CIAO DATE: 06/2013
May 2013
This report analyzes the limitation of the UN system for generating contributions of personnel and equipment for peace operations, otherwise known as force generation. United Nations peacekeeping operates the second largest global deployment of troops and yet must do so with no standing or reserve army. This means the UN must constantly mobilize and rotate voluntary contributions of nearly 100,000 uniformed personnel and related equipment from more than 100 different member states. Force generation efforts are therefore of critical importance yet remain relatively understudied. To seize potential opportunities in generating better capabilities to UN operations while also filling capability gaps, the UN must reform the way it thinks about and executes force generation. The report identifies key constraints to the current system in five areas: planning, communication, troop-and-police-contributing country (TCC/PCC) selection, knowledge management, and performance/incentives. The report also makes two types of recommendations. First, it proposes a set of technical and immediate proposals to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of UN force generation. Second, it sketches some more fundamental proposals aimed at strategic reforms to address the most critical force generation issues related to strategic planning and outreach, incentives and mechanisms for greater accountability, and developing capability-driven military planning.
Resource link: Rethinking Force Generation: Filling Capability Gaps in UN Peacekeeping [PDF]