Peace operations face high expectations in the host country, including among national security actors and the local population. For this reason, it is essential to engage with national partners to ensure that the mission meets people’s needs at the national and local level, and to help sustain consent. The host government is the principal partner in this endeavour. Interaction between the mission and the host government should be strengthened with a view to restoring government control, keeping the peace process alive and managing any potential relapse into violent conflict. The host country’s military and police leaders play key roles in supporting the national political processes. Accordingly, the mission’s FC and Police Commissioner will need to closely engage with the leadership of the national security organizations to reinforce UN messaging and approaches to the political process at the highest level.

At the same time, direct community engagement is necessary to improve the mission’s understanding of local realities, and to help design better political and protection strategies. The mission should, in close collaboration with the UNCT, also act as a bridge between the local population and the host government, thereby facilitating a more inclusive and sustainable political process. With the support of national partners, the mission can deliver more effectively and help promote national/local ownership. At the community level, the UN military but to a larger extent the UN Police component regularly engages with cross-sections of communities, and with the national police. In doing so, it strives to strengthen those relations which are central to creating safe and secure communities, thereby enabling an environment in which political processes are more likely to succeed.

3.1.1 Operational activities

The mission’s operational activities to support this output include:

• Managing the host country’s expectations concerning the mission’s objectives and deliverables.
• Developing a political strategy to guide and inform the mission’s responses and ensure that the peace and conflict analysis, identifying drivers of peace and conflict as well as interests and power basis of key stakeholder, continually informs and shapes the political strategy. Local perspectives – particularly those of women – should be mainstreamed in the design and implementation of such political strategies.
• Providing advice and support to the host government to re-establish state authority.
• Consulting with the local population on its protection needs and concerns to gain improved situational awareness.
• Ensuring that an appropriate mix of male and female personnel are well-placed to engage with the host government and local communities to allow the mission to interact with all stakeholders within society.
• Promoting relations between the host government and the local population through confidence-building measures.

3.1.3 Responsibilities and coordination

The HoM is expected to maintain a channel of communication with high-level government officials in order to support the political process and reinforce the principle of consent. Mission personnel, including the UNCT, are also expected to work closely with national counterparts to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills. In addition, employing national staff as Community Liaison Assistants can facilitate the

military and police components’ engagement with the local community. The Civil Affairs team also plays a key role in gathering data and delivering information from the field to senior leaders. Strong coordination is required on the part of the MLT to ensure unity of vision and message.

3.1.4 Resources

To perform its political functions effectively, the mission will require a strong political and civil affairs team to keep abreast of political developments in the host country, identify potential tensions, and use the mission’s good offices to engage with government counterparts, community and/or traditional leaders and civil society. Programmatic funding for quick impact projects can also be tapped to build confidence in the mission, the mandate and the peace process. Substantive and political support from DPO, DPPA and other entities in the UN are also available.