United Nations Security Council Resolution 2185 – United Nations peacekeeping operations

Resolution 2185 (2014)

The Security Council,

Recalling its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security,

Recalling its resolutions 2151 (2014) on security sector reform, 2167 (2014) and 2086 (2013) on United Nations peacekeeping operations, 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians, 1325 (2000) and all subsequent resolutions on women, peace and security, 2143 (2014) and previous resolutions on children and armed conflict, 2117 (2013) on small arms and light weapons, and the statements of its President of 21 February 2014 on the rule of law (S/PRST/2014/5) and 20 December 2012 on post-conflict peacebuilding (S/PRST/2012/29), as well as other relevant resolutions and statements of its President,

Reiterating the need for a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention and sustainable peace, which comprises operational and structural measures for the prevention of armed conflict and addresses its root causes, including through strengthening the rule of law at international and national levels and promoting sustained economic growth, poverty eradication, social development, sustainable development, national reconciliation, good governance, democracy, gender equality and respect for, and protection of, human rights,

Stressing that the success of the mandates of peacekeeping operations and special political missions requires close cooperation between the different elements of these missions under the overall leadership of the Head of Mission,

Reaffirming its commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including its commitment to and respect for the principles of political independence, sovereign equality and territorial integrity of all States in conducting all peacekeeping activities and the need for States to comply with their obligations under international law,

Reaffirming that respect for the basic principles of peacekeeping, including consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force, except in self-defence and defence of the mandate, is essential to the success of peacekeeping operations,

Recognizing that the mandate of each peacekeeping operation and special political mission is specific to the needs and situation of the country concerned,

Reaffirming the principles of impartiality, consent of the parties, national ownership and national responsibility, and stressing the significance of the views of and dialogue with countries hosting special political missions,

Noting that host-State policing institutions are often the primary link between the government and communities on security issues, and reiterating that professional, effective, accountable, and accessible law enforcement, corrections, and judicial institutions are necessary to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and national development,

Acknowledging the significant growth in the role of Police Components as an integral part of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions, and the increasingly diverse and complex policing-related tasks in the mandates of such operations and missions, noting that Police Components can include both uniformed United Nations Police officers and civilian policing experts, noting the distinct roles performed by Individual Police Officers (IPOs) and Formed Police Units (FPUs) and the increasing demand for these different capacities, stressing that use of these capacities should be based on the situation and the needs of the host State and noting the necessity of aligning tasks of United Nations police components with missions’ mandated tasks,

Stressing that United Nations policing-related work makes an invaluable contribution to peacekeeping, post-conflict peacebuilding, security, the rule of law, and the creation of a basis for development,

Recalling that policing-related aspects of mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions may include support for the reform, restructuring and development of host State policing and other law enforcement institutions; providing operational support to host-State policing and other law enforcement institutions; and conducting interim policing and other law enforcement,

Underlining the importance of close coordination of the range of United Nations policing activities, both at headquarters and in the field, in particular between Security Council-mandated missions and the United Nations Country Team, as appropriate, and encouraging relevant United Nations entities mandated to undertake policing activities to work through existing coordination mechanisms, as appropriate, Noting that United Nations Police Components face a range of challenges, including a need for specialized skills and equipment and to ensure a unified policing approach, given the various policing models across police -contributing countries,

Recalling reports of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of the General Assembly which have provided guidance to the United Nations Secretariat on the subject of United Nations policing, including the development of a United Nations standardized approach to policing, and recognising the inclusive consultative process undertaken by the Police Division of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in the development of the Strategic Guidance Framework for International Police Peacekeeping,

Emphasizing the importance of Member States contributing police with professional skills, experience and expertise to carry out the mandated tasks, who are appropriately trained and vetted and, where appropriate, operationally ready and deployed with the full complement of contingent-owned equipment, welcomingcooperation between the United Nations, police-contributing countries, other member states and relevant regional and international organizations to help ensure FPUs are properly trained and equipped, and underscoring the importance of such cooperation,

Noting the increasing use of modern technologies by United Nations Police Components, including information and communication technologies such as closed circuit television, specialized crime data software and geographic information mapping systems, and other technologies such as advanced metal detectors, laboratory equipment and drug, explosive and ballistic detection and analysis systems, to increase their abilities to carry out their mandates efficiently and effectively and to enhance their safety and security, and encouraging the United Nations Secretariat to ensure that these technologies, when deployed, are integrated effectively into United Nations policing work consistent with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the basic principles of peacekeeping, and that the confidentiality of all data gathered by such assets is preserved as detailed in relevant specific procedures,

