YouSaid · the spoken record

Lacroix

lines on the record: 1,191
first: 2006-08-31
most recent: 2023-11-14
sittings or episodes: 115
sources: un-security-council

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“As far as the additional questions are concerned, I will defer to my colleagues, the Police Commissioner of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, the Police Adviser and, of course, Ms. Landgren. I look forward to their comments. I will stop there.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“I therefore believe that the role of police in the field in multilateral peace operations will gradually increase so that we can better respond to such challenges. In its sections dedicated to peace operations, the New Agenda for Peace highlights the importance of promoting a more networked multilateralism in the context of peace operations, which means that our field operations in the area of peace and security should be better equipped to respond to the drivers of conflict I mentioned. I believe that will involve an enhanced role for the United Nations police, better cooperation and coordination with other agencies or entities within and beyond the United Nations system and an enhanced ability to create and implement adequate plans at the national, regional and global levels to address those important drivers of conflict.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Mr. Lacroix: I will be very brief. I thank all the briefers for their very informative and enlightening statements on many important issues, such as the role of capacity-building, including for transition purposes, the role of women in United Nations policing, the importance of adapting to new technologies and of course the critical issue of safety and security. But I want to emphasize more specifically what many have alluded to, which is the evolving nature of conflict — which we face in many peacekeeping environments — and the need to better respond to the major drivers of conflict, such as the role and impact on conflict of climate change, transnational criminal activities and, of course, global terrorism. I think it is important to note, as many have, that those drivers of conflict largely require a police-style response.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“We are very grateful for Council members’ continued and strong support for A4P commitments and A4P+ priorities and for their generous contributions of highly qualified police personnel to serve with the United Nations police.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“A4P+ is part of a renewed collective engagement to strengthen peacekeeping as an invaluable instrument for peace and security and an expression of international solidarity. Through it, we are better though not sufficiently placed to address today’s challenges to peace and security and, ultimately, to improve the lives of the people we serve. This annual briefing to the Council is an opportunity to reaffirm the vital role that the United Nations police plays across the conflict-prevention spectrum, from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. It provides a forum to discuss some of the key priorities for United Nations policing, through which we aim to support the Member States in fostering representative, responsive and accountable police services that serve and protect people.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, long-standing community-based partnerships with disabilities-focused organizations have improved the effectiveness of police services and outreach to disabled women and girls in communities. In South Sudan, to address protection risks for women, UNPOL has conducted several gender-responsive patrols informed by an analysis of threat levels to women, based on the information collected from the community and intelligence sources. Furthermore, with the support of Member States, the United Nations police has already achieved its gender parity targets for 2025 in most categories of personnel, with women currently comprising almost one in five United Nations police officers, including 30 per cent of individual police officers and 16 per cent of members of formed police units.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Regarding strategic communications, which is the sixth priority of A4P+, the United Nations police contributes to the efforts by the Department of Peace Operations to proactively counter misinformation, disinformation and hate speech. That includes more recently a French-language training course on countering hate speech and disinformation during the electoral cycle, which was developed by the Standing Police Capacity and conducted recently in the Central African Republic. The women and peace and security agenda is infused in all aspects of A4P+. To enhance the protection of women and girls in vulnerable situations, the United Nations police remains focused on strengthening engagement with civil society and women’s rights organizations.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The peacekeeping ministerial meeting in Accra, Ghana, next month will be an important opportunity to help to ensure United Nations peacekeepers are well trained and well equipped. The United Nations police continues its efforts to create an enabling environment and foster a gender- responsive working environment and accommodation. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, multiple projects have been implemented for the benefit of women military and police peacekeepers, including an increase in the ratio of shared ablutions, the refurbishment of living accommodations and the construction of dedicated recreational areas. The United Nations police also continues to enforce zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse through enhanced predeployment and in-mission training.