In a poignant address at the Humanitarian Peace Support School in Nairobi, Kenya, Major General Aphaxard Kiugu, a senior military commander, underscored the pressing need to re-evaluate the mechanisms designed to shield non-combatants from the ravages of armed conflict. Major General Aphaxard Kiugu, representing the esteemed Chief of Defense Forces, Charles Kahariri, voiced grave concerns over the escalating perils faced by civilian populations as conflicts around the world grow increasingly intractable, multifaceted, and urban-centric.
Maj. Gen. Kiugu’s clarion call comes at a pivotal juncture, marking a quarter-century since the United Nations Security Council adopted its inaugural thematic resolution on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and authorized the deployment of the first UN peacekeeping mission with an explicit mandate to safeguard non-combatants. His words resonated with a sense of urgency, emphasizing that future peacekeeping missions must be guided by informed decision-making that harmonizes the military, police, and civilian components.
“While significant strides have been made in this realm, challenges persist,” Maj. Gen. Kiugu asserted, “and this dialogue today underscores the importance of this agenda and the need for concerted effort from various stakeholders and experts to scrutinize how POC mandates have been interpreted and implemented to effect positive changes.”
The Nairobi dialogue, aptly themed ‘Protection of Civilians in the Context of Peace Operations: Operational Realities and Challenges,’ served as a platform for a comprehensive examination of the developments in the implementation of POC mandates over the past 25 years. It shed light on innovations, best practices, and lessons gleaned from United Nations peacekeeping missions, setting the stage for a series of sessions that evaluated emerging threats to civilians and explored how peace operations have bolstered national and local capacities to protect non-combatants.
Brigadier General Joyce Sitienei, the Director of the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), underscored the dialogue’s overarching objective: enhancing the protection of civilians in conflict zones. “POC is the top priority of all mission mandates at IPSTC,” she affirmed, echoing the sentiments of her esteemed colleagues.
The event drew a diverse array of experts and stakeholders, including Lisa Sharland, Senior Fellow and Director of the Protecting Civilians and Human Security Program at the Stimson Center; Abigail Balde, a researcher with the UN program at the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC); and Lorena Escobal, Senior Advisor for the Protection of Civilians at MONUSCO.
As the international community grapples with the complexities of modern warfare, this clarion call from military strategists serves as a sobering reminder of the imperative to fortify the mechanisms that shield the most vulnerable from the scourge of conflict. The path forward demands a comprehensive reassessment of existing frameworks, informed by operational realities, and an unwavering commitment to upholding the sanctity of civilian lives.