peacekeeping challenges for small...

PEACEKEEPING CHALLENGES FOR SMALL STATES:THE CASE OF SINGAPORE

LTC SUNIL KUMAR Head Operations Other Than War (OOTW)Doctrine & Training Branch

PEACEKEEPING CHALLENGES FOR SMALL STATES:

THE CASE OF SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES

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SCOPE OF PRESENTATION• Introduction• Dilemmas of Small States• Developing Niche Areas• Knowledge Building• Training• Conclusion





IMPORTANCE OF UN• Maintains International Peace

& Stability• Defuses International Crises• Resolves Conflicts• Undertakes a Range of Missions





DILEMMAS OF SMALL STATES• Small Size and Limited Resources• Singapore Armed Forces

– Conscript Armed Force





SINGAPORE’S INVOLVEMENT• Contribution

– Over 1,500 SAF peacekeepers participated in UN missions

• Approach

TrainingTrainingKnowledge BuildingKnowledge Building

Niche AreasNiche Areas





DEVELOPING NICHE AREAS• Contributions Most Effective

and Valuable



Medical Support- Gulf War (1991)- East Timor (1999 - 2002)





DEVELOPING NICHE AREAS• Platoon Task Force• Company Task Force• Force Commander Group• Helicopter Detachment• UN Standby Arrangement





KNOWLEDGE BUILDING



Two - Pronged Approach- Participation as military observers, peacekeepers and medical personnel- Attend professional UN courses

Secondment to UN DPKO- Better understand parameters andrequirements of UN mission

- Real and constructive means of contribution





PEACEKEEPING TRAINING



PSO Training Prior to Deployment

- Effective from time of deployment- Not a burden to host country or UN





• UN Standby Arrangement System– Singapore signed an MOU with the UN on 21 May 1997

– The UNSAS is only for UN planning purposes; the final decision to deploy any resources for each mission still lies with the Singapore government

– Upon approval by Cabinet, SAF would need to deploy elements within a response time of 4 weeks





• Commitment to the UN Standby Arrangement System

– 2 teams of military observers– 2 teams of Planning Officers– 1 Helicopter Detachment (with 4

helicopters)– 2 x C-130 to assist in deployments– 2 x CASEVAC teams– 1 x Medical team and or Medical staff

attachments to other Medical units





Singapore’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping Operations





• UNTAG– Namibia, 1989– 14 SAF Officers, 48

Police Personnel, 20 civil servants

• UNIKOM– Military Observers at

Iraq- Kuwait Border, – Participated 1991 to

Mar 03 (13 teams)






• UNAVEM II– Angola, 1991- 92– 8 Officers

• UNTAC- Cambodia, 1993

- 4 Super Pumas, - 65 SAF personnel- 166 Police






• UNOMSA– South Africa, 1994– 2 SAF Officers and 3

Police Officers

• MINUGUA– Guatemala, 1997– 5- men medical team






• UNSMA– Afghanistan, 1997-98– 1 Military Adviser






• UNTAET - UN Transitional Administration in East Timor -Feb 00 to May 02

- 4 x PKO HQ staff, - 3 x 61-men Platoon

Task Force in Western Sector

- 9 x 21-men Medical Team - 40 x Police Personnel






• UNMEE - Ethiopia and Eritrea Jan 01 onwards • Military Observer Participation• Participation ended in Jul 03






UNMISET• May 02 onwards - Over 250

personnel• Force Comdr UNMISET- PKF• Staff Planners at PKF HQ• Helicopter Detachment - 4 x

UHIH• Infantry Company

Safe Missions?






• UN HQ-New York– Mission Planning Officer– Office of Internal Oversight

Services (OIOS)– Medical Support Unit– Situation Centre– Training, Logistics & Field

Administration Units– Force Generation Service






• OPS NIGHTINGALE– Gulf War, 1990- 91– Medical Support in the

Gulf War (30 personnel)

Singapore’s Contribution to UN Coalition Operations





• INTERFET - UN sanctioned International Force in East Timor - 17 Feb 99 to 28 Feb 00

– 4- men Liaison Team– 3 x LST for 2 months each– 1 x C130– 26 personnel Medical Team– 40 police personnel – Cumulative total of 373

personnel involved

Singapore’s Contribution to UN Coalition Operations





R

• Contributions based on UN Resolution 1511– Deployment of Air & Naval Assets for the

reconstruction of Iraq (UN SCR 1511)• C-130, C-135K, LST

• Regional Missions– Aceh Monitoring Mission

• 20 monitors from Aug 05-Dec 06





CONCLUSION• Peacekeeping is Complex and

Challenging• No “One Size Fits All” Solution• Developing Niche Areas• Finding New Areas in Peacekeeping

Fields





End of Presentation

SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES




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