UNITE Aware

UNITE Aware

Part of: Prelims and GS – II – Important International institutions, agencies

In news External Affairs Minister has announced the rollout of a situational awareness platform in partnership with the UN — ‘UNITE Aware’ — to help enhance the safety of UN peacekeepers. 

• This was announced during the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate on technology and peacekeeping.

What is UNITE AWARE?

• UNITE AWARE is a mobile tech platform developed by India to provide terrain-related information to the UN peacekeepers so as to ensure their safety. 
• It is being developed in partnership with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Operational Support. 
• India has spent 1.64 million USD for this project.
• This initiative is based on the expectation that an entire peacekeeping operation can be visualized, coordinated, and monitored on a real-time basis. 

What is peacekeeping? 

• The United Nations Peacekeeping operations are policing and peacebuilding actions carried out by the UN to bring order and stability in wartorn nations.
• Every peacekeeping mission is authorized by the Security Council.
• Composition:
  • Peacekeeping forces are contributed by member states on a voluntary basis.
  • UN peacekeepers (often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets) can include soldiers, police officers, and civilian personnel.
  • Civilian staff of peace operations are international civil servants, recruited and deployed by the UN Secretariat.
• UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles:
  • Consent of the parties.
  • Impartiality.
  • Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.

Do you know?

• The top 5 providers of assessed contributions to United Nations Peacekeeping operations for 2020-2021 are:
  • United States (27.89%).
  • China (15.21%).
  • Japan (8.56%).
  • Germany (6.09%).
  • United Kingdom (5.79%).

News source: TH