GCSP Topic | Peace Operations and Peacebuilding

Peace Operations and Peacebuilding

The world today is facing an ever-growing number of unprecedented political, security, economic, environmental and health challenges. Full-scale interstate war has returned to the centre of international relations with the invasion of Ukraine. Globally, violent conflicts are increasingly prolonged and protracted. A range of threats to international peace and security are aggravating the situation, from the impact of the climate crisis and the pandemic to the spread of transnational organised crime and harmful impacts that new technologies can bring. The gap between governing elites and those governed continues to widen. While reinforced action to promote peace and sustainable development is urgently required, the international community is increasingly fragmented, polarised and often in conflict. To meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, the nurturing, inspiring, enabling and empowering of organisations and individuals committed to making a concrete, positive difference for a more peaceful world is as critical as ever.

To this end, the GCSP contributes to strengthening inclusive leadership for peace, peace operations and peacebuilding through 1) capacity-building and executive education; 2) policy applicable research and advice; and 3) dialogues and discussions.

In support of Switzerland’s tenure on the United Nations (UN) Security Council 2023-2024, the GCSP is mandated by the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs (FDFA) to support its work on the Council and other UN-related efforts connected to the New Agenda for Peace. In 2022, the GCSP launched an initiative to strengthen its programme on peace operations and peacebuilding, augmenting its work in all domains.

The GCSP offers a range of core courses and customised alternatives on a broad spectrum of peace operations and peacebuilding themes applicable to different geographical settings and organisational needs and priorities. For example, in the 2022-2024 period, on behalf of the Swiss FDFA, the GCSP is hosting several dedicated leadership-level courses for UN political, peacebuilding and peace operations personnel: the UN Mission Advanced Staff Training; the UN Police Commanders Course; and the UN Senior Mission Leadership Course. On behalf of the Swiss Department for Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS) GCSW will host the 2024 Annual Senior Officers Seminar on the Future of Peace Operations: Reflections, Options and Considerations.

The GCSP’s peace operations and peacebuilding programme has been aligned to support the UN-led development of a New Agenda for Peace. Projects and initiatives in cooperation with the Swiss FDFA and the DDPS, independently or in cooperation with the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, are undertaken to this end. For example, as 2023 marks UN peacekeeping’s 75th anniversary, the GCSP leads a Study of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) with the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI).

Work to strengthen inclusive leadership for peace is also pursued through the International Leadership Association, where the GCSP’s Head of Peace Operations and Peacebuilding serves on the Board of Directors. In 2022, GCSP pioneered a Women Leaders for Peace Fellowship Initiative for eleven outstanding women leaders making a difference in the peace and security domain. In 2023, focus is on exploring how best to leverage inclusive leadership in support of the implementation of the emerging New Agenda for Peace and for future Peace Operations and Missions.

PARTNERSHIPS

The GCSP contributes to peace operations and peacebuilding development primarily in association with the following partners and mechanisms:

Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Swiss Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports and the Swiss Armed Forces
United Nations: UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, UN Department of Peace Operations, UN Standing Police Capacity, UN University Centre for Policy Research in Geneva, UN Institute for Training and Research and UN Office at Geneva
European Union: European Security and Defence College and the EU Civilian and Military Training Working Groups for Leadership and Management of Common Security and Defence Policy Missions and Operations
International Leadership Association (ILA) (Member of the Board of Directors)
Geneva Peacebuilding Platform (GPP) and Geneva Peace Week (Member of the Steering and Management Committees) and the GPP – Beijing Foreign Affairs University Digital Dialogue on Peacebuilding
Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON)
Partner Organisations - standing collaborative projects and/or regular cooperative initiatives: Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Graduate Institute, Interpeace, Small Arms Survey, International Peace Institute, Crisis Management Initiative Martti Ahtisaari Foundation, Institute for Economics and Peace, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Quaker Office United Nations, Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre, International Peace Support Training Centre in Kenya and the United Services Institution of India
International Association of Peace Operations Training Centres (IAPTC) and European Association of Peace Operations Training Centres (EAPTC)
International Forum for the Challenges of Peace Operations (Challenges Forum)

