When Mali demanded last month that the U.N. withdraw peacekeepers from its territory “without delay,” it sent a chill through diplomats in New York. Many observers have speculated over whether Mali’s move could presage the end of other U.N. missions in Africa, dealing a blow to the institution’s contribution to security there.
In recent years, civilians in South Sudan have been the victims of attacks by both rebels and government forces, and the U.N. mission has a poor record of protecting them from this violence. To change this, the international community needs to hold the mission’s civilian and military leadership accountable for their failures.
In 2005, the U.N. was still reeling from the rifts caused by the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and diplomats were furiously debating ideas for reforms to the multilateral system. Fast forward to today, and Russia’s war on Ukraine is dominating U.N. diplomacy. Once again, proposals to reform the institution are also topping the agenda.
