On 31 October 2014, Secretary General of the United Nations commissioned a High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations to conduct a comprehensive assessment of United Nations peace operations today and how they can be made more effective, efficient and responsive in a changing world. The High Level Panel made a number of recommendations in the Report including one to the effect that: “Clear Headquarters-field authority, command and control must be provided for all military deployments, with tighter integration of operational and logistics concepts of operations and delivery.”
On 16 June 2015, the Panel delivered its report to the Secretary General. Drawing on the Panel's recommendations, the Secretary General has set out priorities and key actions required to bring the recommendations about. The Secretary General of the United Nations action plan centres on three pillars: renewed focus on prevention and mediation; stronger regional-global partnerships; and new ways of planning and conducting United Nations peace operations to make them faster, more responsive and more accountable to the needs of countries and people in conflict.
The Department of Defence was pleased to provide input into Ireland's submission to the High Level Panel on Peace Operations appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations on 31 October 2014. Ireland looks forward over the coming year to taking an active part in discussion on how best to take forward the recommendations of the High-level Independent Report on Peace Operations. In relation to progressing the recommendations, Ireland's objective will be to ensure that there are clear formalised mandates, concepts standards and procedures in place but also that there is scope and flexibility to respond effectively in evolving situations.
