become increasingly involved in supporting local peace processes.

This report examines how the primacy of politics applies to the local level in UN peacekeeping settings. It highlights the indispensable role of civil affairs components in fostering sustainable peace. When effectively integrated into broader mission strategies, the localized approaches of civil affairs personnel not only address immediate conflict drivers but also contribute to the durability of national-level agreements. These efforts demonstrate that the success of peacekeeping operations hinges on balancing top-down mandates with grassroots engagement, underscoring the interconnectedness of local and national dynamics.

The paper concludes with recommendations to strengthen local political engagement in peace operations:

• Member states should adopt a definition of the primacy of politics that encompasses both formal and informal processes at both the national and subnational levels. The Security Council should also continue incorporating tasks related to local political processes in mission mandates, and the General Assembly should adequately resource these mandates.
• Mission leaders should craft political strategies that are both top-down and bottom-up. This requires consulting regularly with field offices and reflecting local dynamics in national-level political efforts. They should also ensure coordination between mission components, including civil-military coordination.
• Civil affairs personnel should systematically map stakeholders at the national and subnational levels to understand how they fit together. They should also map the political economy of local conflicts and form partnerships to target the drivers of these conflicts.

The post The Primacy of Politics at the Local Level in UN Peace Operations appeared first on International Peace Institute.

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