S/PV.8612 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Bangladesh, Canada, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Italy, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone and the United Republic of Tanzania to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Mr. Lacroix. Mr. Lacroix: I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this debate on United Nations peacekeeping. A year and a half ago, the Secretary-General launched his Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, which calls on all peacekeeping stakeholders — the Secretariat, Member States and intergovernmental organizations — to collectively address the challenges facing peacekeeping. We must all remember the stakes. Peacekeeping is an essential multilateral tool for preventing conflict, reducing the risk of relapse and reaching sustainable peace, and it has succeeded in doing that in many countries. Today, United Nations peacekeepers play a crucial preventive role where they are deployed, and they protect millions of vulnerable people around the globe. While we have made progress on addressing the challenges to which the Secretary-General spoke in March 2018, many remain. The countries and populations that we serve and the peacekeepers who risk their lives in the name of peace deserve only the best that we can deliver. The onus remains on each of us to do our part. I would like to take this opportunity to thank every Member State for its support to United Nations peacekeeping — as troop- and police contributors, financial contributors and members of the General Assembly and Security Council. Today I will speak about the results that we are achieving through our sustained and systematic effort to strengthen peacekeeping. I will also draw attention to areas in need of greater collective progress, and I look forward to hearing Member States’ own plans for enabling us to advance the A4P agenda. Political solutions are a prerequisite to sustainable peace, and the pursuit of such solutions is at the centre of the A4P agenda. In every country in which we are deployed and our mandates permit, our missions are proactive maintaining space for political solutions to be pursued. In the Central African Republic, for example, working in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the Economic Commission of Central African States, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) took advantage of its stronger political mandate and the robust security posture of its peacekeepers to create an environment that led the Government and the 14 main armed groups signing the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic in February. I have done, and will continue to do, what I can to do my part in bringing peace to the people of the Central African Republic. With the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union, to whom I pay tribute not only as a friend but, more importantly, as a strong partner for peace, I visited the country twice this year, first in January to encourage the parties to reach an agreement and again in April to encourage the parties to continue implementation. Commissioner Chergui and I plan to return to the Central African Republic next month. Thus far, the positive effects of the agreement are evident, including in the marked reduction in violence from last year to today. Similarly, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the support of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) for the implementation of the 31 December 2016 political agreement was instrumental in ensuring the necessary political space for the country’s first-ever peaceful transfer of democratic power in February. As the Secretary-General noted when he was in the country a few days ago, there are now new opportunities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to advance peace and development. Our efforts to support the pursuit of peace at the national level are complemented by our contributions to peacebuilding at the local level. In Darfur, for example, the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) has continued to support the peaceful resolution of land disputes and intercommunal conflict, resulting in the adjudication and mediation of more than 2,000 disputes last year. Partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, as well as across the United Nations system, are critical in every country in which we work, particularly to facilitate transitions. In Darfur, we are working closely with the AU to plan for the transition of UNAMID from peacekeeping to peacebuilding with a view to preventing a relapse of conflict following the mission’s eventual exit. UNAMID and the United Nations country team have also pioneered an approach to joint delivery through State liaison functions, which provide context-specific support that responds to local needs and increases the capacity of the country team to support peacebuilding activities, while enhancing partnership with local authorities. The endorsers of the A4P Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations committed to pursuing clear, focused, sequenced, prioritized and achievable mandates matched by appropriate resources. We are grateful for the efforts undertaken by penholders, and the Security Council as a whole, to reflect prioritization in recent mandates. But we also urge Member States, as Security Council and General Assembly members, to ensure that new priorities be allocated consistent with resources. For example, the instability in central Mali has led to the establishment of a second strategic priority for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), namely, to support the restoration of State authority and protect civilians in the area, but without the corresponding increase in resources. In addition, I take this opportunity to underscore the importance of united political engagement by Member States — Council members, as well as others that have stakes in the conflicts where our operations are deployed. A spirit of mutual and respective responsibility is at the core of A4P, and nowhere is that more important than in pursuing durable solutions to conflict and instability. The