Dr. Edward Burke - Irish Peacekeeping at a Crossroads? Current Challenges and Future Opportunities
Channel: IIEA
Date: 2016-07-21

About the Speech:

In his address, Dr. Edward Burke argued that while Ireland’s long-standing commitment to peacekeeping endures, the nature of peace support operations has changed profoundly. With reference to the 2015 report of the United Nations High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO), Dr. Edward Burke identified UN structural weaknesses, which he felt had negatively impacted upon Irish experiences of UN operations. He also argued that Irish military standards and expectations had evolved, as the Irish Defence Forces, in his view, prioritised NATO and EU training and doctrine over that of the UN. Finally, Dr Burke concluded with a discussion of prospects for a renewed European commitment to UN peacekeeping.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Edward Burke is a Lecturer in Strategic Studies at the University of Portsmouth. His research interests include peacekeeping, stability operations, civil-military relations and the history of counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. Dr. Burke has spent prolonged periods researching conflicts in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. From 2010 to 2011 he was Deputy Head of the International Police Coordination Board in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dr. Burke has also worked as a Foreign Policy Fellow at FRIDE in Madrid and at the Centre for European Reform in London.