Peace missions: speeding up the process.

Operational Stability Underscores Rapidly Deployable Mission Headquarters Plan

The United Nations Secretariat has received strong support for the establishment of the Rapidly Deployable Mission Headquarters (RDMHQ). When the Security Council authorizes a new operation, RDMHQ will enable the Secretariat quickly to deploy a cohesive team of essential civilian and military personnel.

Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali had decided in late July to establish RDMHQ within the Secretariat. Since that time, a variety of options for implementation have been explored. The one selected rests on three pillars. First, the Secretariat is determining which functions of RDMHQ could be assigned to existing staff without making it impossible for them to perform their present duties, and then earmarking selected personnel accordingly. Second, a small number of additional personnel will be brought on board for those functions that require full-time attention. These will be made available by Governments. Third, Governments will be invited to nominate candidates who will be earmarked in their home countries, joining RDMHQ as and when required for training purposes, or prior to an envisaged mission.

This approach provides a strong degree of operational stability by incorporating a small number of dedicated staff officers from outside the existing Secretariat, together with those already on staff, who provide institutional memory and knowledge of the United Nations system but cannot be spared to go to the field indefinitely. Therefore, RDMHQ should be in a mission area for no more than three to six months, by which time its personnel would return to New York, having been replaced under the normal procedures for staffing a mission headquarters.

In mid-September, the Secretariat had a useful meeting with the Non-Aligned Movement in this regard. Two things were clear from the discussion: first, there is wide support for a rapidly deployable mission headquarters; and second, many of the developing countries that would like to participate are not in a position to provide military officers at no cost.

How then will RDMHQ be paid for? One possible solution is to place it against the regular organizational budget and the peace-keeping support account. While this may not be possible at the moment given the Organization's financial crisis, it is the optimum method. Peace-keeping, including the ability to deploy quickly in a crisis, is an essential activity of the United Nations and should enjoy secure financing, which cannot be assured but through assessed contributions.

In the meantime, and as an interim measure only, the Secretariat has opened a trust fund for RDMHQ. Some of this fund may be used for the training and equipment costs required to make the RDMHQ operations, but its main purpose is to meet the cost of personnel made available by Governments. It may be necessary to augment these with military officers who serve at no cost to the Organization.

Offers of such personnel, however, do not fill the most crucial gap. For that, generous contributions to the trust fund are required. Without this funding, developing countries will not be able to participate, and the broad legitimacy that RDMHQ must have to survive and to be effective will be diminished.

On the following pages, the UN Chronicle takes a look at current United Nations activities throughout the world in safeguarding, defending and promoting peace.

RELATED ARTICLE: Giving Currency to Ideals

The Republic of San Marino has presented to the United Nations instruments used to mint a special series of coins issued by it: plasters, bronze molds, and reproducing and minting dyes. They depict a series of allegories to express the concept of the responsibilities of the United Nations throughout the world. The "1 Scudi" coin features a dolphin, the "2 Scudi" coin a seagull, and the "5 Scudi" coin a squirrel, so indicating the function of the United Nations: to safeguard and guarantee peace on the sea, in the sky and on the land.

Each coin also carriers: a female figure, symbolizing Humanity; a triangle symbolizing Perfection; and two leaves, olive and oak, symbolizing, respectively, Peace and Strength. The obverse of the three coins features the coat of arms of San Marino.