Global discussions on the future of peace operations was advanced at the United Nations Headquarters in New York with the launch of the Key Takeaways from the Challenges Forum (CAF25). The event aimed at translating the ideas generated at GAF 25, Accra into global policy conversations.
Jointly hosted by the Permanent Missions of Sweden and Ghana to the United Nations, the New York launch built on outcomes from the Challenges Annual Forum 2025, held in October in Accra and hosted by the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC). The Centre was represented by the Acting Commandant, Air Commodore David Akrong, and the Director of Applied Research and Innovation in Peace and Security, Dr. Emma Birikorang.
Speaking during the high-level session, Dr. Birikorang highlighted the central message emerging from the Accra Forum: the future effectiveness of peace operations will depend on stronger, more trusted partnerships between the United Nations, the African Union, and Africa’s sub-regional organisations. She noted that while collaboration is frequently discussed, a persistent trust gap continues to undermine collective action. Addressing this, she st ressed, requires shared legitimacy, equitable burden-sharing, and mutual accountability among partners.
Dr. Birikorang further emphasised that effective partnership must move beyond coordination to true complementarity. This, she explained, requires clearly defined roles grounded in comparative strengths. While the United Nations brings global legitimacy, the African Union offers political leadership at the continental level, and sub-regional organisations such as ECOWAS and SADC contribute deep contextual knowledge and early warning capabilities critical for timely and effective responses, she said.
Another key takeaway from CAF25, she noted, was the need to institutionalize cooperation beyond moments of crisis. Rather than ad hoc arrangements, Dr. Birikorang called for standing coordination platforms that integrate political, operational, and financial planning to ensure coherence across the full spectrum of peace operations. In his remarks, Air Commodore Akrong welcomed the growing global resonance of discussions initiated in Accra. He observed that the changing nature of conflict demands innovation, adaptability, and flexibility in the design and conduct of peace operations. Drawing on decades of peacekeeping experience, he stressed that future missions must be built around agility and freedom of action to respond effectively to complex and evolving threats.