On October 4, 2015, in the new building of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, MOD, RA (which is going to be transformed into the National Defense Research University, MOD, RA) the Partner-State Committee’s Meeting of the International Forum Challenges of Peace Operations took place – preceding the Challenges Annual Forum launched in Yerevan on October 5. The Committee is an international cooperation body, which has played a key role contributing to the development of the UN’s current Peacekeeping Strategy. This is the international governing body of the Forum and decides the main priorities of the Forum’s activities. The coordination of the Committee’s activities is implemented by the International Secretariat, the headquarters of which is in Sweden.
The States in the Committee are represented by one or several agencies, as well as by non-governmental organizations. The Republic of Armenia became the Forum’s Member in 2014 and is represented by the Institute for National Strategic Studies, MOD, RA. The Committee’s Session in Yerevan was attended by representatives from Armenia, Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the US.
At the beginning of the Session the Members of the Committee expressed their gratitude to the Institute for National Strategic Studies, particularly, to the Head of the Institute, Advisor to the RA Minister of Defense, Doctor of Political Science, Professor, Major General Hayk Kotanjian for organizing the Annual Forum and the Session of the Committee in Armenia at a high level.
Challenges Forum is the most reputable international organization in the field of peacekeeping, which includes 22 members – among them 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council.
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Taking into consideration the fact that the Republic of Armenia gained significant experience in the field of peace operations, as well as the successful organization of the International Strategic Policy Forum “The Integration of National and Regional Peacekeeping Capacities into the Global System of Peace Operations Based on the Principles and Standards of the UN”, organized by the Institute for National Strategic Studies MOD, RA, the CSTO Secretariat and the Joint Staff of the CSTO, the Challenges Forum made a decision to hold the Annual Forum 2015 in Armenia.
The holding of the Forum is critical, particularly in the light of the latest tensions in international relations in different regions, in particular, under the rising violence in the Middle East. On September 29, 2015, the importance of holding this Forum in Armenia was emphasized by the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York during his meeting with the RA President Serzh Sargsyan. The Republic of Armenia actively engages in peace operations, implemented under the roof of the UN and NATO.
This International Forum became the first international expert-level discussion dedicated to the peacekeeping strategic perspectives after the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly and the UN Peacekeeping Summit. In this regard, the Forum discussed ways of implementing the recommendations of the Report of the UN Secretary General’s Independent High-level Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO).
Challenges Annual Forum 2015 “Institution- and Capacity Building for Peace: Implications of the UN Review Panel’s Recommendations for Future Missions” was held on October 5-6. The Forum was attended by 100 representatives from 21 states.
During Challenges Annual Forum 2015 “Institution- and Capacity Building for Peace: Implications of the UN Review Panel’s Recommendations for Future Missions”, held in Yerevan, the RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, and Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations of the UN Edmond Mulet delivered welcoming speeches.
Taking into account the great importance of the Forum and its impact on the synchronization of the leading experts’ ideas about peacekeeping issues covering the scope of the World Peace, General Hayk Kotanjian suggested to rename the Forum as the Global Forum for the Challenges of Peace Operations and asked Partners’ Committee to consider the proposal and to make a decision at the next Partners’ Meeting.