Timely because as rightly indicated by those that have spoken, the world has changed and equally so the theatre in which Pearce Operations takes place. This debate is also taking place on the threshold of milestone developments both at the African Union and the United Nations. The Reviews of UN Peacekeeping Operations and the UN Peace Building Commission, the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations, the preparation of the July 2015 Addis Ababa Conference on Financing for Development and the Humanitarian Summit to take place in Turkey in 2016, the development of a post 2015 development agenda and, the adoption of the African Union agenda 2063.

Africa has also adopted and submitted a Common position on Peace Operations based on: (1) lessons learned from close collaboration with the UN on the entire spectrum from Mediation to post conflict political transitions, peace keeping and peace building; and (2) approximately 70% of Special Political Missions and Peace Keeping Operations of the UN are deployed in Africa and has become the largest regional contributor of UN peace operations and now contributes approximately 45% of the UN’s uniformed peacekeepers.

Available: http://dcpauc.au.int/en/content/statement-deputy-chairperson-high-level-thematic-debate