25 May 2006

Bonn, Germany: UNV volunteers represent an impressive force in supporting UN peacekeeping operations, the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, Ad de Raad, said today in a message on the upcoming International Day of UN Peacekeepers, 29 May.

Mr. de Raad recognized the thousands of people who are engaged as UNV volunteers with peacekeeping operations worldwide. "This cadre of highly professional and dedicated women and men participate in efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in countries suffering from political insecurity or those recovering from conflict," he says.

In 2005, UNV volunteers constituted more than 30 per cent of international civilian peacekeeping personnel, providing expertise in more than 120 functional categories, from human rights advisers to supply managers, electoral observers to press officers. Beyond their regular scope of duties, UNV volunteers often involve themselves, mission staff and local people in community-level volunteer initiatives. These activities have in many situations provided a neutral avenue to help broker community relations and build local support for the presence of UN peacekeepers.

At present, more than 1,800 UNV volunteers are supporting 13 UN peacekeeping operations in 14 countries: Afghanistan (UNAMA), Burundi (UNOB), Central African Republic (BONUCA), Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE), Georgia (UNOMIG), Haiti (MINUSTAH), Ivory Coast (UNOCI), Kosovo (UNMIK), Liberia (UNMIL), Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), Sudan (UNMIS), and Timor-Leste (UNOTIL).

The UNV Executive Coordinator also highlighted the role of UNV volunteers in helping bring about democratic elections in the past year in Afghanistan, Burundi, Haiti and Liberia. He cited efforts underway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where UNV volunteers together with Congolese counterparts are preparing for the country’s first elections in four decades.

In DR Congo, more than 150 UNV volunteers are attached to the electoral arm of the UN Mission there (MONUC). The majority are stationed in remote towns and villages to engage the local population in the electoral process and prepare for the upcoming vote, which is scheduled for July. An emphasis is placed on women and other marginalized groups in the country to encourage their participation and inclusion in the election. UNV volunteers are equally active in the logistics of organizing the vote in a country the size of Western Europe. This includes administrative and technical backstopping in the regions, identifying and setting up sub-regional voting centres and helping conduct civic education voter awareness campaigns in hundreds of isolated communities.

Mr. de Raad closed his message by lauding the dedication of peacekeepers and UNV volunteers in helping achieve lasting peace.

"I extend my deepest gratitude to all those engaged in peacekeeping, and salute UN peacekeepers and UNV volunteers for their commitment and dedication to bring about peace in challenging situations. They represent a vital component of collective peace-building efforts."