Lessons for the UN from UNAVEM II (1991 - 93) After completing her assignment as Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Angola in 1993, Margaret Anstee formulated the following list of lessons for UN involvement in peace processes: In for the long hau.l There is no quick fix for a long standing deep-rooted conflict. The international community must be prepared for the long haul or not at all. Involved in negotiations. The UN should always be involved in negotiating peace accords it is expected to monitor. Clear mandate. The UN must have a clear, strong mandate and adequate resources, commensurate with the task, and provided on a timely basis. Commitment to peace. The antagonists' commitment to peace is essential but they need a strong referee. Just say no! The Secretary-General ought to be able to refuse operations for which the conditions, mandate and resources are not right. This is easier said than done in the face of Security Council heavyweights. Elections. Elections should not be held until minimal conditions established in the peace agreements are fulfilled. There should be no arbitrary deadline. Nobody takes all. Avoid a 'winner takes all' approach to electoral systems. Bigger picture. It is essential to undertake concurrent confidence-building and peacebuilding measures (i.e. human rights, neutral police force, economic and social measures, social reintegration). Media. The importance of the media internally and externally should be appreciated. An effective UN public information set-up is essential. Logistics. Logistics are a political factor (e.g. elections airlift) Carrots and sticks. The Security Council's verbal condemnations of UNITA in 1993 achieved nothing. The September 1993 sanctions were too little too late and easily bypassed. It would have been better to have tested UNITA's sincerity by meeting their demands in Abidjan for a symbolic presence of 1,000 Blue Helmets. Genuine concern. The international community must be genuinely concerned and committed. Angola was at a disadvantage as Yugoslavia and Somalia were priorities; there was growing disenchantment with peacekeeping and Angola; and it was no longer a priority for those who exacerbated the conflict during the Cold War. Source: Margaret J. Anstee
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