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“In support of the implementation of the Action Plan to Improve the Security of United Nations Peacekeepers, the United Nations police has conducted in-mission performance assessment and evaluation team visits to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan this year, and we are working with police-contributing countries to address any shortfalls, in particular those related to contingent- owned equipment or command and control.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“The United Nations police is supporting national electoral processes by training the Congolese National Police on public order management to help ensure the security of elections and, more generally, further build its capacity. The second A4P+ priority focuses on strengthening synergies through greater strategic and operational integration across mission components. The United Nations Police Division continues its efforts to utilize the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System, including the development of police-related impact indicators to improve accountability for performance. The next priority of A4P+, which is ensuring the highest levels of accountability to peacekeepers, is critical in improving the safety and security of our personnel.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“We will nonetheless continue to do our utmost to support political solutions despite being hamstrung. We must also manage our expectations and recognize that those intermediate goals of peacekeeping are important ends in and of themselves. The United Nations police play a notable role in achieving many of the goals. The first priority of A4P+, which is ensuring coherence behind political strategies, acknowledges that entities across the United Nations system bring to bear varied resources and leverage that can support and influence a country’s political trajectory. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations police has been involved in various national and local-level engagements, as part of a political strategy, in cooperation with regional and subregional partners, and transition planning.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“This is all taking place amid heightened geopolitical tensions, including divisions within the Council. In that context, United Nations peacekeeping operations can only achieve in many cases what I call the intermediate goals of peacekeeping, which include preserving ceasefires, protecting hundreds of thousands of civilians, mediating local conflicts and strengthening institutions whenever possible. Those are very important goals, of course, but the ultimate objective of United Nations peacekeeping is to achieve durable political solutions to conflict. Without the unified political support of Member States — and particularly the Security Council — for political solutions where our missions are deployed, we can serve only to mitigate rather than resolve conflicts.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“We have made significant strides in advancing our commitments under the A4P initiative and in fulfilling the priorities of the A4P+ initiative. Rigorous and transparent monitoring of the performance and impact of peacekeeping operations provides the foundation for improving our operations. We recently released the third A4P+ progress report, which, in turn, ensures that we remain on track in the fulfilment of our commitments. The forthcoming report will be provided to the Council in the coming month. However, there is only so much that United Nations peacekeeping operations can achieve alone. Violent conflict is increasing in many parts of the world, and the number, intensity and length of conflicts worldwide are at their highest level since before the end of the Cold War.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“And I would like to honour the memory of the five police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year. Their courage and sacrifice will not be forgotten. As noted in the report of the Secretary-General on the overall performance of peacekeeping operations (S/2023/646), the gap between peacekeeping mandates and what the missions can, in practice, actually deliver has become quite significant, particularly in some of the mission settings. We are doing, and will continue to do, our utmost to strengthen the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping through the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, and particularly the areas that we have prioritized within Action for Peace Plus (A4P+) initiative.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“At a time when multilateralism and peacekeeping are facing significant challenges, the onus remains on all of us to continue to be proactive to enhance and adapt the tool of peacekeeping. Many challenges to global peace, security and development today, such as a global decline in respect for the rule of law, corruption, disregard for international law, transnational organized crime, attacks on human rights and the shrinking of the civic space, call for unique and specific policing responses. We must work collectively to ensure that the United Nations police (UNPOL) is properly prepared, equipped and resourced to address those challenges. I salute the service and dedication of women and men police officers deployed in our peace operations, who work relentlessly to serve communities in increasingly challenging contexts.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“Mr. Lacroix: I thank you, Sir, for convening this briefing. I am very pleased to be joined today by the Police Adviser Advisor and the Police Commissioners from our peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, as well as the Executive Director of Security Council Report. We deeply appreciate the Security Council’s recognition of United Nations peacekeeping as one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. All of us gathered here today — Member States, Council members, host countries and military, police and financial contributors — have a stake in the performance and success of peacekeeping operations.”