Welcoming the announcement of the Secretary-General of a comprehensive review of United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions and taking note of the announcement of the Secretary-General of the establishment of a high level independent panel to conduct the review,

Noting the designation of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the United Nations Development Programme as the joint global focal point for police, justice and corrections areas,

Recalling the sovereign right and the primary responsibility of the State concerned to determine the national approach and priorities of security sector reform, including reform of policing and other law enforcement institutions, and recognizing that such reform should be a nationally owned process that is roote d in the particular needs and conditions of the country in question and encouraging the development of expertise in the field of security sector reform at the national level,

Noting the important role that United Nations Police Components can play in supporting, and coordinating international support for, reform of host State policing institutions and building policing capacity in a comprehensive way that emphasizes a community-oriented approach and is integrated with other areas of security sector reform and the rule of law,

Emphasising that good governance and oversight of policing and law enforcement services, within the framework of a functional justice and corrections system, are important in ensuring that those services are accountable, responsive and capable of serving the population,

Highlighting the important role that United Nations Police Components can play, where mandated, in consultation with the host State and in collaboration with other components, in supporting host States to uphold their primary responsibility to protect civilians as well as respect and ensure the human rights of all individuals within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction, including inter alia through:

monitoring and deterrence, early warning and prevention, support to basic safety and security, physical protection, creating protective environments, assisting national security sector reform programs, capacity building, and political engagement with host-State counterparts,

Reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding, stressing the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision-making with regard to conflict prevention and resolution, including in relation to policing and the rule of law,

Taking note of and encouraging the increased participation of female police in United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions, thereby contributing to the effectiveness of relevant mandate implementation, including by providing diverse perspectives which can assist in building trust with local communities; improving the protection of women and children from violence and abuse; and facilitating gender-sensitive police approaches and mentoring,

Recalling the launch of the United Nations Global Effort in 2009 to promote an increase in the percentage of female police officers in United Nations peacekeeping missions to 20 per cent by 2014, welcoming the increase in female police in peacekeeping operations since the launch of the United Nations Global Effort, and encouraging States and the United Nations Secretary-General to strengthen efforts to support the realisation of the 20 per cent goal,

Recognizing innovative practices to improve the success of United Nations policing in recognizing specific needs of women in conflict and post-conflict environments, including the need for protection from sexual and gender-based violence and for community strategies that reflect women’s needs, such as the deployment of women within FPUs and the establishment of special protection units,

Reiterating that the protection of children in armed conflict should be an important aspect of any comprehensive strategy to resolve conflict and build peace, reiterating in this regard the importance of providing United Nations Police Components with specialized pre-deployment and in-mission training on mission-specific child protection and on appropriate comprehensive child-sensitive prevention and protection responses, as well as monitoring and reporting on violations and abuses committed against children, and stressing the importance of enhancing coordination between Police Components and child protection advisers as well as gender and women protection advisers,

Highlighting the important role that United Nations Police Components can play in building the capacity of host-State policing and other law enforcement institutions, as mandated, to address organized crime, particularly through support in the areas of border, immigration and maritime security and crime prevention, response and investigation,

Highlighting that impartial, responsive, accountable, community-oriented police institutions with well-trained personnel can help to counter violent extremism, including through building trust and dialogue between state authorities and communities,

Noting the role that Police Components can play in assisting host governments in implementation and compliance monitoring of Council-mandated sanctions measures including, where mandated, through provision of advice and assistance,

Recognizing the role that regional and subregional organizations can play in post-conflict peacebuilding including security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament,demobilization and reintegration (DDR), rule of law, recovery, reconstruction and development processes, including through support for host State policing and other law enforcement institutions, and affirming the importance of interaction and cooperation between peacekeeping operations and special political missions and regional and subregional organizations and arrangements,

Paying tribute to the memory of United Nations peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace, and in this regard, underscoring the importance of safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers, expressing grave concern about the security threats and targeted attacks against United Nations peacekeepers in many peacekeeping missions that constitute a major challenge to United Nations peacekeeping operations, condemning in the strongest terms killing of and all acts of violence against United Nations peacekeeping personnel, and emphasizing that perpetrators of such attacks must be brought to justice,

Reaffirming that the primary responsibility for the security and protection of personnel employed by the United Nations system organizations rests with the host Government, and noting that complementary to the host Government responsibility, the safety and security of individually deployed police personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations and special political missions, including, but not limited to United Nations police officers, or members of FPUs when not deployed with their unit, falls under the security arrangements of the United Nations Security Management System,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 7317th meeting, on 20 November 2014.