The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) will host the 2025 Challenges Annual Forum (CAF25) from 14–16 October 2025 in Accra, Ghana, bringing together leading policymakers, practitioners, and academics from around the world to examine the future of United Nations peace operations.
Under the theme “Adapt and Advance: Renewing the Impact of Peace Operations,” the Forum will provide a strategic and action-oriented platform to support the United Nations Secretary-General’s Review of all Forms of UN Peace Operations, initiated as part of the UN80 initiative and the Pact for the Future adopted by the General Assembly.
Jointly pledged by Sweden and Ghana at the 2023 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, the 2025 Forum will be hosted in partnership with the Challenges Forum International Secretariat and the KAIPTC. This collaboration underscores Ghana’s growing role as a regional and global leader in peacebuilding, stability, and multilateral cooperation.
Responding to Evolving Global Challenges
As geopolitical tensions rise and polarization deepens, peace operations worldwide face increasing operational, financial, and political pressures. CAF25 seeks to respond to these challenges by generating practical and innovative proposals to adapt and strengthen peace operations—particularly in regions most affected, such as West Africa and the Sahel.
Through dialogue grounded in lessons learned and best practices, participants will seek to define key political and operational prerequisites for success, explore sustainable approaches to peacebuilding, and propose new models of cooperation among the UN, regional organizations, and local stakeholders.
Exploring Transformative Themes
CAF25 will feature three Innovation Labs, designed to explore the critical transformations required for peace operations to remain fit for purpose in a rapidly changing global landscape. The discussions will focus on:
1. Strengthening the Role of Regional Organizations:
Examining how institutions like the African Union and ECOWAS can play a more proactive role in addressing conflict and instability, and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023) on financing for African-led peace support operations.
2. Integrating Climate Change into Peacebuilding:
Exploring the intersection between climate change and conflict, and how peace operations can incorporate climate adaptation and mitigation strategies to promote resilience and prevent future conflicts.
3. Leveraging New Technologies:
Assessing how emerging technologies—such as artificial intelligence, drones, and digital platforms—can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of peace operations, while addressing challenges such as misinformation, disinformation, and digital divides.
Driving Global Dialogue from Ghana
The hosting of CAF25 in Accra by KAIPTC reinforces Ghana’s commitment to global peace and security, while positioning Accra as a hub for international dialogue on peace operations and multilateral collaboration.
Speaking ahead of the Forum, KAIPTC leadership emphasized that the discussions will be forward-looking and solution-driven, aimed at supporting the UN’s core mandate to advance peace and security through cooperation, prevention, and inclusive engagement.
CAF25 promises to be a landmark gathering—one that not only reflects on past lessons but also charts a renewed course for effective, adaptable, and sustainable peace operations across the globe.