MAIN ONGOING AND UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network Study on United Truce Supervision Organization, in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
International Leadership Association’s Leadership for Peace Community Webinar Conversations
UN Police Commanders Course, co-organised with the UN Department of Peace Operations and the Swiss FDFA, 13-24 November 2023
Geneva Peace Week Meets New York, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the GPP, 28-29 November 2023
Preparing for the Future: Shedding Light on the Spectrum of Peace Operations Round Table, co-organized with EPON and Partners, New York, 11 December, 2023 (tbc)
Leadership in International Security Course / Master in Advanced Studies in International and European Security, GCSP and University of Geneva – Leadership for Peace: Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution 2 Weeks Module, 15-26 January 2024
Enhancing Leadership for Peacebuilding – Senior-Level Peacebuilding Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the UN Institute for Training and Research, 29 April- 3 May 2024
Presentation and Seminar on the Findings of the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network Study on United Truce Supervision Organization, in cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and the Department for Peace Operations, United Naitons, New York, in the week of International Peacekeeping Day 27-31 May 2024
New Issues in International Security – Leadership for Peace: Conflict Prevention, Management, and Resolution Course Week Module, 3-7 June 2024
Making the Difference in Peace, Security and Development – Results-Based Management and Beyond Course, co-organised with DCAF and Small Arms Survey, 24-28 June 2024
25th Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the Swiss Armed Forces, 25 august- 6 September 2024
Swiss Annual Senior Officers Seminar – Peace Operations for the Future: Trends, Options and Considerations, in cooperation with the Swiss Armed Forces, 25-27 September 2024
UN Senior Mission Leadership Course, co-organised with the UN Department of Peace Operations, the Swiss FDFA, and Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 25 November – 5 December 2024

