Heads of UN police components and police experts from peacekeeping operations, special political missions and regional offices and United Nations senior leadership come together virtually to discuss performance, conduct and discipline, protection of civilians, conflict prevention, peacebuilding and other priorities affecting United Nations policing today and looking ahead, particularly amid current and expected impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights during the week include briefings to the Security Council and Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) of the General Assembly, the awarding of the 2020 United Nations Woman Police Officer of the Year, and a special commemoration marking 60 years of United Nations police deployments.
Discussions will be framed by the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and will cover topics such as:
- Advancing political solutions, especially during the current pandemic and good practices in the protection of civilians and sustainability of peace during COVID-19.
- Improving performance and promoting accountability, from pre-deployment readiness to in-mission and post-duty service.
- Strengthening conduct of UN personnel, including recent measures to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as initiatives to support victims.
- Examining the impact of Organizational management reform on the work of the United Nations Police, exploring systematic approaches to budgeting and reporting, and ensuring the inclusion of UN policing aspects and priorities in mission-specific reports, Security Council resolutions and budget appropriations.
- Turning policy into effective practice, considering future UN Police doctrine requirements and ways to improve existing knowledge management processes to help augment the lasting positive impact of the United Nations Police on the communities it serves.
- Further operationalizing the role of the United Nations Police as a system-wide provider across peace operations and non-mission settings and the key enabler of the Organization’s political, peace and security, development and humanitarian objectives.
- Taking stock of achievements, ongoing challenges and opportunities on the occasion of the 60thanniversary of United Nations Police deployments.
- Forecasting the future role of the United Nations Police in light of evolving conflict dynamics, new and emerging threats, including from the cybersphere and a warming planet, and a changed operating landscape due to COVID-19.