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UN Volunteers building peace over the years: reflections of Sukehiro Hasegawa | UNV (22/07/2021)
As UNV turns 50, we feature an interview with Sukehiro Hasegawa, former Deputy Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme from 1987 to 1993. Mr Hasegawa helped transform UNV from primarily a community development organization into a strong partner for UN peacekeeping efforts. Find out more about Mr Hasegawa’s reflections on our mandate, work and partners 30 years ago.
UN Special Envoy for Myanmar, Christine Bergner, met on May 26, 2021, with former UN Special Representatives and Japanese Ambassadors at the Kyoto International Peacebuilding Center in Tokyo. During her stay in Tokyo, the UN Special Envoy also met with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi and Senior Political Leaders ETO Seishiro, AISAWA Ichiro and NAKAGAWA Masaharu. (25/07/2021)
UN Secretary-General`s Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Bergner met with Yasushi AKASHI (Former SRSG for Cambodia, former Yugoslavia) Sukehiro HASEGAWA (Former SRSG for Timor-Leste) Tadamichi YAMAMOTO (Former SRSG for Afghanistan) at the Kyoto International Peacebuilding Center on the Tokyo Gaien Campus on May 26, 2021. Former Japanese Ambassadors to the United Nations, Kenzo OSHIMA, Takahiro SNINYO and Toshiya HOSHINO also participated in the meeting along with Mr. Takahiro NIWA, Chairman of the Council of the Kyoto International Peacebuilding Center.
Kwansei University Open Online Lecture: Professor Sukehiro Hasegawa presents “Lessons Learned from UN Peace Operations in Rwanda and Timor-Leste” (23/06/2021)
Please click here for a detailed announcement.
A Conversation with Former President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta on Myanmar, COVID-19 and the New World. (11/06/2021)
Click here for the report of this conversation.
The Japanese parliament, known as Diet, condemned on June 8, 2021 the coup d’état staged by the Tatmadaw – the Burmese military. (08/06/2021)
During his online conversation with Japanese diplomats and scholars, former President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate José Ramos-Horta praised Japan for upholding the principle of democratic governance. He was referring to the resolution passed by the Lower House on June 8, 2021, which condemned the coup d’état staged by the Myanmar military. The resolution, adopted by a majority vote in the Lower House, demanded early restoration of democratic governance in Myanmar.
ACUNS President Lise Morjé Howard presents Three Essentials of Power in Peacekeeping (03/06/2021)
The extensive literature on UN peace operations has provided practitioners and academics with a breadth of explanations and answers to the fundamental question of whether or not UN peacekeeping works. In her book, Power in Peacekeeping, Lise Morjé Howard presents an empirically grounded theory of how peacekeepers actually exercise power. She offers a new typology that explains how peacekeeping differs from other forms of intervention and identifies three essentials of power in peacekeeping: persuasion, inducement, and coercion.
Japan must use its special relationship with Myanmar to facilitate peace (07/05/2021)
Here is a proposal by 3 former Japanese Special Representatives of the Secretary-General of the United Nation and 3 former Japanese Ambassadors to the United Nations. Please click here for the full text that appeared in the Japan Times.
The Advisory Statement and Recommendations on Myanmar addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Toshimitsu MOTEGI was drawn up by three former SRSGs, Yasushi AKASHI (Cambodia and Former Yugoslavia), Sukehiro HASEAWA (Timor-Leste), Tadamichi YAMAMOTO (Afghanistan) and three Japanese Ambassadors to the United Nations, Kenzo OSHIMA (2004~2007), Takahiro SHINYO (2006~2008) and Toshiya HOSHINO (2017~2020).
Please click here for the Advisory Statement and Recommendations.
JAPAN’S APPROACH TO MYANMAR: DIPLOMATIC LEADERSHIP OR BUSINESS AS USUAL? (15/04/2021)
Aleksandra Babovic and Arbenita Sopaji, two members of the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan (GPAJ), examine Japan`s approach to the Myanmar crisis in their article published by the Institute for Policy Studies dated April 5, 2021. Please click here for full article.
Assistant Secretary-General Babacar Cisse explains the United Nations African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID)`s Transition from Peacekeeping to Peace Building in Darfur (08/03/2021)
Ambassador Tadamichi Yamamoto, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General; Ilidio Ximenes da Cost, Timorese Ambassador of Timor-Leste to Japan; Yasuhiro Ueki, Professor of Sophia University and Former UN Spokesperson; Takaaki Mizuno, Lecturer at Tokyo University and Hosei University; Keiichi Tanabe, Associate Professor, Department of International Studies, School of Humanities and Culture, Tokai University; Mayumi Yamada, Assistant Professor, College of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University; Naoko Kumagai, Vice President of GPAJ and Associate Professor of Aoyama Gakuin University join the debate on the transition process. Please click here for full report.
ASG Babacar Cisse for UNMID will make a briefing on the plan of transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding on Tuesday, March 2, at 10:00 am Japan time (27/02/2021)
Please see the attached program of the briefing session and send an email message to the organizer: Ms. Arbenita Sopaj (arbenitasopaj[@]gmail.com) by Monday, March 1, 2021.
Four GPAJ students made presentations of their research findings on political and security situations in Africa: “Fragility of Peace Agreement in South Sudan,” and “Transition of the dynamics of the armed groups in Sahel region.” They also discussed “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” (27/02/2021)
Members of the Global Peacebuilding Association of Japan issues their Statement of the Currently Situation in Myanmar (24/02/2021)
They call upon the UN Security Council to establish a special political mission to pursue the Primacy of Politics approach advocated by the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations in 2015 and focus on the political solution to the current conflict in Myanmar; to enable Myanmar`s armed forces, the NLD and any other stakeholders in Myanmar to resolve their differences in a peaceful manner and restore democratic governance, the rule of law and human rights.