CoESPU Magazine nr. 4-2017

Ethics is gaining prominence in the discourse about governance today. There is a perception that standards in public life are in decline. This raises questions about the costs of misconduct on the part of those who have been entrusted with guarding public interest and resources, as well as global peace and security.

These costs are losses in trust and confidence in public institutions and losses in precious resources which were meant to support the global development of nations and people. There is a move worldwide to restore a measure of trust and integrity in public institutions and officials, to safeguard democracy and promote better governance, especially in all countries affected by war and internal crises.

In this direction the United Nations are fully committed in promoting, strengthening and supporting a global ethical culture as fundamental values for a better world. In March, 2017, the UN Development Program (UNDP) has released a formal code of ethics titled Operating with Unwavering Integrity. It is a guide to help each population to resolve ethical issues in an increasingly complex global environment, and it also serves as a proclamation of the UN commitment to the highest standards of integrity.

Staring from this point of view, the editorial line of the current CoESPU Magazine has been totally dedicated to deepen the concept of ethics in many cutting-edge fields and in practical terms. In this regard a special place of honour belongs to the Ethics in Peacekeeping as core business in Stability Policing, Peace Operations and Peacekeeping activities. Nevertheless the current issue of our Magazine, acting out the last publication of 2017, symbolizes the completion of a really demanding year for our Centre of Excellence on the job front.

As shown by the 2017 CoESPU final assessment, since 2005 we have trained more than 10.000 Peacekeepers coming from 112 Countries, working in close collaboration with 17 International Organizations.