volatile political and security environments where many peacekeeping missions are deployed require well-equipped and capable military, police and civilian components, with the right mindset and posture to undertake flexible and rapid deployments. That is why we are changing our approach to peacekeeping. Our efforts are focused on adapting mission footprints and strengthening capacity to ensure a more mobile, robust, aware and integrated operational approach. MONUSCO, for example, has shifted away from static bases in many locations, replacing them with rapidly deployable battalions. Rapidly deployable battalions strengthen our mobility and robustness and, in MONUSCO, are part of the Mission’s protection through projection concept. Rapidly deployable battalions are capable of swiftly deploying to prevent, mitigate and address protection threats as they emerge. Those changes in footprint, posture and mindset have been complemented by other protection measures, including the establishment of community alert networks and support to national efforts to combat impunity. When a spate of horrific attacks against civilians broke out in Ituri province in 2018, MONUSCO’s rapidly deployable battalions quickly sent out four temporary base deployments to the hotspots of the violence. Those deployments provided the necessary security space for civilian staff to conduct human rights monitoring and community engagement and provided a degree of confidence among the population to allow people to return to their villages. Coming back from the Democratic Republic of the Congo just a few days ago, I can assure the Council that the new spirit of the rapidly deployable battalions reaches beyond the units themselves to the Mission a whole. But we need to do more, particularly in the areas affected by the most brutal armed groups, which are also affected by the Ebola outbreak. In MINUSCA, military units with high readiness and protection capacities were generated to mitigate the challenges to mobility imposed by the difficult terrain. In addition, the level of mechanization of the infantry battalions was upgraded to ensure enhanced protection. Readjustments of troop posture are also under way there, with a new basing plan that aims to achieve greater reactivity and operational flexibility. In the past few days, in response to tension between armed groups in the area of Birao, in the east of the country, MINUSCA was able to quickly deploy military reinforcements, while actively engaging in mediation, thereby significantly defusing the situation. We are also achieving results in our efforts to reduce the number of fatalities in peacekeeping. As shown in the document that has been circulated, the number of fatalities as a result of violent attacks was significantly lower in 2018, down to 27, and, after the first nine months of this year, stands at 21. That is significantly lower than when the action plan to improve the security of United Nations peacekeepers was launched. In 2017, we sustained, as those present will recall, a tragic 58 fatalities as a result of violent attacks. In Mali, where MINUSMA is still the most challenging Mission for the security of peacekeepers, we are now much more effective in countering the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), resulting in fewer fatalities as a result of IED attacks and many more IEDs are being detected and neutralized. Our camps are better protected and our units are better equipped with mine-protected vehicles. Of course, much more remains to be done, and one peacekeeper being killed is still one too many. We are encouraged by the response of Member States in providing our missions with specialized assets and equipment. As members of the Council can see in the document before them, the number of units with significant equipment gaps has been significantly reduced; but we need to do more. In MINUSMA, capability gaps include one medium helicopter unit in Gao, two medium armed utility helicopter units in Mopti and Kidal and one intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unit in Timbuktu. Further, specialized and high-performing capabilities for peacekeeping — particularly critical enablers, such as multi-role engineers; transport, signal, aviation and medical units; rapidly deployable capabilities; and French-speaking units — remain in short supply. Technology, such as unarmed unmanned aerial vehicles, sense-and-warn systems and remote sensors have equally become necessities for uniformed personnel. We look forward to continuing to work with all those present, troop-contributing countries (TCCs) and police-contributing countries (PCCs), as well as willing partners to address those gaps and ensure full operational readiness. To that end, we support and promote innovative solutions, such as equipment- contributing countries or joint deployments. We, of course, also increasingly need troop- and police-contributing countries to come equipped with vehicles that can withstand greater impact from improvised explosive devices, including mine-protected armoured personnel carriers. In MINUSMA, due to the continued threat, an additional 80 armoured personnel carriers with mine-protective standards are still required, in spite of the progress that I mentioned earlier. More comprehensive information on our capability requirements is circulated to the Council regularly through the uniformed capability readiness paper, which is also available on the Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System website. Improved situational awareness is also a critical component of effective operations, and we are making progress in that regard. Mission peacekeeping- intelligence coordination mechanisms have been established in MINUSMA, MONUSCO, MINUSCA and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to ensure coordination among all actors involved in peacekeeping intelligence, under the leadership of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. Those mechanisms are already enhancing efficiency and coordination among military, police and civilian components. Our efforts to strengthen performance are also guided by the provisions of resolution 2436 (2018), and we have