The recommended new approach been submitted to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by a team of experts headed up by Brazilian lieutenant general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, a former UN commander in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ends intro

The specialist report recommends that the United Nations and troop- and police-contributing countries need to adapt to a new reality.

The blue helmet and the United Nations flag no longer offer natural protection, it says.

Hostile forces don’t understand a language other than force. To deter and repel attacks and to defeat attackers, the United Nations needs to be strong and not fear to use force when necessary.

The post UN report says peacekeepers must use force to protect themselves appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

A US-based watchdog group says the blue helmets cowered under fire and teargassed civilians seeking shelter at their base.

The Centre for Civilians in Conflict known as CIVIC says the United Nations needs to ensure transparency and accountability for the inadequate response of its peacekeepers during the July crisis in Juba.

CIVIC says the UN Security Council should immediately impose an arms embargo, both to help protect civilians from further harm and in response to the national government’s obstruction of the UN Mission in South Sudan.

The US-based group says in its 84-page report that parties to the four days of intense fighting Juba killed and injured civilians in displaced persons camps.

Government forces also broke into a hotel and apartment complex to brutally attack international and national aid workers.

The post UN peacekeepers failed to protect civilians in South Sudan appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu say they must act fast or there will be nothing left for them.

Ends intro

South Africa’s asking the United Nations to do things differently when procuring equipment for peacekeepers, says Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu,

She tells a joint UN South Africa gathering in Pretoria that countries where blue helmets are deployed should get a greater  piece of the pie.

But small and/ medium enterprises from her country must start looking further afield

(Take in Zulu clip here)

Zulu says South African business must stop thinking that changing people’s lives  is the exclusive role of the government.

The post Small business must break out of comfort zone – minister appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.

The UN backed out of a planned joint operation in the Congo this year, saying the two Congolese generals in charge have been involved in massive human rights violations.

Congolese president Joseph Kabila wants the blue helmets’ mission cut dramatically.

UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous insists this depends on the security situation and progress against the multiple armed groups in the mineral-rich region.

The post UN to strike Congolese rebels with or without Kinshasa’s help appeared first on Jean-Jacques Cornish.