2023-11-14 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9475 (2023) · source
“In conclusion, I want to thank the Acting Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr and all the personnel of UNISFA and the two country teams for their tireless efforts in support of peace and security in Abyei, particularly in these challenging times. I am grateful to the troop- and police-contributing countries for their continuing close collaboration on the force’s reconfiguration and in support of UNISFA’s mandate, despite the challenging environment. I also want to thank the members of the Security Council for their continued support to UNISFA.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“Finally, during the reporting period, the United Nations country teams in the Sudan and South Sudan, with UNISFA, continued the implementation of the Abyei-United Nations joint programme, aimed at creating an environment conducive to peaceful coexistence. The Sudan crisis has created delays in joint programme implementation, particularly with respect to the deployment of staff and supplies. Despite that, UNISFA and the two country teams have been able to provide services to the population where possible and will continue, as the joint programme remains important in helping to create the conditions necessary for peace in Abyei.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“In the meantime, peacekeepers in UNISFA, with equipment supplemented where necessary by United Nations- owned equipment, have been capably implementing the mission’s mandate. A continuing challenge for the mission is the presence in southern Abyei of approximately 200 South Sudan People’s Defence Forces and South Sudan National Police Service personnel, and an estimated 60 Sudanese oil police in northern Abyei. Those presences, which are in contradiction to the mission’s mandate and Abyei’s demilitarized and weapon-free status, have also resulted in restrictions on UNISFA’s freedom of movement. We continue to call on the relevant authorities for their withdrawal.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“However, the number of women in troop contingents remains low, at only 7 per cent, and we call for the support of the troop- and police-contributing countries in working with UNISFA to prioritize the deployment of women. The crisis in the Sudan has delayed the completion of UNISFA’s reconfiguration from a single troop- contributing country mission to a United Nations multinational peacekeeping force, as the deployment of personnel and equipment was disrupted and shifted to the longer southern route. However, we expect the remainder of troops and contingent-owned equipment to have arrived and the mission to have reached its full operational capacity by the first quarter of 2024.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“The mission continues to face challenges in that regard, including the non-deployment of additional individual police officers and three formed police units mandated by the Security Council. Those assets would be very valuable to strengthening the rule of law in Abyei, particularly amid the influx of people displaced by the crisis in the Sudan. UNISFA continues to engage the relevant authorities in that regard. UNISFA continues to prioritize gender in its work, including by increasing the recruitment and retention of female staff and promoting the participation of women in local conflict-management structures. In June, the mission launched the UNPOL Women Network as a forum to share experiences, raise awareness about gender mainstreaming in peace operations and promote the implementation of the women and peace and security mandate.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“UNISFA remains alert, responding to early warning provided by the community and working in close coordination with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to protect civilians. UNISFA and UNMISS have jointly also provided support to reconciliation talks between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka communities, such as those held in Wau, South Sudan, in August, and we welcome the mediation efforts of the Government of South Sudan. The mission is working to promote the rule of law in Abyei, including through United Nations police (UNPOL) support to the community protection committees and the joint protection committees, in the absence of the Abyei police service, as foreseen in the 2011 agreement.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“During the reporting period, intercommunal relations in Abyei remained tense. While violence between the Ngok Dinka and Misseriya communities was somewhat reduced, with UNISFA’s mediation support through specific initiatives such as the transhumance corridors conference held in Noong in central Abyei in June, continued efforts are required to address ongoing tensions and promote reconciliation, At the same time, the dispute over land in the southern part of Abyei that flared into violence between the Ngok Dinka and Twic Dinka in February 2022 remains a serious concern. While there was a welcome lull during the first part of the reporting period, new clashes have been reported on both sides of Abyei’s southern boundary as the rainy season has receded.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“Over the past six months, there were three occasions where peacekeepers were attacked and injured. Thankfully, those colleagues are now in stable condition. I extend my gratitude and support to them and to their families and respective Governments. The safety of our peacekeepers is a top priority, and investigations into the attacks are ongoing. The mission has worked to facilitate humanitarian assistance to an estimated 220,000 vulnerable people in the central and southern parts of Abyei, including those displaced in intercommunal clashes and those fleeing the fighting in the Sudan. While humanitarian partners work to provide support to those in need, efforts are also being made to increase the humanitarian presence in northern Abyei, where the Sudan crisis has created significant challenges for the deployment of staff and supplies.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“The JBVMM has faced serious challenges in Kadugli, the Sudan, due to the ongoing crisis and continues to lack a presence in its Sector 1 headquarters in Gok Machar, South Sudan, and associated areas after its forced withdrawal in 2021. We remain in contact with the Government of South Sudan on that issue and have called for its cooperation to re-establish the JBVMM’s presence there. While aerial patrolling has been halted due to airspace restrictions, JBVMM personnel remain in place and ground monitoring in the border area continues. Amidst the regional insecurity, supporting constructive relations between the two countries with regard to their shared border remains an important priority for UNISFA. The targeting of UNISFA personnel remains of great concern.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“The conflict has also created economic hardship for the population of Abyei as the flow of basic goods and commodities, many of which came from the north, has been disrupted. UNISFA, too, has had to adjust its deployment routes and supply arrangements in line with the new reality. Fighting in South Kordofan and the area of operations of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism has created challenges for UNISFA, including restrictions on air movements that have hampered efforts to ensure safe resupply and the continued implementation of the Mechanism’s mandate. We are deeply grateful for the commitment of the troop-contributing countries that make the JBVMM’s continued presence possible under difficult circumstances.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“The United Nations, in close coordination with the African Union, remains ready to support a resumption of dialogue and is monitoring the situation for the conditions that might allow for that. Special Envoy Hanna Tetteh will provide the Council with a further update on developments related to the political process with regard to the Sudan and South Sudan and other regional issues. In Abyei, the Sudan crisis has resulted in an influx of displaced people. At the Amiet market, our humanitarian partners have recorded over 9,000 people who have sought refuge from the fighting. The mission has already seen increased weapons circulation in Abyei, a situation that may have been exacerbated by the situation in the Sudan.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“Mr. Lacroix: I thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council on the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), including the mission’s support to the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM). I will take the opportunity to update members on the latest political, security and humanitarian developments, including the impact of the ongoing fighting in the Sudan. The outbreak of armed conflict in the Sudan in April interrupted the encouraging signs of dialogue between the Sudan and South Sudan witnessed earlier in 2023. It effectively put on hold the political process with regard to the final status of Abyei and border issues.”
