PKOs examine future challenges

UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- The chief of peacekeeping operations for the United Nations scheduled visits to Pakistan, Bangladesh and India to examine key challenges for the forces.

Alian Le Roy, the U.N. peacekeeping chief, scheduled visits this week to the three nations that contribute the most forces to support missions.

Michele Montas, the spokesperson for Le Roy, said the peacekeeping chief would review commitments to current and future roles in bringing stability to conflict-ridden countries, the U.N. news center reports.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and India contribute roughly 30 percent of the personnel to U.N. peacekeepers deployed at 17 different missions.

A briefing by the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support in July called on the force to strengthen their command and control systems.

The briefing identified robust peacekeeping, the protection of civilians and critical peace-building tasks as among its three key challenges.