Page 11 - Coespu Magazine 2018-2

mentor and advise host States, their security bodies, but also jointly participate in broader institutions building,
empowering parliamentarians, women and youths, civil society organizations. All of this again require a very
close coordination and cooperation among the UN assistance providers and national authorities. In Côte
d’Ivoire, UNOCI police, together with others, contributed to the resolution of post-electoral problems and
helped renew trust in the Ivorian police; while in the Central African Republic, the security sector reform
component and UN Police are critical in assisting the creation of national security forces and their deployment
to the countryside. In Haiti and several other operations, UN police components – together with Interpol, the
Office on Drugs and Crime and UN Development Programme - participate in the establishment of national anti-
organized crime units.
UN Peacekeeping turned 70 this year. Over this time, practices and challenges to peace have evolved
considerably, as have the crucial UN-CIMIC efforts. The above clearly indicates how much UN-CIMIC
coordination has evolved and expanded in recent years, building on best practices in various operations. Yet,
much more needs to be done to strengthen the protection of civilians, enhance conflict prevention and peace
sustainment. While DPKO and DFS, together with partners, have been tasked by Secretary-General Guterres to
enhance these crucial activities, the time has also come to review the existing UN-CIMIC Policy, bringing it in
line with new realities. Obviously, this would mean the need to delineate more precise responsibilities, address
command and control structures, decision-making processes, information management, identify resources and
more. DPKO’ Office for Rule of Law and Security Sector Institutions and its Police Division should become a
major stakeholder in such a new CIMIC guidance. Other UN partners could also be actively involved so as to
create a truly integrated, system-wide approach.

Written by:

Dmitry TITOV,
Retd, Founding Assistant Secretary-General,
Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions,
UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations
titov@un.org

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