2023-11-06 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9467 (2023) · source
“For many populations at the front lines of conflict, the presence of peacekeeping missions is an important deterrent to an even grimmer reality. As we continue to work to improve and update peacekeeping to meet the evolving nature of threats to peace, we must be diligent in assessing our added value and ensuring that our capabilities and resources are aligned with our objectives. The dedication of all stakeholders during five years of A4P has brought results. But we cannot be complacent. Let us recommit to peacekeeping reform and build further on our shared successes. In conclusion, I would like to thank the Member States for championing A4P and the priority areas of A4P+.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“While clear mandates with adequate resources are the foundation for success, host nations’ cooperation and a genuine desire among the parties to seek peace are also crucial. As we reflect on the past 75 years, there are many examples of successful political processes supported by United Nations peacekeeping. Currently, as the international community has grown increasingly divided, peacekeeping efforts in support of political processes are looking at a less consistent track record. Nonetheless, the intermediate goals of our missions, including in protecting the lives of countless civilians, preserving ceasefires and preventing escalations and resumptions of hostilities, remain extremely meaningful.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“In the past few years the Security Council has mandated us to do so, notably through resolutions 2518 (2020) on the safety and security of peacekeepers, 2589 (2021) on accountability for crimes against peacekeepers, 2436 (2018) on peacekeeping performance and 2594 (2021) on peacekeeping transitions. Most, if not all, of the work I have mentioned is therefore indeed mandated by Member States. As the drawdown from Mali creates greater pressure for scalability, I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that upholding and fulfilling our responsibilities, as stipulated in the resolutions, requires both resources and political will. At its core, peacekeeping is a political instrument. Its efficacy is linked to robust political support from the Council.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Technology and data are also critical to the future of peacekeeping. Central to that is the ongoing implementation of the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of United Nations Peacekeeping. While we have made progress towards ensuring tech-savvy, data-informed peacekeeping forces, further investment in data capabilities among personnel is required to ensure that data can be properly leveraged for effective decision-making. We continue to proactively advance A4P and A4P+ but also remain seized of the need to continually review and expand our efforts to ensure that peacekeeping remains fit for purpose.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, MONUSCO actively supported the participation of women in the Nairobi process, leading to 40 per cent representation in its third round of consultations between the Government and representatives of armed groups and communities. We also continue to make great strides in the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy. As of May, women constituted 25.6 per cent of individual uniformed personnel. As of today, 38 per cent of Heads and 33 per cent of Deputy Heads of civilian-led peacekeeping operations are women. We have also worked to foster gender-responsive working and living conditions. I once again call on Member States to intensify efforts to remove barriers at the national level and increase the participation of women in peacekeeping, including at the civilian level.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“In order to strengthen our cooperation with host States, we are working to better document and communicate with the Council on status-of-forces violations. To that end, it is essential to ensure the political engagement of Member States and of the Security Council in particular. I urge Council members to engage with host countries where needed, to help us proceed with the effective and unimpeded implementation of Security Council mandates. Advancing the women and peace and security agenda, a core priority in peacekeeping, increases peacekeeping effectiveness. Women’s participation in political processes is critical to efforts to achieve sustainable political solutions, and we are continuing our efforts in support of that engagement.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“For example, within hours of its coming out, MINUSCA recently identified and debunked a false online story claiming that a peacekeeper had been arrested for arms trafficking. More needs to be done, including by ensuring that we have the right skill sets both at Headquarters and in our missions to adequately address mis- and disinformation. The final A4P+ priority, cooperation with host States, is undergirded by transparency, mutual respect and open dialogue. Through proactive discussions with national authorities, we have often been able to address critical challenges, such as detentions of United Nations personnel or restrictions on their freedom of movement, but it is not always enough. As reaffirmed by resolution 2518 (2020), reducing violations of status- of-forces agreements across missions is critical.