Mr. Chairman,
Thank you for inviting us to this important meeting of the Security Council’s Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations. We also thank the briefers for their presentations.
As a leading troop contributor, Pakistan is most interested in the discussions on safety and security of peacekeepers. We believe that effective security is central to the success of multidimensional peacekeeping. It also carries strategic impacts, for example on force generation, mandate implementation and credibility of peace operations. Managing safety and security reassures the peacekeepers that the UN values their service and is ready to extend to them its duty of care. Keeping this trust is critical in an era of complex mandates and growing threats facing the UN peacekeepers, says a press release received here today from New York.
The adoption of Resolution 2518 in March 2020 was a significant milestone. As the first ever Security Council Resolution on safety and Security, it defined the issue in the most comprehensive manner by enlisting a range of challenges: from targeted attacks to landmines and equipment gaps to trainings and capacity building. Incidentally, it was adopted at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to disrupt the peace operations. By prioritizing safety and security, the resolution helped mitigate the crisis, with the timely support from the Secretariat.
Pakistan has supported these endeavors all along: We co-sponsored the resolution 2518 and have assumed the responsibility to vaccinate all our troops in peacekeeping theatres.
Today, we see a surge in attacks against the peacekeepers. There is also a rise in peacekeeping fatalities. As the challenges mount, the UN must recommit to the protection of its personnel. It should apply its duty of care to every security incident and ensure bringing to justice all those who perpetrated any attack against the UN. This is vital to preserve the sanctity of blue flag. This is also essential to uphold resolution 2518 which calls for investigating and prosecuting promptly those responsible for attacks on UN personnel.
As peacekeeping environments become volatile, we consider it important to make a few key recommendations that could strengthen the safety and security of peacekeepers:
Firstly, a capability driven approach is needed to shape an effective response to the existing threat environment. Specialized capabilities such as expertise in counter IED and mine action as well as critical enablers including multi role engineers, aviation and medical units contribute to personnel security. They should be given due priority during the force-generation process. The quality of contingents deployed is equally critical– in terms of discipline, morale, training and increasingly operational experience.
Next, the gaps between mandates and resources must be addressed. Currently, expectations outstrip resources. A two-pronged approach could be initiated: Devising clear, focused and achievable mandates on one hand and allocating adequate budgetary resources on the other. The latter could be achieved if the Member States pay their financial obligations in full, on time and without conditions. Similarly, mandates may be improved through effective and timely consultations between the Security Council, Secretariat and TCC’s. This will facilitate coherence and synergy between the policy and operational levels.
Three, we should have more impact driven peacekeeping partnerships for capacity building and training. Trainings improve knowledge, skills and attitudes. They build measurable capacities to manage crisis and protect lives. As a TCC with significant niche experience, Pakistan has been hosting peacekeeping courses for partner countries. We look forward to strengthening this engagement and working with Member States along with Secretariat to diversify the trainings we could offer, especially to the new TCC’s, at our peacekeeping center.
Pakistan is proud of its role in some of the notable successes of peacekeeping -
Four, the primacy of politics in establishing and sustaining peace remains crucial. This has been established by all recent reviews. Peace cannot be established by peacekeepers alone. Peacekeeping needs to be complemented by mediation processes and political solutions. Resolution 2518 also acknowledges this view.
A few days ago, we celebrated three years of Secretary General’s A4P initiative, with the commitment to build on the success achieved so far. At the commemorative event held on the occasion, Pakistan championed the theme of ‘safety and security of peacekeepers’. We also noted with satisfaction the Secretariat’s commitment to keep safety and security at the center of A4P’s next phase- called A4P plus.
As a major TCC, Pakistan has a rich history of peacekeeping contributions, especially in some of the most successful UN peacekeeping Missions such as Sierra Leone, Burundi, Timor-Leste and Liberia.
But success has come at a cost. We have lost 160 of our bravest peacekeepers over the last six decades, with three of these casualties coming in the last one year. Safety and security is therefore very close to our heart and will continue to remain so. It is in this spirit that we call for upholding the fundamental principles of peacekeeping.
Pakistan, besides being a TCC, is also host to one of the oldest peacekeeping missions – United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan. UNMOGIP continues to monitor the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, and we value its vital role in maintaining peace and security in our region. As a host country, Pakistan remains fully committed to respecting UNMOGIP’s mandate as well as to the security and freedom of movement of its personnel.
Excellencies,
Ensuring safety and security of UN peacekeepers is a collective effort. Those caught up in protracted conflict see the blue helmets as a lifeline and a source of hope for a free and safe future. Let us work together to keep this hope alive.
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