Brazil has been increasingly prominent on the United Nations peacekeeping operations scene. In 2023, around 90 Brazilians, including members of the Armed Forces and State Military Police, contributed to promoting and maintaining peace in conflict regions.
Brazil’s Joint Peace Operations Center, in Rio de Janeiro, is responsible for training the Brazilians who work on UN missions. Watch the special report on preparing for peace missions.
Back in the early days of the creation of the UN, in 1947, Brazil participated with diplomats and military observers in the United Nations Special Commission for the Balkans (UNSCOB), in the southern part of Europe, created to monitor borders in the face of attempts by Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to intervene in the Greek civil war.
The first time troops were sent to a foreign country was in 1956, when they took part in the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF), created to prevent conflicts between Egyptians and Israelis and put an end to the Suez Crisis.
Throughout its history, in missions under the aegis of international organizations, Brazil has taken on tasks of coordination and military command of important operations, such as in Haiti (MINUSTAH/2004) and Lebanon (UNIFIL/2011), which has brought prestige to the country’s foreign policy, increasing Brazil’s projection on the world stage. While the first brought to light our fundamental participation in achieving political stability in that country (Haiti), the second was notable for Brazil’s leadership, at that time, of the only UN naval force in the world.
In all, Brazil has taken part in 50 missions under the aegis of the United Nations, including peacekeeping and special political missions, and has contributed approximately 60,000 military and police personnel to world peace.
Brazil’s participation in peacekeeping operations dates back to before the creation of the United Nations (UN). Despite not being part of the League of Nations since 1926, Brazil played a key role in the 1930s in mediating the “Leticia Conflict” between Colombia and Peru.
Women in the Armed Forces on Peace Missions
In 2000, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted its first resolution on what has come to be known as the “Agenda on Women, Peace and Security” (Agenda MPS), which aims to encourage female participation in UN Peace Missions. Brazil has been increasing the number of women in the most diverse roles, seeking to comply with the gender percentages defined by the UN and receiving recognition for its performance.
Brazil’s Joint Peace Operations Center
The Brazilian Joint Peace Operations Center (CCOPAB) is a military unit located in Vila Militar, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, subordinate to the Army’s Department of Education and Culture and linked to the Ministry of Defense.
Its origins date back to 2005 when, in line with the growing international mobilization to create structures that would enable the practice and dissemination of the procedures and standards in force in peace missions, the Brazilian Army created the Peace Operations Training Centre (CIOpPaz).
On June 15, 2010, the Ministry of Defense designated CIOpPaz for the preparation of Brazilian military and civilian personnel and those of friendly nations to be sent on peace missions, changing its name to the Brazilian Joint Peace Operations Center (CCOPAB).
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***