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United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library - Research
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PEACEKEEPING
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 Security
Council Documentation |
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The Security Council discusses the political aspects of peacekeeping
operations. The actions of the Council, as well as all related
documentation, can be traced through the Index to Proceedings
of the Security Council, published on an annual basis. Researchers
may also consult UNBISnet (the online catalog of the UN Library in New York) as well as the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
Resolutions
Through resolutions, the Security Council establishes
peacekeeping operations, determines their mandates (including all
required revisions and extensions thereto) and authorizes the deployment
of troops, as well as any increase or reduction in troop strength
as the situation demands.
- Security Council resolutions are first published
as individual documents under the series symbol S/RES/[sequential
number] (year) (e. g., S/RES/1778
(2007) which established MINURCAT, the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad). Further information about
Security Council resolutions
and the topics they cover is
available in this Research Guide.
- Complete listings of resolutions relating to
recent peacekeeping operations can be retrieved from the UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., resolutions concerning
MONUA, the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola).
- The full
text of Security Council resolutions (1946 onwards) can
be accessed from the UN website, UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
Presidential Statements
Compared to resolutions, presidential statements
constitute a less formal expression of the will of the Security
Council. In these statements the President may, on behalf of the
Council, call upon the parties involved in a conflict to work towards
a peaceful settlement of the dispute, express the concern of the
Council for the deterioration of the security situation within a
region, reaffirm the importance of negotiated agreements and stress
the obligation of the parties to ensure their implementation.
- Presidential statements are now published under
the series symbol S/PRST/[year]/[sequential number] (e. g.,
S/PRST/2008/29
which deals with UNMIT, the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste). Further information about presidential statements
and the topics they cover is
available in this Research Guide.
- Complete listings of presidential statements
relating to recent peacekeeping operations can be retrieved
from the UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., presidential statements
concerning UNMEE, the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and
Eritrea).
- The full
text of presidential statements (1994 onwards) can be accessed
from the UN website. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the
same material and additionally to a substantial number of pre-1994 presidential statements.
Meeting Records
Resolutions and presidential statements are adopted/presented
at formal meetings of the Security Council. Speeches made before
the Council at these meetings are indexed on an annual basis in
the Index to Proceedings
of the Security Council and can be researched by subject, speaker
and country/organization. UNBISnet
provides electronic access to citations
for speeches made in the Security Council since the 38th year (1983). Preparatory work for formal meetings is conducted in closed informal
consultations for which no public records are issued.
- Verbatim records are published under the series
symbol S/PV.[meeting number] (e. g., S/PV.5892
which deals with UNAMID, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur). Further information about meeting
records and the topics they cover is
available in this Research Guide.
- Complete listings of meeting records relating
to recent peacekeeping operations can be retrieved from the
UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., meetings concerning
MONUC, the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo).
- The full
text of meeting records (1994 onwards) can be accessed through
this Research Guide. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the same material and additionally to a substantial number of pre-1994 meeting records.
Reports of the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General submits reports to the Security
Council on peacekeeping issues as called for by resolutions. The
reports typically provide a factual account of the activities
of a mission within a given time period and additionally present
the Secretary-General's observations and recommendations for further
action which then form the basis for the Council's deliberations.
- Reports of the Secretary-General to the Security
Council are issued under the general series symbol of the Council
which now follows the pattern S/[year]/[sequential number] (e.
g., S/2008/251
which deals with MINURSO, the United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara).
- Complete listings of the reports relating
to recent peacekeeping operations can be retrieved from the
UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., reports concerning
UNMIK, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo).
- The full
text of Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council
(1994 onwards) can be accessed from the UN website. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the same material and additionally to a substantial number of pre-1994 reports.
Exchange of Letters between
the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council
The issues dealt with by an exchange of letters between
the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council
typically include the appointment of a Special Representative/Chief
of Mission or Force Commander/Chief Military Observer as well as
the composition of a peacekeeping operation. The issuance of the
Secretary-General's letter containing the proposal is held back
until the Security Council has reviewed the matter. Both letters
(proposal and response) are then published at the same time with
document symbols in sequential order. The appointment of an individual
will, in most cases, be accompanied by a press release which provides
biographical information about the appointee. These press releases
are issued under the series symbol SG/A/- (Secretary-General's
appointments) or BIO/- (Biographical materials) or appear
in both series at the same time with a double symbol. They can be
retrieved through the search option at the Press Release website.
