Delivered by: Mrs. Amiera AlHefeiti, Deputy Permanent Representative
Mr. President,
At the outset, I would like to wish France a successful presidency over the Council this month and affirm our readiness to provide the necessary support. We thank China for its effective presidency of the Council last month.
I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this annual discussion and congratulate you for presiding the Council this month. We thank China for its successful presidency last month. I also thank Mr. Lacroix for updating us on the progress in the implementation of the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative (A4P+). I would also like to take this opportunity to applaud countries that have contributed troops, police, and civilian experts, who work in difficult and dangerous settings, far from their families, to implement the Security Council’s mandates in pursuit of international peace and security. We also honour, and pay tribute, to the more than 4,000 who have lost their lives in the line of duty under the banner of the United Nations.
Permit me to also recall, in particular, the critical and extraordinary contributions of women in the field of peacekeeping, and their ability to overcome many difficult obstacles so that they can carry out their responsibilities fully. In this context, we would like to warmly congratulate Ms. Alizeta Kinda from Burkina Faso for winning the 2022 UN Woman Police Officer of the Year Award.
Mr. President,
Today, some 87,000 peacekeepers from more than 125 countries are deployed around the world in the most concrete translation of the UN’s first commitment: to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. It is absolutely vital that we ensure that peace operations are resilient, effective, and appropriately resourced in order to be able to implement their mandates fully.
We are all aware that the settings in which peace missions operate have grown increasingly complex and dangerous over the last several years due to the absence of political solutions, the deterioration of security situations, and the evolving threats posed by numerous and diverse actors with access to advanced weaponry. Indeed, the Action for Peacekeeping initiative has recognized that the effectiveness of peacekeeping depends upon the design of political processes that produce sustainable solutions.
As other Council members have mentioned, the Council must refocus on political processes and reject the tacit acceptance of managing, instead of resolving, conflict. That means recognising that it is insufficient to delegate support and facilitation of conflict resolution to peace missions, rather, political processes must remain a priority for the Council. Otherwise, this creates gaps between reality and the expectations around the responsibilities of peace operations.
Delays in reaching a political solution breed frustration, resentment and erosion of trust which can be conveniently exploited by actors advancing their own nefarious agendas – to the great detriment of the UN and those it is meant to serve. In that vein, it is important to address misinformation and disinformation by amplifying constructive messages and highlighting the noble goals of peace operations in an effort to strengthen trust between host communities and peacekeepers.
While a recommitment to conflict resolution would certainly help address the problem, it is not the only measure. A tailored and dynamic approach to mandate design and mission resourcing could also help build and sustain trust. The High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations, and before it the Brahimi report, floated the idea of prioritizing and sequencing Council mandates as measures to save peacekeeping from Christmas tree mandates doomed to failure. Despite some efforts in this regard, past recommendations are still relevant today. And it is upon us, Council members, to start implementing them.
As you know, designing better mandates requires, on the one hand, strengthening triangular cooperation between the Security Council, TCCs and the Secretariat, and on the other between the Mission and host communities. In addition to enhancing cooperation between these actors and regional organizations, especially in Africa. We also emphasize the importance of direct and regular community engagement, which would contribute to more responsive mission decision-making and resource-allocation. We should ensure inclusivity in this approach, particularly with insight from women and youth leaders.
Mr. President,
This is a moment to reframe peacekeeping as a partnership between all the actors that support missions. Peacekeeping is multilateralism in action. Against the backdrop of global fragmentation, streamlined, tailored, and adaptable mandates are key to the future of peacekeeping. The UAE, for its part, remains committed to support, reform, and enhance the effectiveness of peace missions.
Thank you.