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| Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs | |
|---|---|
| Name | Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs |
| Incumbent | Vacant |
| Department | United Nations Secretariat |
| Style | Honourable |
| Reports to | Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Seat | United Nations Headquarters |
| Appointer | Secretary-General of the United Nations |
| Formation | 1992 |
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs is a senior leadership post within the United Nations Secretariat charged with directing the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and advising the Secretary-General of the United Nations on diplomacy, mediation, and preventive engagement. The office interfaces with member states such as United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom, France, regional organizations including the European Union, African Union, Organization of American States, and multilateral instruments like the United Nations Security Council, General Assembly, and Economic and Social Council. Holders of the post have engaged in high-profile missions involving conflicts in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia, and Kosovo.
The office leads efforts in preventive diplomacy, quiet mediation, and political analysis, coordinating with special envoys such as the UN Special Envoy for Syria, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and the UN Special Envoy for Yemen. It operates alongside UN entities including United Nations Development Programme, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and International Atomic Energy Agency on issues linking peacebuilding to humanitarian relief, sanctions like those from the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, and political transitions exemplified by the Good Friday Agreement, the Dayton Accords, and the Constitution of Kenya (2010)-era reforms.
The post emerged as part of UN reforms following end-of-Cold-War shifts and lessons from peace operations such as UNPROFOR, UNAVEM, UNMOGIP, and UNOMIG. Early predecessors and parallel roles traced to figures active during the Suez Crisis, Yom Kippur War, and mediation efforts in Cyprus informed institutional design. Reform reports like those authored after the Brahimi Report and initiatives led by Kofi Annan and Boutros Boutros-Ghali redefined mandates, integrating peacebuilding concepts from the UN Peacebuilding Commission and frameworks such as the Ahtisaari Plan. The office adapted to crises from the Rwandan Genocide to the Bosnian War and responded to shifts triggered by events including the Arab Spring, the Iraq War (2003), and the Libyan Civil War (2011).
The Under-Secretary-General directs political analysis, mediation, confidence-building, and preventive diplomacy in theatres such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Myanmar, and Venezuela. Responsibilities include briefing the Security Council, advising on peacekeeping mandates like UNMISS, MONUSCO, UNIFIL, and MINUSMA, and coordinating with envoys connected to treaties such as the Dayton Agreement, the Iran nuclear deal discussions tied to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and ceasefires monitored under accords like the Minsk agreements. The office collaborates with judicial bodies including the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice on issues of accountability.
Appointments are made by the Secretary-General of the United Nations often in consultation with permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and regional groups such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77. Past selections involved diplomats from states including Brazil, Norway, France, Spain, Georgia (country), and Ireland. Tenure length varies, influenced by diplomatic rotations, resignations tied to crises like the Sierra Leone Civil War or the Côte d'Ivoire crisis, and broader Secretariat reshuffles connected to personalities such as Ban Ki-moon and Antonio Guterres.
The office supervises regional political divisions covering Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Middle East and North Africa, working with special political missions like UNSMIL, UNAMI, UNMIN and electoral assistance linked to mechanisms exemplified by the Norwegian Refugee Council partnerships and advisory relationships with bodies like the International Crisis Group and Crisis Management Initiative. It manages policy units on political analysis, mediation support, sanctions monitoring, and electoral assistance, liaising with entities such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional organizations like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Notable holders contributed to mediation efforts in Colombia accords between the FARC and the Government of Colombia, transitional arrangements in Kosovo under Martti Ahtisaari-era diplomacy, and initiatives around the Great Lakes region and the Sahel. Officeholders worked on ceasefire negotiations in Sudan and the Central African Republic, electoral support in Haiti, and political frameworks in Timor-Leste and East Timor. They engaged with personalities including Ban Ki-moon, Kofi Annan, Lakhdar Brahimi, Martti Ahtisaari, and counterparts from European Commission and African Union Commission leadership, and on initiatives linked to the Sustainable Development Goals through coordination with agencies such as UNICEF and UN Women.
Critiques have cited politicization by permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, perceived failures during crises such as the Rwandan Genocide and Srebrenica massacre, and controversies over mandate creep in missions like MONUSCO and MINUSMA. Debates involve accountability with institutions such as the International Court of Justice and allegations scrutinized by non-governmental organizations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Accusations of operational overstretch reference historical inquiries following events like the Brahimi Report and policy debates tied to interventions in Iraq, Libya (2011), and responses to the Syrian Civil War.
Category:United Nations Secretariat offices