Supplement to an Agenda for Peace

A/RES/51/242View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 10 Report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, published in 1997.

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 subjects

Coordination Within UN System Humanitarian Assistance Peacebuilding Peacekeeping Operations Peacemaking Preventive Diplomacy Sanctions

What’s in this document?

3 operative paragraphs

Adopts the texts on coordination and the question of sanctions imposed by the United Nations annexed to the present resolution;

Notes the progress made in the areas of post-conflict peace-building and preventive diplomacy and peacemaking;

Requests the President of the General Assembly to consult on the possibility of continuing the activities of the Informal Open-ended Working Group on An Agenda for Peace in the areas of post-conflict peace-building and preventive diplomacy and peacemaking on the basis of the work already accomplished in these areas and with a view to concluding its work.

Coordination

I. COORDINATION BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND MEMBER STATES

The States that constitute the United Nations membership have a central role to play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, including through their participation in and support for United Nations efforts to those ends, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. The General Assembly underlines the need to strengthen the role of the Assembly in improving coordination, in accordance with its role and responsibilities under the Charter. Governments are responsible for the financing and provision of personnel, equipment and other support to mandated United Nations efforts to maintain international peace and security, whether through preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peacekeeping or peace-building. Coordination of efforts and sharing of information between the United Nations and Member States is therefore of fundamental importance.

Transparency, communication and consultation between the United Nations and Member States is vital in the coordination of decisions and activities under the Charter aimed at maintaining and enhancing international peace and security. Governments should ensure that their policies in relation to the various parts and agencies of the United Nations system are consistent and in accordance with those aims, while the United Nations must ensure that its activities are in conformity with the purposes and principles of the Charter, and that States are kept fully informed, and are supportive, of the United Nations efforts.

Suitable arrangements for regular and timely consultations between members of the Security Council, assisted by the Secretariat, and States contributing troops to peacekeeping operations, as well as prospective troop contributors, are essential in enhancing transparency and coordination between the United Nations and Member States. Such consultations provide troop-contributing States with a channel for communication and for ensuring that their views are taken into consideration before decisions are made by the Council. The General Assembly welcomes the establishment of this consultation mechanism, which should remain under review with the aim of improving it further so as to strengthen the support for and the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. In this connection, the Assembly stresses the importance of respecting the principles agreed upon in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and endorsed unanimously by the Assembly.

Among other possible forms of coordination between the United Nations and Member States is the support and assistance given to the Secretary-General by individual States or informal groups of Member States, created on an ad hoc basis, with respect to his efforts in the area of the maintenance of international peace and security. Operating within the framework of the Charter, groups such as the "Friends of the Secretary-General" can be resorted to whenever feasible, and can be considered as a valuable tool for the Secretary-General in his efforts, supporting the mandate entrusted to him by relevant United Nations bodies. There should be contact with the concerned State or States, and care should be taken to ensure the necessary information and transparency in relation to other Member States and to avoid duplication or overlapping of efforts.

II. COORDINATION WITHIN THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

In order to improve the capacity of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security, particularly in conflict prevention and resolution, the General Assembly stresses the need to ensure an integrated approach to considering, planning and conducting activities in the sphere of peace in all their aspects, through all phases of a potential or actual conflict to post-conflict peace-building, at the various levels within the United Nations system. In coordinating such activities, the distinct mandates, functions and impartiality of the various United Nations entities involved should be respected. On the understanding that action to secure global peace, security and stability will be futile unless the economic and social needs of people are addressed, the Assembly also stresses the need to strengthen coordination with those departments, agencies and bodies responsible for development activities, in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations system for development.

A. Coordination within the United Nations Secretariat

Within the Secretariat in New York, coordination is required between and among all the various departments involved in peacemaking, as well as in peace-building activities and peacekeeping operations which can be multifunctional, so that they function as an integrated whole under the authority of the Secretary-General. The General Assembly notes that the Secretary-General has entrusted the main responsibility in this regard to the Task Force on United Nations Operations and interdepartmental groups at the working level on each major conflict where the United Nations is playing a peacemaking or peacekeeping role. The Assembly welcomes these moves to strengthen coordination, and emphasizes the requirement for transparency. Efforts should be made, inter alia, to further harmonize the interaction between operational units within the Secretariat so as to avoid duplication in similar fields of action.

The General Assembly notes the work being done within the Framework for Coordination mechanism to ensure that the pertinent departments of the Secretariat coordinate their respective activities in the planning and implementing of such operations, through sharing of information, consultations and joint action. The Assembly furthermore notes that an important element of the Framework for Coordination is the provision for staff-level consultations by the relevant departments and other parts of the Organization to undertake joint analyses and to formulate joint recommendations. The Assembly welcomes the establishment of a standing interdepartmental framework oversight group to support and ensure the initiation of such consultations and encourages the implementation, further development and improvement of the Framework for Coordination mechanism.

