New York, 05th November, 2025
The global conversation on the future of peace operations took centre stage at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where the Challenges Forum Key Takeaways 2025 (CAF25) was launched.
The event, hosted jointly by the Permanent Missions of Sweden and Ghana to the United Nations, built on the insights and recommendations generated at the Challenges Annual Forum 2025 held in October 2025 in Accra, Ghana, and hosted by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). Representing the KAIPTC at the New York event were Air Commodore David Akrong, Acting Commandant of the Centre, and Dr. Emma Birikorang, Director, Applied Research and Innovation in Peace and Security.
Dr. Birikorang, speaking during the high-level session, reiterated key outcomes from the Accra Forum, emphasising that “the future of peace operations will depend on how effectively the UN, AU, and sub-regional organisations in Africa work together in genuine partnership.” She noted that while discussions on partnership are not new, there remains a “trust gap” that must be addressed through “shared legitimacy, burden sharing, and mutual accountability.”
She further stressed that complementarity among international and regional actors goes beyond coordination — and requires clearly defined roles anchored in comparative advantages. “The UN brings global legitimacy, the AU offers regional political leverage, and sub-regional organisations like ECOWAS and SADC provide contextual understanding and early warning capabilities,” she said.
Highlighting another critical insight from CAF25, Dr. Birikorang underscored the importance of institutionalising cooperation beyond crisis response. She called for “standing coordination platforms that link political, operational, and financial planning to ensure coherence across the spectrum of peace operations.”
In his remarks, Air Commodore Akrong expressed satisfaction with how the Accra deliberations have gained traction at the global level. He emphasised that the evolving nature of conflict requires innovation and flexibility in peace operations. “We cannot continue to do things the same way,” he said. “Eighty years of UN peacekeeping experience have shown that freedom of action, flexibility, and agility are key to managing conflict. Our mission designs must reflect this reality.”