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Several missions are now implementing regular perception surveys to better understand the attitudes and expectations of local populations, and we are working to further build capacity and expertise in that area. Communicating peacekeeping’s aims and achievements also supports collaboration with national actors, which can enhance our effectiveness. As a proactive measure, our global communications Peace Begins with Me campaign demonstrates our tangible impact on those we serve and our collective commitment to peace. We are also working to step up this kind of proactive media engagement at Headquarters and within our missions. And we are taking robust action against all forms of mis- and disinformation that interfere with the work of our missions.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Consistent numbers of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse continue to be reported annually, although many of these have related to events from past years. Together with Member States, we must work to ensure preventive measures, enforce zero-tolerance of all misconduct and, most importantly, uphold the rights and dignity of victims. As we mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping, we are reflecting not only on milestones achieved, but also on how we communicate and engage with the public and communities, explain our mandates and dispel falsehoods. The recent strategic review of strategic communications across United Nations peacekeeping operations (S/2023/282) highlighted that effective and proactive strategic communication helps to manage expectations among host Governments and populations.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“In line with resolution 2436 (2018) and as documented in the most recent report of the Secretary- General on the overall performance of United Nations peacekeeping operations, we continue our efforts to strengthen the performance of United Nations peacekeeping at all levels, including at Headquarters, within missions and within uniformed and civilian components. Performance-assessment tools have been improved, as has the way we actively follow up on underperformance reports and take remedial actions. We also continue to take all necessary measures to address allegations of all forms of misconduct, both past and present. Ending impunity for all forms of misconduct remains a central goal and we have taken drastic measures in the case of serious allegations, including through repatriation of units where needed.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Five out of seven peacekeepers killed by malicious acts so far, in 2023, were serving in Mali. I appeal to all Council members to help ensure that we can proceed with the drawdown of MINUSMA in a safe and orderly manner. The accountability of peacekeepers aims for the highest level of performance by all personnel, uniformed and civilian. That includes responsible action towards host countries and their populations, not only in conduct and discipline, but in missions’ environmental footprints.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Advances in peacekeeping intelligence and situational awareness are helping missions foresee and address threats, whereas enhanced field crisis management capabilities, such as regular casualty evacuation trainings and stress-testing, contribute to improving the safety and security of peacekeepers. Further progress hinges on sustained Member State support, especially in the form of specialized skills, equipment and expertise. But the death of one peacekeeper is always one too many. We must remember and honour the sacrifices made by our peacekeepers worldwide, including the 18 peacekeepers killed by malicious acts since my briefing last September (see S/PV.9123). In the context of MINUSMA’s drawdown, the Mission’s operating environment remains particularly dangerous. The risk of attacks by non-State armed groups persists.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“The Ministerial meeting will also be a critical opportunity for Member States to express their political support for United Nations peacekeeping. Accountability to United Nations peacekeepers remains a core priority, in line with resolutions 2518 (2020) and 2589 (2021). As documented in the three A4P+ progress reports published to date, we continue to make notable strides in enhancing the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers, despite the increasingly complex security environments in which we operate. Efforts such as the Action Plan to Improve the Security of Peacekeepers and the implementation of the review on explosive ordnance threats have fostered progress in areas such as force protection, integrated base defence and countering improvised explosive devices.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Caveats, especially when undeclared by troop- and police-contributing countries’ can significantly hamper our missions’ effectiveness and lead to operational setbacks. They also create risk for troop- and police-contributing countries that are willing to do their utmost to implement the mandate. I would like to reiterate our position that undeclared caveats have no place in United Nations peacekeeping. I also appeal to Member States to fill existing capability gaps. The Peacekeeping Ministerial meeting in Accra on 5 and 6 December will be a pivotal opportunity to reaffirm and make new commitments to peacekeeping. I invite all Member States to review the pledging guide and capability requirement paper we have issued in order to tailor their pledges at the Ministerial meeting to the precise needs we have.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“We continue to utilize the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System (PCRS) to accelerate deployment timelines. Since November, seven units have been deployed from the PCRS, including two to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei as part of the mission’s reconfiguration. We also continue to adapt training and deployment to the needs of missions, for instance through implementing the recommendations of the Independent Strategic Review of the United Nations Response to Explosive Ordnance Threats (see S/2021/1042). Among other actions, that has included revising requirements for units deploying to three missions to ensure that contingents can effectively operate in their threat environments. However, our work is far from complete.