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General Assembly Documentation |
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The General Assembly discusses basic issues relating
to peacekeeping and its financing and authorizes the budget of individual
operations. The actions of the Assembly, as well as all related
documentation, can be traced through the Index to Proceedings
of the General Assembly, published on a sessional basis. Researchers may also consult UNBISnet (the online catalogue of the UN Library in New York) as well as the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
General Peacekeeping Issues
Since 1965, general topics relating to peacekeeping
have been considered by the General Assembly under the agenda item
"Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations
in all their aspects". At each session since 1993, this item has
been allocated to the Fourth Committee, one of the six Main
Committees of the General Assembly (prior to 1993 it was discussed
by the Special Political Committee). The major document submitted
under this item is the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping
Operations.
Special Committee
on Peacekeeping Operations
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations
was established by General Assembly resolution 2006
(XIX) of 18 February 1965 with the mandate to conduct a comprehensive
review of all issues relating to peacekeeping.
Fourth Committee
The Fourth Committee, one of the six Main
Committees of the General Assembly, considers the agenda item
on the comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations.
- Working documents of the Committee are now
issued under the series symbol A/C.4/[session]/-. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide access to the full text of recent working documents.
- Summary records of meetings are now issued
under the series symbol A/C.4/[session]/SR.[meeting number]
(e. g., A/C.4/62/SR.13:
Summary record of the 13th meeting of the Fourth Committee
during the 62nd session of the General Assembly on 31 October 2007). Speeches made before the Fourth Committee are indexed
on a sessional basis in the Index to Proceedings
of the General Assembly and can be researched by subject,
speaker and country/organization. UNBISnet
provides electronic access
to citations for speeches made before the Fourth Committee (or the Special Political Committee)
since the 38th session (1983). The full text of recent meeting records can be retrieved through UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
- Press releases, now issued under the series
symbol GA/SPD/-, can be retrieved through the search
option at the Press Release website.
The Fourth Committee submits a report to the plenary
on the agenda item relating to the comprehensive review of peacekeeping
operations. This report (e. g., for the 62nd session: A/62/406 + Add.1)
synthesizes the Committee's deliberations on the item and transmits
the final version of draft resolutions/decisions recommended to
the plenary for adoption. The plenary considers the report and
votes on the draft resolutions/decisions contained therein. During
the 62nd session, on 11 September 2008, the General Assembly adopted
resolution 62/273
based on the report of the Fourth Committee.
Financing of Peacekeeping
in General
Basic financial issues
relating to peacekeeping are considered by the General Assembly
under the agenda item "Administrative and budgetary aspects of the
financing of the United Nations peacekeeping operations". At each
session, this item is allocated to the Fifth Committee, one of the
six Main
Committees of the General Assembly. Topics currently discussed
under this item include, inter alia, implementation of the
report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations, financial
performance report of the United Nations Logistics Base at Brindisi
and the support account for peacekeeping operations. The major documents
submitted as the basis for the deliberations are the reports of
the Secretary-General as well as those of the Advisory Committee
on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
General Assembly resolution 49/233 A of 23 December 1994 "requests the Secretary-General to submit twice a year to the General Assembly for information purposes a table summarizing the proposed
budgetary requirements of each peace-keeping operation for the period 1 July to 30 June, including a breakdown of expenditure by major line item and the aggregate total resource requirement." These reports have been issued regularly since 1996 and provide a good starting point for research into the total financial requirements of the peacekeeping operations (list of symbols).
Financing of Specific Peacekeeping
Operations
The budgets of individual missions are considered
by the General Assembly under a separate agenda item per operation.
At each session, these items are allocated to the Fifth Committee.
The major documents submitted under these items are the reports
of the Secretary-General as well as those of the Advisory Committee
on Administrative and Budgetary Questions.
Reports of
the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General submits
reports to the General Assembly on financial issues relating to
peacekeeping operations. The reports submitted for individual
missions typically provide information about the political mandate
and operational plan of the mission, the cost estimates and staffing
requirements for a given time period as well as recommendations
for actions to be taken by the General Assembly. These reports,
submitted under the series symbol of the plenary which now follows
the pattern A/[session]/[sequential number], form the basis for
the deliberations of the Fifth Committee.
