ZIF co-hosted the Challenges Annual Forum 2024 in Berlin

The Centre for International Peace Operations (ZIF), together with the Challenges Forum Secretariat from Stockholm, was co-host the Challenges Annual Forum 2024 (CAF24) on 3 and 4 December 2024 in Berlin under the motto ‘Shaping the Next Generation of Peace Operations’. With high-profile guests and a diverse programme, the forum aimed to provide impetus for the future shaping of peace operations.

High-calibre participants and an exciting programme

The two-day event brought together leading players from the United Nations, international politics, civil society and academia. ZIF was delighted to welcome Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jonathan Titus Williams, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, Elizabeth Spehar, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding, Bintou Keita, Head of the UN Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) and Christoph Heusgen, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, among others, to Berlin.

The Challenges Annual Forum 2024 (CAF24) offered a diverse programme that included inspiring panel discussions, interactive workshops and pointed keynotes. A central item on the programme was the high-level panel ‘Ensuring Political and Strategic Prerequisites for Successful Peace Operations’. The panellists discussed which political and strategic prerequisites needed to be created in order to make peace operations more effective in the future. Another highlight was the session ‘It Takes a Village: Exploring Partnerships for Sustaining Peace’, which emphasised the importance of inclusive partnerships in peacebuilding.

The interactive Innovation Labs, in which participants addressed pressing challenges for the future of peace missions, were particularly exciting. Topics such as the development of political solutions, the adaptability and effectiveness of peace missions and greater integration into local peace processes took centre stage. These labs offered a platform to develop new approaches and concrete models.

A platform for global and inclusive cooperation

“The Challenges Annual Forum is characterised by a particularly inclusive approach that encompasses all levels,” says Dr. Annika Hansen, Team Leader Policy, Partnerships & Innovation at ZIF. ‘The presence of institutions from India, Egypt and Ghana as well as the involvement of civil society organisations, which often make the decisive difference on the ground, are key to developing sustainable solutions in the current global situation. We incorporate perspectives outside of institutionalised discussion groups and bring everyone to the table!’

Founded in 1996, the International Forum for the Challenges of Peace Operations (Challenges Forum) is a global network with around 50 partner organisations from 24 countries, including major troop and police contributors and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The Forum provides a neutral platform for dialogue on the further development and reform of peace operations. It connects political and operational actors, promotes innovative approaches and develops recommendations for action to strengthen the planning, implementation and evaluation of international peace missions. The Challenges Forum is led by a committee consisting of the partner organisations and is managed by the Secretariat in Stockholm.

- The panel discussions in plenary will all be streamed live on the Challenges Forum YouTube channel. 

- To the event info page including the programme