B. Coordination within the United Nations system as a whole

The responsibilities involved in peacemaking, as well as in peace-building activities and peacekeeping operations which can be multifunctional, transcend the competence and expertise of any one department, programme, fund, office or agency of the United Nations. Short-term and long-term programmes need to be planned and implemented in a coordinated way in order to consolidate peace and development. Coordination is therefore required within the United Nations system as a whole and between United Nations Headquarters and the head offices of United Nations funds, programmes, offices and agencies. In this regard, the General Assembly would encourage improved coordination of efforts, for example the establishment of coordination procedures between the United Nations and other agencies involved, to facilitate and coordinate measures to contribute to the prevention of conflicts as well as the transition from peacekeeping to peace-building. The Assembly would encourage representatives of the United Nations Secretariat and other relevant United Nations agencies and programmes, as well as the Bretton Woods institutions, to meet and work together to develop arrangements that would ensure coordination and increased cooperation with respect to the provision of assistance to institution-building and social and economic development. The aim should be to develop a network for programme coordination, involving the United Nations system, bilateral donors and, whenever appropriate, non-governmental organizations, both at the headquarters and in the regional and field offices.

The General Assembly welcomes the efforts of the Secretary-General to make more effective the Administrative Committee on Coordination, which periodically brings together the heads of the specialized agencies, to achieve better coordination of the activities of the various United Nations bodies, including towards the consolidation of peace and security. The Assembly also supports the role of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee in ensuring a coordinated and timely response to the humanitarian needs arising in complex emergencies.

C. Coordination in the field

The General Assembly notes that the composition and administration of United Nations operations in the field vary considerably from one country situation to another, depending upon the political security and humanitarian dimensions of a particular crisis. In certain cases, including where the Security Council has authorized a peacekeeping operation, the Secretary-General may appoint a special representative. The special representative, working under the operational control of the Secretary-General, exercises on his behalf clearly defined authority over all the mission components. To strengthen cohesion and effective control of the military component of multifunctional peacekeeping operations, which is the central and fundamental part of such operations, the Assembly would stress the necessity of establishing and respecting clear lines of military command, as well as open channels of communication and sharing of information between the field and United Nations Headquarters, and coordinated guidance from United Nations Headquarters to the field. The Assembly underlines the need to adhere to United Nations mandates and to respect United Nations operational control and the unity of command in United Nations peacekeeping operations. In peacekeeping operations that include humanitarian elements, a field-based humanitarian coordinator who works under the overall authority of the special representative of the Secretary-General may be appointed. The Assembly considers it essential that all agencies and programmes active in the field extend their full cooperation to the special representative and encourages the efforts of the Secretary-General to ensure this. The Assembly notes the important role that the United Nations resident coordinator can play in coordinating United Nations activities in post-conflict peace-building. Furthermore, the Assembly would refer to the possibility of nominating a United Nations special coordinator while numerous agencies and programmes are working in the field during the period of transition to peace, even when there is no peacekeeping operation.

III. COOPERATION WITH REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS OR AGENCIES

The General Assembly stresses that, on the subject of cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements or agencies, the relevant tasks and responsibilities should be carried out with full respect for the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter, relevant decisions of the Security Council and of the General Assembly, as well as the respective mandates of regional arrangements or agencies and the Declaration on the Enhancement of Cooperation between the United Nations and Regional Arrangements or Agencies in the Maintenance of International Peace and Security, approved by the General Assembly in its resolution 49/57 of 9 December 1994.

The General Assembly considers that practical cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements and agencies, including the recognition of the variety of mandates, scope and composition of regional arrangements or agencies, has been and can be developed further through a number of means, including consultation by working-level contacts and high-level meetings, diplomatic and operational support, staff exchanges, and joint and cooperative operations. The Assembly notes the proposals that the Secretary-General has made in respect of Africa in his report on improving preparedness for conflict prevention and peacekeeping in Africa,⁵ and encourages him to pursue consultations with the Organization of African Unity on the matter.

⁵A/50/711-S/1995/911; see Official Records of the Security Council, Fiftieth Year, Supplement for October, November and December 1995, document S/1995/911.

While recalling its resolution 49/57, the General Assembly also notes the principles identified by the Secretary-General upon which cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements or agencies should be based, in particular the primacy of the United Nations as set out in the Charter, the defined and agreed division of labour and consistency by members of regional arrangements or agencies. The Assembly considers it important to develop further such principles, in cooperation with regional arrangements or agencies. The Assembly also agrees with the Secretary-General that, given the varied nature of regional arrangements or agencies, establishment of a universal model for their relationship with the United Nations would not be appropriate.

