As the end of the relatively clear conflict situations of the cold war era has given space for dramatic changes, we are now facing a widespread and more unpredictable security situation than some years ago. In December 2004, the UN concluded, that
“We cannot treat issues such as terrorism or civil wars or extreme poverty in isolation. The implications of this interconnectedness are profound. Our strategies must be comprehensive. Our institutions must overcome their narrow preoccupations and learn to work across issues in a concerted fashion.”
The last two decades have seen a dramatic increase in internal conflicts and instability, forcing the United Nations to rethink its definitions of peace and security.
Peace keeping missions, often referred as intervention according to chapter 6 ½, as Dag Hammerskjöld has put it, have gradually increased, both in number and dimension.
The complexity of internal conflicts and their dramatic social, humanitarian and economic consequences for societies remain a challenge for the United Nations. Step by step, the United Nations broadened their perception, and peace operations became multidimensional interventions, including military and police components as well as NGOs and other civil actors.
As almost half of the post-conflict countries relapse into violent conflict within five years, one has to question some reasons. This paper deals mainly with the interdependent issue of security within the peace-building process, focusing on the case of Sierra Leone.
My thesis is, that, besides questions of the coordination of efforts and the gap between traditional peace keeping and peace-building, there is also a lack, concerning the short- to mid-term security of post-conflict states. Due to the bad economic position and the disturbed social structure of these post-conflict states and despite massive efforts in the economic and social sector as well as in the security sector, there is a certain period of insecurity until a state can ensure its stability both, internally and externally, on its own. This “security gap” normally appears after the withdrawal of the peacekeepers.
I have chosen the case of Sierra Leone as an example, because of its model like character of a complex internal conflict and the UN response. Furthermore, it demonstrates, that even if relatively concerted measures have been undertaken, the fragility of a post-conflict state, and therefore the unsolved question of a lack of security, remain.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Evolution of peace operations toward multidimensional peace-building
- The conflict in Sierra Leone and its consequences.
- A short historical overview:
- Structure of conflict.
- Post-conflict situation in Sierra Leone.
- The UN response..
- UNAMSIL.
- The security gap
- UNIOSIL and the Peace-building commission.
- UNIOSIL.
- The UN peace-building commission..
- UNAMSIL.
- Proposals
- Conclusion:
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the complex issue of security within the peace-building process, using Sierra Leone as a case study. It focuses on the "security gap" that often arises after the withdrawal of peacekeepers in post-conflict states, despite extensive efforts in economic, social, and security sectors. The paper argues that a lack of short- to mid-term security in post-conflict states is a crucial factor contributing to relapses into violence. Key themes include:- The evolution of peace operations from traditional peacekeeping to multidimensional peace-building.
- The challenges of post-conflict security and the concept of a "security gap".
- The complexities of internal conflicts and their lasting consequences.
- The role of the United Nations in peace-building missions.
- The need for comprehensive strategies to address interconnected threats and challenges in post-conflict environments.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction
The introduction sets the context for the paper by highlighting the shift from clear-cut conflict situations during the Cold War to a more complex and unpredictable global security landscape. The paper emphasizes the rise of internal conflicts and the need for a multidimensional approach to peace-building, encompassing military, police, and civilian components. It highlights the alarming rate of post-conflict countries relapsing into violence and introduces the concept of a "security gap" that often emerges after the withdrawal of peacekeepers.Evolution of peace operations toward multidimensional peace-building
This chapter traces the evolution of peace operations from traditional peacekeeping to multidimensional peace-building. It discusses the first generation of peace operations during the Cold War, primarily focused on observing ceasefires, and the shift towards more comprehensive interventions with the United Nations involvement in Namibia in 1978. The chapter highlights the expansion of peace operations to include peace-building components, aiming to address underlying causes of conflict and build sustainable peace.The conflict in Sierra Leone and its consequences.
This chapter provides a brief overview of the conflict in Sierra Leone, its historical context, the structure of the conflict, and the consequences of violence for the country. It outlines the challenges faced by Sierra Leone in the post-conflict period, including the fragile state of security, the need for economic and social reconstruction, and the ongoing efforts to address the root causes of instability.The UN response..
This section examines the United Nations response to the conflict in Sierra Leone, focusing on the UNAMSIL and UNIOSIL missions. It discusses the challenges faced by these missions, including the "security gap" that persisted despite significant efforts, and the ongoing need for international support to build sustainable peace in the country.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper include peace operations, peace-building, post-conflict security, security gap, multidimensional interventions, internal conflict, Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL, UNIOSIL, peace-building commission. These terms highlight the core concepts of the paper, which centers on the challenges of securing peace in post-conflict states and the need for comprehensive and coordinated efforts to address the "security gap".- Quote paper
- A. Fritsch (Author), 2007, The remaining security gap , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/84363