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“And here, I wish to affirm that even as the Mission pursues its withdrawal in line with resolution 2690 (2023), the United Nations has expressed its readiness to continue its support to the implementation of the peace agreement, which remains critical for peace and stability in Mali. Even where peacekeeping mandates do not explicitly confer the task of supporting political processes, missions often have a pivotal role in enabling conditions conducive to the pursuit or resumption of negotiations. That is the case in Cyprus, for example, where the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus works closely with the Secretary-General’s good- offices mission to foster intercommunal cooperation and facilitate trust and confidence-building measures. Effective peacekeeping also requires the right capabilities and mindset.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“In the Central African Republic, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) is advancing the peace process through the implementation of a multi-year political strategy, coupled with a robust and proactive security approach to deter armed groups. In Mali, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was instrumental in its assistance to the international mediation team supporting the Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, particularly in negotiations among the parties.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“A convergence of global phenomena — geopolitical tension, climate change and transnational organized crime point to a future of overlapping crises. But we must continue to strengthen the effectiveness of peacekeeping, which is one of the most powerful multilateral tools at our disposal to manage and help resolve conflict. And as the reports I mentioned earlier attest to, we are doing our utmost. Political strategies that have coherent and collective support from key actors are a cornerstone of A4P and A4P+. Political solutions must be at the heart of all efforts. That approach is evident in the engagements undertaken by our missions, often in conjunction with regional organizations and other partners leading on political processes.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“As we are all too aware, incidents in those regions can easily escalate into the resumption of hostilities. I encourage the Council to consider the alternative and to imagine how those situations would evolve if peacekeepers were not present to undertake those daily efforts. With that said, I must note that while peacekeeping plays a critical role in reducing violent conflict, as outlined in the New Agenda for Peace, peace enforcement is a step too far for peacekeeping and needs to be carried out under different modalities. In an era of increasing complexity, the environment in which our peacekeepers are deployed is ever evolving. Last year, the number of conflict-related deaths worldwide reached a 20-year high.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Even where political solutions to conflicts seem distant, which is much more often the case nowadays, peacekeepers continue to protect the lives of hundreds and thousands of civilians in the countries and regions in which they are deployed. It is the case, for example, with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), which protects hundreds of thousands of civilians under direct threat of violence, in spite of daunting challenges and limitations. United Nations peacekeeping is also working to keep civilians out of harm’s way by preserving ceasefires and preventing the resumption of hostilities in places such as southern Lebanon and Cyprus.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“Growing divisions among Member States, combined with the increased complexity of today’s conflicts, poses a formidable challenge to peacekeeping and the broader task of maintaining peace and security. Peacekeeping is not a magic wand to help a country return to stability, but with the support of a unified international community, political processes and peace agreements have been successfully implemented. It also took the assistance of peacekeeping missions in the various countries that I will mention. As a result, countries such as Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Namibia, Côte d’Ivoire, Timor-Leste and many more were able to transition from conflict to peace with the support of United Nations peacekeeping. Of course, it took not only peacekeeping missions, but also the strong and united support of Member States for those political processes.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source
“For more details, I refer members to our latest A4P+ progress report, circulated to the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, to the brief summary in front of members and to the Secretary-General’s report on peacekeeping performance, recently submitted to the Council. I would also like to take this opportunity to underscore the extent to which we need stronger, more consistent and unified support by Member States to fulfil the ultimate goals of United Nations peacekeeping, that is, helping to establish and provide the space for durable peace. As we have always conveyed, A4P is a collective effort, and peacekeeping is only as strong as the unity and support of our Member States.”
2023-09-07 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.9413 (2023) · source