The General Assembly notes the meetings organized and arranged by the Secretary-General with regional arrangements or agencies, most recently in February 1996, and would encourage the continuation and further development of this practice on a regular basis. The Assembly underlines the importance of informing it about such meetings.

IV. COOPERATION AND DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Non-governmental organizations can play an important role in support of United Nations activities. Appropriate cooperation and dialogue between the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations can contribute to ensuring that the efforts of those organizations are consistent with, and properly coordinated with, the activities and objectives of the United Nations. Such coordination should not compromise the impartiality of the United Nations or the non-governmental nature of the organizations.

Question of sanctions imposed by the United Nations

An effectively implemented regime of collective Security Council sanctions can operate as a useful international policy tool in the graduated response to threats to international peace and security. As Security Council action under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, sanctions are a matter of the utmost seriousness and concern. Sanctions should be resorted to only with the utmost caution, when other peaceful options provided by the Charter are inadequate. The Council should give as thorough consideration as possible to the short-term and long-term effects of sanctions, having due regard to the need for the Council to act speedily in certain cases.

Sanctions should be established in strict conformity with the Charter, with clear objectives, provision for regular review and precise conditions for their lifting. The implementation of sanctions must adhere to the terms of the applicable Security Council resolutions. In this context, the Council must act in accordance with Article 24, paragraph 2, of the Charter. At the same time, the Council's ability to act speedily, in the objective interest of maintaining international peace and security, must be recognized.

The Security Council has the ability to determine the time-frame of sanctions. This question is of the greatest importance and should be seriously considered in connection with the objective of changing the behaviour of the target party while not causing unnecessary suffering to the civilian population. The Council should define the time-frame for sanctions regimes taking these considerations into account.

While there is a need to maintain the effectiveness of sanctions imposed in accordance with the Charter, unintended adverse side effects on the civilian population should be minimized by making the appropriate humanitarian exceptions in the Security Council resolutions. Sanctions regimes must also ensure that appropriate conditions are created for allowing an adequate supply of humanitarian material to reach the civilian population.

The purpose of sanctions is to modify the behaviour of a party that is threatening international peace and security and not to punish or otherwise exact retribution. Sanctions regimes should be commensurate with these objectives.

Clarity should be a goal in the formulation of Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions. The steps required from the target country for the sanctions to be lifted should be precisely defined.

Before sanctions are applied, a clear warning could be expressed in unequivocal language to the target country or party.

The Security Council could also provide for imposing sanctions that may be partially lifted, in the event the target country or party complies with previously defined requirements imposed by specific resolutions. It could also consider the possibility of introducing a range of sanctions and lifting them progressively as each target is achieved.

Sanctions shall be implemented in good faith and uniformly by all States. Violations must be brought to the attention of the general membership of the United Nations through the appropriate channels.

Just as the Security Council periodically reviews sanctions, it should also consider whether they are being fully implemented by all States.

It bears recalling that monitoring and compliance is first and foremost the responsibility of individual Member States. Member States should endeavour to prevent or correct activities in violation of the sanctions measures within their jurisdiction.

International monitoring by the Security Council or by one of its subsidiary organs of compliance with sanctions measures, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, can contribute to the effectiveness of United Nations sanctions. States that may require assistance in the implementation and monitoring of sanctions may seek the assistance of the United Nations or relevant regional organizations.

States should be encouraged to cooperate in exchanging information about the legislative, administrative and practical implementation of sanctions.

Sanctions often have a serious negative impact on the development capacity and activity of target countries. Efforts should continue to be made to minimize unintended side effects of sanctions, especially with regard to the humanitarian situation and the development capacity that has a bearing on the humanitarian situation. In some instances the application of sanctions may not be compatible, however, with bilateral and multilateral development programmes.

Humanitarian assistance should be provided in an impartial and expeditious manner. Means should be envisaged to minimize the particular suffering of the most vulnerable groups, keeping in mind emergency situations, such as mass refugee flows.

With a view to addressing the humanitarian impact of sanctions, the assistance of concerned international financial and other intergovernmental and regional organizations should be sought for providing an assessment of the humanitarian needs and the vulnerabilities of target countries at the time of the imposition of sanctions and regularly thereafter while they are being implemented. The appropriate department of the Secretariat could play a coordinating role in this context.

Guidelines for the formulation of the humanitarian exceptions mentioned in paragraph 4 above should be developed, bearing in mind that the humanitarian requirements may differ according to the stage of development, geography, natural resources and other features of the target country.