- Complete listings of the Secretary-General's
reports relating to recent peacekeeping operations can be
retrieved from the UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., reports concerning
the financing of the United Nations Mission in East Timor).
- The full text of recent reports (57th session onwards) is accessible
from the UN Documentation
Centre. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the same material and additionally to a substantial number of earlier reports.
Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ)
The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions was established by General Assembly resolution of 14
(I) A of 13 February 1946 with the mandate to examine any
administrative and budgetary matters referred to it and to advise
the General Assembly on these issues. The Committee reviews all
reports of the Secretary-General on financial questions relating
to peacekeeping and submits its findings to the General Assembly.
The reports of the ACABQ, submitted under the series symbol of
the plenary which now follows the pattern A/[session]/[sequential
number], are discussed by the Fifth Committee.
- Complete listings of ACABQ reports relating
to recent peacekeeping operations can be retrieved from the
UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., reports concerning
the financing of MINUCI and UNOCI, the United Nations
Mission and Operation in Côte d'Ivoire).
- The full text of recent reports (57th session onwards) is accessible
from the UN Documentation
Centre. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the same material and additionally to a substantial number of earlier reports.
Fifth Committee
The Fifth Committee, one of the six Main
Committees of the General Assembly, is allocated all items
on the Assembly's agenda with financial implications.
- Working documents of the Committee are now
issued under the series symbol A/C.5/[session]/-. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide access to the full text of recent working documents.
- Summary records of meetings are now issued
under the series symbol A/C.5/[session]/SR.[meeting number]
(e. g., A/C.5/62/SR.51:
Summary record of the 51st meeting of the Fifth Committee
during the 62nd session of the General Assembly on 13 June 2008). Speeches made before the Fifth Committee are indexed
on a sessional basis in the Index to Proceedings
of the General Assembly and can be researched by subject,
speaker and country/organization. UNBISnet
provides electronic access
to citations for speeches made before the Fifth Committee
since the 38th session (1983). The full text of recent meeting records can be retrieved through UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
- Press releases, issued under the series symbol
GA/AB/-, can be retrieved through the search option
at the Press Release website.
The Fifth Committee submits a separate report to
the plenary on every agenda item allocated to it. These reports
synthesize the Committee's consideration of the items and transmit
the final version of draft resolutions/decisions recommended to
the plenary for adoption. Since these reports become working documents
for the plenary, the Fifth Committee prefix (A/C.5/-) disappears
from their document symbols. They are instead submitted directly
under the basic symbol of the plenary (e. g., A/62/868:
Report of the Fifth Committee on agenda item 143 - Financing of
the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus).
The plenary considers the reports of the Fifth Committee and
votes on the draft resolutions/decisions contained therein.
Since General Assembly resolutions and decisions often are not
printed until weeks - sometimes months - after their adoption,
the final draft as contained in the Committee report (sometimes
orally amended immediately prior to adoption) remains for a
long time the only source for the text of the resolution/decision.
- Complete listings of Fifth Committee reports
(including all reports concerning peacekeeping), organized
by session, can be retrieved from the UN-I-QUE
database for the recent sessions of the General Assembly,
(e. g., Fifth Committee reports for the 62nd
session). This database also lists all Fifth Committee reports
relating to recent peacekeeping operations, organized by mission
(e. g., reports concerning
the financing of MONUC, the United Nations Organization Mission
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The full text of recent reports (57th session onwards) is accessible
from the UN Documentation
Centre. UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS) provide links to the same material and additionally to a substantial number of earlier reports.
- The resolutions adopted by
the General Assembly at its 62nd session on, among others,
the reports of the Fifth Committee (including resolutions
concerning peacekeeping) are recorded in this Research Guide.
Complete listings of General Assembly resolutions and decisions
relating to recent peacekeeping operations, organized by mission,
can be retrieved from the UN-I-QUE
database (e. g., resolutions and decisions
concerning the financing of UNMEE, the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea). The full text of General Assembly resolutions (1946 onwards) is accessible
from the UN Documentation Centre, UNBISnet and the Official Document System of the United Nations (ODS).
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