RECENT UNDERTAKINGS

Participation in International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres Annual Conference, hosted by the International Peace Support Training Centre, Nairobi, 5-9 November 2024
Participation in UN Policing Day, co-hosted by the Kenyan National Police and the United Nations Department for Peace Operations Police Division, Nairobi, 4 November, 2023
Geneva Peace Week, Building Trust, Building Peace: An Agenda for the Future, co-organised with the GPP and Swiss FDFA, 30 October-3 November 2023 including:
GCSP organized High-level Panel on Building Trust, Building Peace: Preparing for the Summit – A Conversation about the Future, 1 November, 2023
GCSP Panel Discussion on The New Agenda for Peace: Reflection on the Future of Peace and Security Engagements, 1 November, 2023
International Leadership Association Annual Conference 2023: Cultivating Leadership for a Thriving Future, 3-4 (online) and 12-15 (Vancouver) October 2023, including a GCSP organized session on Preparing for the Summit of the Future: Cultivating Adaptive Leadership for Future Peace Missions and Operations, 14 October 2023
GCSP Regional Security Cooperation Alumni Seminar: The Democratic Republic of the Congo at a Cross Roads: What Path Towards Sustainable Peace?, 28 September 2023
24th Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and the Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 27 August-8 September 2023
Geneva Security Debate, “The New Agenda for Peace: An Opportunity to Reshape Peace Operations”, GCSP, 22 August 2023
Participation in the Swiss-Korean Commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, Swiss Parliament, Bern, 5 July 2023
Global Peace Index 2023 Geneva Launch, co-organised with the Institute of Economics and Peace, GCSP, 30 June 2023
Making the Difference in Peace, Security and Development – Results-Based Management and Beyond, course co-organised with DCAF and Small Arms Survey, GCSP, 26-30 June 2023
Presentation on Swiss Contribution to UN Peacekeeping, “UN Peacekeeping @ 75 Workshop” co-hosted by the ETH CSS and International Peacekeeping Journal, Zurich, 12-13 June. Contributed to publication from workshop.
New Issues in International Security - Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution and Sustainable Peace Course Week Module, GCSP, 6-9 June 2023
Study Visit Middle East with EPON Project on UNTSO, including meetings with national stakeholders and UNIFIL, UNDOF, UNSCO, UNSCOL, MFO, etc., 22 May-5 June 2023
Round Table Discussion, UNTSO Headquarters, Jerusalem, in cooperation with UNTSO, 28 May 2023
Round Table Discussion on The New Agenda for Peace and The Future of Peace Operations – Lessons Learnt from UNTSO? in cooperation with the Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding and EPON, 1 June 2023
Participation in the 75th Anniversary of UN Peacekeeping Commemorations at UN Headquarters, Jerusalem, and the equivalent at UNIFIL Headquarters, Naqoura, 29 May 2023
Participated in Adaptive Leadership Workshop, GCSP, 16 June 2023
International Leadership Association Leadership for Peace Presentation on Adaptive Leadership for Peace Operations and Missions, Online 11 May 2023
GCSP Public Discussion “Preparing for the Summit of the Future: What Future for Multilateralism?” and Launch of Policy Brief “The Future of Multilateralism” by Richard Gowan, UN Director, International Crisis Group, GCSP, 28 April 2023
GCSP Strengthening UN Peace Operations and Peacekeeping Project visit to New York, 17-21 April 2023
Results-Based Management Course UN Standing Police Capacity, co-organised with DCAF and Small Arms Survey, Brindisi, 27-31 March 2023
Geneva Consultations on the New Agenda for Peace, co-organised with GPP and Swiss FDFA, Geneva, 16-17 March 2023
23rd Swiss Peacebuilding Training Course, co-organised with the Swiss FDFA and Swiss Armed Forces, Stans, Switzerland, 26 February-10 March 2023
Briefing by the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism in cooperation with the UN University Centre for Policy Research and the GPP, Geneva, 1 March 2023
Briefing on the New Agenda for Peace by the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, co-organised with the GPP, GCSP, 18 January 2023
Leadership in International Security Course / Master’s in Advanced Studies in International and European Security, GCSP and University of Geneva – Prevention, Conflict Management and Sustainable Peace 2 Weeks Module, GCSP, 16-27 January 2023
International Leadership Association (ILA). In 2022, GCSP pioneered the ILA Women Leaders for Peace Fellowship Initiative. 11 outstanding women leaders contributed with 22 thought pieces and lectures delivered on:
- Global Leadership for Peace Operations and Peacebuilding 2030: How Emerging Security Risks Will Challenge Leaders
- Leadership for Peace: Finding the Third Way in a Two-Dimensional World
- Clarity Through Crisis: Developing Leaders for Peace in a VUCA World
- Leading in Complexity at the Climate-Environment-Peace Nexus
- Leadership for Peace and Emerging Technologies
- What Lessons for Leading Peace and Mediation Processes from the Experience of a Young Woman Leader Promoting Peace and Security in and for Liberia?
- Leading with a Human Rights Lens to Peacebuilding: Exploring the Intersection of Conflict Resolution and Human Rights with Neuroscience and Behavioural Insights
- Strengthening Women Leadership for Peace: What Principles of Leadership are Critical and Why?
Enhancing Leadership for Peacebuilding – Senior-Level Peacebuilding Course, co-organised with the UN Institute for Training and Research and the Swiss FDFA, Online, 14-18 November 2022
Geneva Security Debate, “A Crisis in Peacekeeping? What Room for Peace Operations in the New Agenda for Peace”, GCSP, 11 November 2022
Geneva Peace Week, “Peace is Possible”, 31 October-4 November 2022: High-Level Panel organised by the GCSP on “Making Peace Possible: What’s New on the New Agenda for Peace?”
Geneva Peace Week Round Table “Health Emergencies and the Humanitarian Sector: Lessons for Sustaining Peace in a Pandemic”, co-organised with the International Peace Institute and GPP, GCSP, 1 November 2022
Launch of the SIPRI “Environment of Peace” Report in cooperation with SIPRI and GPP, GCSP, 28 October 2022
Breakfast Briefing on Our Common Agenda and Soft Launch of the UN University Centre for Police Research in Geneva, co-organised with the GPP, GCSP, 21 October 2022
UN Mission Advanced Staff Training Course, co-organised with the UN Departments of Peace Operation, Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and the Swiss FDFA, Geneva, 10-18 October 2022