In its evaluation of political affairs in peacekeeping missions, the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) determined, as systematically and objectively as possible, the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of political affairs components in peacekeeping missions. It focused specifically on two intermediate political affairs outcomes: the establishment of peace agreements and achievement of political dialogue. The evaluation covered five peacekeeping missions, in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Mali and South Sudan. Both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used, including staff and stakeholder surveys, staff and stakeholder interviews, document reviews, social
media analyses and analyses of secondary data from conflict databases and local population surveys.
In some but not all instances, peace agreements and political dialogues have helped to reduce conflict and tensions in the five peacekeeping countries. This raises questions about the relevance of some of these outcomes for sustaining peace. The level of fatalities in the Central African Republic and Mali was reduced in those specific areas where a local peace agreement had been signed, although the level of fatalities in Mali increased overall. Specifically, the level of fatalities in those areas dropped by 33 per cent and 64 per cent in Mali and the Central African Republic
respectively after local peace agreements were signed. In South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the level of fatalities in those specific areas with a local peace agreement remained unchanged. Political dialogues also appeared to have made a positive difference to reducing tensions.
Year Published | |
Type | |
Theme/s | |
Joint | No |
Partner/s | N/A |
SDG/s | |
Focal Point Email | ied@un.org |
Managed by Independent Evaluation Office | Yes |
Geographic Scope | Global |
Country/ies |