Foodstuffs, medicines and medical supplies should be exempted from United Nations sanctions regimes. Basic or standard medical and agricultural equipment and basic or standard educational items should also be exempted; a list should be drawn up for that purpose. Other essential humanitarian goods should be considered for exemption by the relevant United Nations bodies, including the sanctions committees. In this regard it is recognized that efforts should be made to allow target countries to have access to appropriate resources and procedures for financing humanitarian imports.

The work of United Nations humanitarian agencies should be facilitated in accordance with applicable Security Council resolutions and sanctions committee guidelines.

The concept of "humanitarian limits of sanctions" deserves further attention and standard approaches should be elaborated by the relevant United Nations bodies.

The target country should exert all possible efforts to facilitate equitable distribution and sharing of humanitarian assistance.

Having assumed great importance for a large number of countries, specific sanctions regimes would necessitate the submission of special reports by the Security Council to the General Assembly for its consideration.

The Secretary-General in his "Supplement to an Agenda for Peace" noted that there was an urgent need for action to respond to the expectations raised by Article 50 of the Charter. He also noted that sanctions were measures taken collectively and that the costs involved in their application should be borne equitably by all Member States.

More frequently resorted to in the recent past, sanctions have been causing problems of an economic nature in third countries. The importance of the subject has been reflected in intensive consideration of the question in its conceptual and specific forms by the General Assembly in the last few years.

Taking into account the importance of the resolutions adopted by consensus, the Security Council, the General Assembly and other relevant organs should intensify their efforts to address the special economic problems of third countries affected by sanctions regimes. They should also take into consideration the proposals presented on the subject during the debate in the Informal Open-Ended Working Group of the General Assembly on an Agenda for Peace and other relevant bodies.

Bearing in mind that this question has been under intensive discussion in the Sixth Committee and that those discussions are to continue during the fifty-second session of the General Assembly, it is agreed that this aspect should be addressed in an appropriate manner by the Sixth Committee during that session.

Security Council resolutions should include more precise mandates for sanctions committees, including a standard approach to be followed by the committees.

The mandates of sanctions committees should be such that they can be fulfilled in practical terms.

While noting the improvements in the functioning of the sanctions committees following upon the notes by the President of the Security Council of 29 March 1995,⁶ 31 May 1995⁷ and 24 January 1996⁸ and that all committees are already working on the basis of those notes, it is recognized that the process needs to be encouraged and further developed.

⁶Official Records of the Security Council, Fiftieth Year, Supplement for January, February and March 1995, document S/1995/234.

⁷Ibid., Supplement for April, May and June 1995, document S/1995/438.

⁸Ibid., Fifty-first Year, Supplement for January, February and March 1996, document S/1996/54.

The sanctions committees should give priority to handling applications for the supply of humanitarian goods meant for the civilian population. Those applications should be dealt with expeditiously.

The sanctions committees should give priority to the humanitarian problems that could arise from the application of sanctions. Whenever they consider that a humanitarian problem is about to arise in a target country, such a situation should immediately be brought to the attention of the Security Council. The committees may suggest changes in specific sanctions regimes to address particular humanitarian issues with a view to taking urgent corrective steps.

Likewise, when a committee considers that a sanctions enforcement problem has arisen, it should bring the situation to the attention of the Security Council. The committees may suggest changes in specific sanctions regimes to address particular enforcement issues with a view to taking urgent corrective steps.

Further improvements in the working methods of sanctions committees that promote transparency, fairness and effectiveness and help the committees to speed up their deliberations are necessary.

Measures additional to those contemplated in the aforementioned notes by the President of the Security Council might include, among others, improvements in the decision-making procedures of the sanctions committees and the possibility for affected States to implement more effectively their right to make representation to the committees against their decisions.

Improvements in the "authorized signatory system" should be sought so that delays in clearing proposals may be avoided. The reasons for putting applications on hold or blocking them should be immediately communicated to the applicant.

The practice of hearing technical presentations of information by organizations assisting in the enforcement of Security Council sanctions during closed meetings of the sanctions committees should be continued, while respecting the existing procedures followed by such committees. The target or affected countries, as well as concerned organizations, should be better able to exercise the right of explaining or presenting their points of view to the sanctions committees. The presentations should be expert and comprehensive.

Sanctions committee secretariats should be adequately staffed, from within existing resources. This is necessary to expedite the processing of applications and the giving of clearances.

Sanctions committees could analyse available information so as to determine whether regimes are being effectively implemented. They could bring their conclusions and, if appropriate, recommendations in this respect to the attention of the Security Council.

Clarifying statements and decisions by the sanctions committees are an important contribution to the uniform application of a given sanctions regime. Such statements and decisions must be consistent with Security Council resolutions and with one another.

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

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