USIP recently convened a workshop to discuss the potential impact of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) on African peacekeeping forces. This initiative, announced in June at the G-8 Summit, is intended to address the disparity between the persistent demand for trained peacekeeping forces and their inadequate availability, especially for missions in Africa.
The GPOI was greeted with broad bipartisan support but uncertainties over funding leave its future in doubt. Participants at the Institute's workshop identified a range of issues, including funding, that will bear on the initiative's success. These issues, along with an update on the status of the GPOI, are discussed below.
In a speech to the opening of the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations this September, President Bush highlighted the Global Peace Operations Initiative [1], describing it as a step toward the creation of a "more effective means to stabilize regions in turmoil, and to halt religious violence and ethnic cleansing." He underscored the role of Italy as a partner with the United States in advancing the initiative and explained that it "will train 75,000 peacekeepers, initially from Africa, so they can conduct operations on that continent and elsewhere."
The United Nations Security Council currently has authorized 54,000 troops for 16 missions around the globe. This includes 37,000 peacekeepers for African operations alone—in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Western Sahara, and Ethiopia/Eritrea. Up to 30,000 additional peacekeepers may be required to expand the mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (from 10,800 to 16,900) and to satisfy new commitments in Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Burundi. The crisis in Darfur can be expected to place even greater demands on an already overtaxed global capacity to provide troops for international peace missions.
While GPOI will emphasize the development of African capacity to contribute to peace support operations, it aims to enhance global capacity as well. The "Action Plan for Expanding Global Capacity for Peace Support Operations" announced at the G-8 summit includes the following:
The United States plans to contribute approximately $660 million over five years toward the initiative and to approach interested parties (particularly G-8 members) about contributing as well. If the U.S. portion is fully funded by Congress, this would result in a three- to four-fold annual increase over current annual contributions of $15 million to the Africa Contingency Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA) for peacekeeping training administered by the U.S. Department of State. The ACOTA program would likely be incorporated into the larger GPOI initiative.
The GPOI has received bipartisan support, but as noted, funding is not assured. The estimated U.S. portion of the initiative in 2005 is approximately $100 million, part of which is slated to support the Italian-led Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units. When Congress recessed in October, however, this initiative was still pending action on the FY 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. To date, the Senate's version of the bill includes the authority, subject to Congressional notification, to transfer FY 2005 funds from the Defense Department to the State Department for GPOI. While a funding level is not articulated in the legislation, the non-binding Senate Appropriations Committee report notes the Committee's understanding that $80 million in FY 2005 funds may be transferred for the initiative. Whether or not this provision is included in law will depend on decisions made during the conference on the FY 2005 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which will ultimately be part of an "omnibus" appropriations bill that Congress is expected to consider in mid-November. If the provision survives, it will then be up to the Defense Department, which supports the provision, to transfer the funds to State.
In the four months since the G-8 Summit concluded Italy, has moved with impressive speed and commitment to establish the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (COESPU). A facility in Vicenza, co-located with the recently established European Gendarme Force headquarters, is being readied to offer classes in 2005. The anticipated goal is to train 3,000 officers and non-commissioned officers over the next five to six years. This would be part of the overall GPOI goal of training 75,000 peacekeepers. The COESPU will also be the depository for doctrine in the use of stability police units to ensure that the UN, NATO, European Union, and any other international organizations that might employ these forces do so in a mutually consistent manner. This will contribute to one of the Center's other major purposes: to provide interoperability training for military contingents that will interact with stability police units during peace support operations.
Participants at the Institute's workshop raised several pivotal issues, in addition to funding uncertainties, about the GPOI's prospects. Several noted skepticism about U.S. motives, saying that some critics view the initiative as little more than an appendage of the global war against terror that might be utilized to press Africans to enlist in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Workshop participants also examined the challenge of integrating the contributions of regional powers with those of smaller states, noting that the latter could make a positive contribution by providing niche capabilities (e.g. communications). They pointed out, however, that training for the Nigerian military, one of the leading troop-contributing nations globally, continues to be restricted by U.S. congressional limitations owing to past human rights transgressions. The group identified several other factors that need to be taken into account, including:
African nations have displayed a willingness to contribute to peacekeeping if assisted in developing the capacity to do so. This has been demonstrated by support for sub-regional organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States and the African Union. Other nations have the potential to make vital contributions, especially in the realm of stability police units, if the necessary funding is forthcoming. The Global Peace Operations Initiative could provide the stimulus to develop the institutional capacity to respond effectively when the specter of state collapse or genocide descends again over Africa and other vulnerable corners of the globe.
This USIPeace Briefing was written by Beth DeGrasse [2], Executive Director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation; David Dickson, Program Officer in the Institute's Research and Studies Program; and Michael Dziedzic [3], Program Officer in the Research and Studies Program. It draws upon presentations made at a workshop conducted at the Institute on "Enhancing African Peace-Keeping Forces: Where Do We Go From Here?" The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the Institute, which does not advocate specific policies.
The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress. Its goals are to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts, promote post-conflict stability and development, and increase conflict management capacity, tools, and intellectual capital worldwide. The Institute does this by empowering others with knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as by directly engaging in peacebuilding efforts around the globe.
Links:
[1] http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/gpoi/
[2] http://www.usip.org/specialists/beth-ellen-cole
[3] http://www.usip.org/specialists/bios/current/dziedzic.html