Department of Political Affairs

United Nations Department of Political Affairs

Department of Political Affairs
United Nations Headquarters
Abbreviation	DPA
Formation	1992
Type	Department of the Secretariat
Legal status	Active
Head	Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman
Parent organization	United Nations Secretariat
Website	http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/

The United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA) is a department of the Secretariat of the United Nations (UN) with responsibility for monitoring and assessing global political developments and advising and assisting the UN Secretary General and his envoys in the peaceful prevention and resolution of conflict around the world. The Department manages field-based political missions in Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East, and has in recent years been increasing its professional capacities in conflict mediation and preventive diplomacy. DPA also oversees UN electoral assistance to Member States of the organization. Established in 1992, the Department's responsibilities also include providing secretariat support to the UN Security Council and two standing committees created by the General Assembly concerning the Rights of the Palestinian People and Decolonization.

Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman was previously the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from August 2009 to June 2012, and had a 25-year career as a US diplomat before being named to his current position in June 2012 by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The Under-Secretary manages the department, advises the Secretary-General on matters affecting global peace and security, and provides guidance to his envoys and political missions in the field. The Under-Secretary-General also serves on the Secretary-General’s Policy Committee, the highest decision-making body within the U.N. Secretariat, and chairs the Executive Committee on Peace and Security, a high-level body for interagency and interdepartmental coordination. DPA employs approximately 300 people at the United Nations headquarters in New York City and manages field based political missions that employ more than 2000 national and international staff in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

As of December 2016, the DPA manages the following political missions and peace-building support offices engaged in conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding in Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East: