Cooperation between the EU and the UN for peace-support operations

The number of international peace-support operations has increased in recent years. These operations have often been given more robust and complex mandates. They have gone from traditional security-enhancing actions to also cover long-term reconstruction and development of countries in conflict, and often contain both civilian and military components.

The UN has increasingly begun to seek cooperation with regional organisations to build up both civilian and military resources.

During the Swedish EU Presidency in 2001, a process was started that involved developing cooperation between the EU and the UN for conflict prevention and crisis management. In recent years, the development of the European Security and Defence Policy has also meant that in many cases, the EU has the kinds of resources requested by the UN. By actively working to give the EU an enhanced capability to contribute to UN peace support efforts, both politically and with civilian and military means, our Swedish UN policy is enhanced through our work in the EU.

More political dialogue

In recent years, the EU has also been able to provide different kinds of practical assistance to the UN in various peace-support contexts. An example of this is that in the summer of 2003, following a request from the UN, the EU was able to dispatch a rapid reaction force to Congo and thereby prevent an escalation of the ongoing conflict in Bunia, in the country's north-eastern region. Another example, from the same year, is when the EU took over the tasks previously carried out by the UN police mission in Bosnia, which thus freed up UN resources that could be used elsewhere.

In September 2003, the UN and the EU agreed on a joint declaration on cooperation in peace-support operations. In light of the growing cooperation between the UN and the EU in peace-support operations, it was also concluded that practical measures could be taken to increase this cooperation even more. Therefore the UN and the EU established a joint consultation mechanism in the areas of planning, education, communication and evaluation.

In June 2007, the UN and the EU issued a joint statement stating that they wanted to follow up on the progress made since the 2003 declaration. This would be done by increasing the political dialogue between the organisations, increasing cooperation in the concrete operations, establishing coordination and cooperation mechanisms for crisis situations in which both organisations are involved, and systematically implementing evaluations of operations in which the organisations jointly participate.