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During a recent address to ambassadors at the Security Council, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, who leads UN peace operations, emphasized the urgent need for transformation in peacekeeping strategies. He stated, “Ceasefire monitoring can no longer be just about being present; it is about rapidly understanding and acting on what is happening on the ground.” Lacroix noted that technological advancements are enhancing the ability of peacekeepers, or ‘blue helmets’, to monitor expansive and intricate areas in nearly real-time, reducing the dependency on a physical presence in conflict zones.
Despite improvements in monitoring technology, Lacroix reiterated that a cohesive political process, supported strongly by Member States and particularly the Security Council, is essential for achieving and maintaining peace.
Dependence on Combatants for Ceasefires
“While peacekeeping can be an integral part of a ceasefire monitoring regime, the success of any ceasefire remains the sole responsibility of the parties [to the agreement],” Lacroix remarked. Lieutenant General Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, the head of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), mirrored these sentiments, stressing the indispensable role of a political framework.
Established in 1978, UNIFIL’s mission has evolved over the decades, most recently outlined in resolution 1701 of 2006. This resolution called for the end of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel after a 34-day war, reinforcing UNIFIL’s tasks to monitor ceasefires, support the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon, and facilitate humanitarian access.
However, the situation was complicated by escalations in conflict involving Israeli forces and Hezbollah following the attacks on October 7, 2023, by Hamas and other Palestinian factions, until a cessation of hostilities was reached in November 2024. Lt. Gen. Lázaro pointed out that “Since this cessation of hostilities, and in the absence of a permanent ceasefire, one of the main obstacles has always been that the parties interpret differently their obligations under resolution 1701 and regarding the cessation of hostilities.”
Countering Misinformation
The rise of misinformation presents another significant challenge, eroding the credibility of UN peacekeepers and increasing local skepticism. This has compelled UNIFIL to modify its operational strategies to strengthen trust and ensure impartiality.
In a statement, Lt. Gen. Lázaro noted that “Effective outreach, fact-checking, and timely responses are critical to safeguarding the mission’s impartiality,” and highlighted that UNIFIL has instituted a structured communication plan to combat misinformation, ensuring that all messaging is rooted in facts and uniform across peacekeeping units. “It is essential that government actors also make public statements to sensitize the population to UNIFIL’s role and mandate, to avoid misperception,” he added.
Similarly, the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is also facing the escalating challenge posed by disinformation, which armed groups utilize to destabilize communities and sabotage peacekeeping operations.
Challenges of Technology Misuse by Armed Groups
Lt. Gen. Ulisses De Mesquita Gomes, the Force Commander of MONUSCO, pointed out the evolving threats faced by peacekeepers, with armed groups increasingly employing modern technologies to elude detection and disseminate misleading narratives. “While important to peacekeeping, surveillance technologies have also been used by armed groups, militias, and criminal networks,” said Lt. Gen. Gomes.
He observed, “In recent months, we have seen armed groups using readily available drones for reconnaissance and exploiting encrypted messaging applications for coordination and propaganda dissemination, effectively sidestepping traditional monitoring methods.” These tactics, compounded by the armed groups’ readiness to operate outside established State control, render them unpredictable and challenging to counter.
To respond to these shifting threats, MONUSCO has revised its strategies to rapidly incorporate new capabilities—from both private industry and contributing nations—within a timeframe of weeks or months, rather than the years typically required for such adaptations.
Source
news.un.org