Guard unit
In recent decades, the increasing deployment of missions to non-permissive security environments has led the United Nations to consider the deployment of guard units to protect United Nations personnel and premises.
A United Nations guard unit is a formed unit deployed under a memorandum of understanding with a troop- or police-contributing country, which is reimbursed for its personnel and contingent-owned equipment as part of the standard frameworks established by the General Assembly.
The deployment of a guard unit is a possible security risk management option when other preferred security risk management options have been exhausted. The decision to deploy a guard unit begins with a needs assessment, followed by a request for authorization through an exchange of letters with either the Security Council or the General Assembly, based on which intergovernmental body established the mission in question.[1]
Guard units have been deployed in the following situations:
| Mandate | Mission | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Security Council resolution 2690 (2023) | MINUSMA | Authorized retention of a guard unit consisting of one FPU, seven IPOs and a military contingent[2] to protect personnel, facilities and assets during mission liquidation |
| Security Council resolution 2559 (2020) | UNAMID | Authorized retention of a guard unit consisting of two FPUs with a total strength of 363 uniformed personnel[3] as part of liquidation team |
| S/2004/764 and S/2014/765 | UNAMI | Authorized deployment of three formed guard units of 160 armed civilian police, paramilitary or military personnel |
| S/2013/636 and S/2013/637 | BINUCA | Authorized deployment of an initial 250 military personnel[4], which was planned to be expanded to a battalion-sized unit of 560 personnel |
| S/2013/704 and S/2013/705 | UNSMIL | Authorized deployment of a guard unit of up to 235 military personnel |
| S/2013/764 and S/2013/765; S/2015/234 and S/2015/235; S/2019/140 and S/2019/141 |
UNSOM | (2013) Authorized guard unit consisting of a battalion, an extraction and reinforcement team and a logistics company, totaling 410 personnel[5] (2015) Authorized increase in strength by 120 troops, to 530 personnel (2019) Authorized increase in strength by 95 troops[6], to 625 personnel |
See also
References
- ↑ UNDSS/SOP/1/2015 Deployment of United Nations Guard Units (SOP)
- ↑ A/78/761
- ↑ S/2021/470
- ↑ In S/2013/696, the Security Council was informed that these would be provided by Morocco
- ↑ In S/2014/239, the Security Council was informed that these would be provided by Uganda
- ↑ in S/2019/372, the Security Council was informed that these would be provided by Uganda