ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses insufficient accountability in one area in particular: natural resources. It explains a discussion of natural resource– related crimes allegedly committed by UN peacekeepers in Sierra Leone; and a discussion of similar crimes allegedly committed by UN troops deployed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The chapter explores a discussion of other natural resource–related crimes committed by international staff; and observations and recommendations regarding accountability in UN peacekeeping. Although United Nations peacekeeping operations have evolved significantly since the end of the Cold War, they continue to be guided by three principles (DPKO 2008): consent of the parties involved; impartiality in dealing with the parties to the conflict and the avoidance of force, except in self defense and in defense of the mandate authorized by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). According to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), all peacekeepers are expected to uphold the highest standards of personal behavior and professional conduct.
