Date & Time: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 4:00 - 5:30 pm

Venue: Room 111, Research and Lecture Building, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

Speaker: Mr. Masatomo Yamaguchi (DDR Officer, UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali <MINUSMA>), Ms. Hinata Imai (PhD Candidate, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies)

Theme: New Development of Security Governance in Africa

Presentation Title:
UN Peacekeeping Operations in 'new' operational environment: Experience from MINUSMA (Mr. Masatomo Yamaguchi)

Principle of Subsidiarity in the context of African Peace and Security Architecture: The Evolution of African Peace Operations and the Standby Force (Ms. Hinata Imai)

Report:

On the 9th of January, 2019, African Studies Center hosted two public lectures on security related matters, on the one hand, on United Nations and its operations, and another, on African Union security approach. Mr. Masatomo Yamaguchi-DDR Officer/Deputy Security Sector Reform-DDR Team Leader of United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) GAO, presented on the subject: "United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in 'New' Operational Environment." Mr. Yamaguchi provided a brief typology of UN Peacekeeping Operations where it was stated that, from 1950s-1980s, the role of United Nations peacekeepers were to serve as an interposition force. Mr. Yamaguchi also stated that, from 1990s-2010s, conflicts were transformed into intra-state with asymmetric threat and the peacekeepers' role has been focused on peace enforcement, conflict management and post-conflict peacebuilding and recovery.

Mr. Yamaguchi detailed that, MINUSMA's original and current mandate in Mali founded on security resolution 2010 of 2013, and security resolution 2423 of 2018 were (1) stabilization and restoration of state authority in the Northern part of Mali, (2) support political process, protection of civilian and human rights, and protection of humanitarian agencies, (3) support to the implementation of peace accord. Operating in new operational environment of MINUSMA, according to Mr. Yamaguchi, is characterized by key challenges which includes but not limited to (1) fragile and slow political process, (2) asymmetrical security environment, and (3) hostile views towards the diminishing resources for UN-PKOs.

In similar context, Ms. Hinata Imai, a doctoral candidate of Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, focused her presentation on the theme: "Principle of Subsidiary in the Context of the African Union: The Evolution of African Peace Operations and the Standby Force." Ms. Imai said, the transformation of Organization of African Union (OAU) and the constitutive Act of African Union (AU), have established new changes emphasizing on people, democratic principles, coordination between the regional communities, and on peace and security which article 4 (d) focuses on defense policy, article 4 (h) focuses on right of the Union to intervene, and article 4 (p) focuses on rejection of unconstitutional change of government. She detailed that, operationalizing article 4 (d), and 4 (h) which led to the establishment of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA)- African Standby Force, authorizes the peace and security council of the African Union to (1) deploy peace support missions, (2) recommend to the Assembly, and (3) institute sanctions whenever an unconstitutional change of government takes place.

On the principle of subsidiarity, Ms. Imai asserted that, the principle is to guarantee a degree of independence for a lower authority, and in peace operations it means the division of labor. Within the context of APSA, Ms. Imai emphasized that, the memorandum of understanding between Regional Economic Communities (RECs) /Regional Mechanisms (RM) and African Union indicates the adherence to the principle of subsidiarity, complementarity and comparative advantage in order to optimize partnership between the Union and RECs. She concluded that, the revision of mission scenarios, AU and RECs/RMs coordination comprise central pillar of the African Union Reform.