made significant progress in that regard. The strengthening of internal evaluations of performance is a core component of the action plan and the implementation of resolution 2436 (2018). Since January 2018, we have conducted 16 enhanced predeployment visits, which is a concept that was created as part of our efforts to improve readiness. Those enhanced predeployment visits have led to significant improvements in the operational readiness of our units. We also conduct force commander and police commissioner evaluations, which are giving us a comprehensive view of the strengths, capacities and limitations of every unit. They have allowed us to take more informed selection decisions through monthly performance meetings, which I chair. Those meetings, together with the systematic independent investigation of every significant case of failure to perform, enable targeted engagement with Member States, including to implement remedial measures, when needed. Where we have encountered underperformance, we have deployed mentors or training teams, adjusted deployment timelines or even repatriated parts of or full units. In such cases, we have also looked into what had to be changed in the way missions are organized or operate, including key questions of situational awareness, integrated planning and coordination among mission pillars. The roll-out of the comprehensive performance assessment system to six missions provides the platform to assess the overall performance of our missions, including their individual components. Initial performance analysis conducted in the first four missions reveals that the comprehensive performance assessment system has strengthened unity of purpose and cross-component planning, while enhancing data collection. We are also getting smarter in our approach to training. In our drive to enhance performance, we have changed the way that we interact with TCCs and PCCs, both in terms of what we can do for them and what they can do for peacekeeping. For example, we are reaching out directly to national force planners, conducting operational readiness seminars, which provide TCCs and PCCs with the latest policies, and giving them the chance to interact directly with senior officials from the Department of Peace Operations. To help new TCCs, we are also providing advice on force generation and encouraging them to deploy only forces that they can consistently train to United Nations standards through multiple rotations. We have deployed mobile training teams in MONUSCO and MINUSMA to provide context- and skill-specific training, ranging from much-needed jungle warfare in the Kivus to tactical military decision-making, and we have put in place and are utilizing the light coordination mechanism, which is coordinating and deconflicting bilateral training efforts. Many of those measures will enhance our peacekeepers’ safety and security, but we are also putting in place specific measures to ensure that our personnel receive the best treatment in cases of injuries or illness. Medical and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) is central to self-protection. We have embarked on an ambitious programme of health reform to formally establish a chain of reliable and safe care from the point of injury to the hospital. CASEVAC exercises regularly conducted in UNMISS, MINUSMA, MINUSCA and MONUSCO have helped each of the missions identify improvements needed and are informing a revised CASEVAC policy. Better performance will also be aided by improved standards, captured in frameworks and guidelines. We have been working to roll out or revise and update guidance in many fields, such as the weapons and ammunition management policy, the Guide for Senior Leadership on Field Entity Closure and the Military Peacekeeping Intelligence Handbook. Through such guidance, our operations and peacekeepers have clear frameworks when preparing for and performing their duties and can have a better impact on the ground. Peacekeeping has to be rules- and guidance-based, and we are working towards that objective. Improving the number of women peacekeepers is key to improving peacekeeping performance. Peacekeeping with more women is simply more effective. We have increased the number of uniformed women peacekeepers. The number of women staff officers and military observers has doubled from 2017. On the other hand, the number of women in formed contingents has increased only from 3.6 per cent in 2017 to 4.4 per cent in July of this year. To improve our engagement with local communities, we deployed 54 engagement platoons, half of which are women, into infantry battalions in UNMISS, MINUSCA, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and MONUSCO. Those units are extremely effective in building trust with vulnerable communities, preventing tension and helping to reduce violence. The increase in the number of women peacekeepers is encouraging but it is too slow, in particular for formed units. I call on troop- and police-contributing countries to redouble efforts to deploy more women. Even where performance is otherwise exemplary, the entirety of United Nations peacekeeping is undermined when our standards of conduct are violated. Nowhere is that more damaging than in the case of sexual exploitation and abuse. We have made concerted efforts, in partnership with Member States, to prevent cases of sexual exploitation and abuse. While it is hard to pinpoint the direct effect of any single initiative, our efforts are having an impact. We have seen a steady downward trend in allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, from 104 allegations in 2016 to 55 in 2018. Our continued vigilance remains the utmost priority. We will continue to strengthen prevention and accountability for misconduct and enhanced assistance to the victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. But, of course, if we are to achieve our goal to advance the fight against sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping, we also need the full cooperation of all troop- and police-contributing countries. (spoke in French) Partnerships are at the heart of Action for Peacekeeping. Such partnerships begin within the United Nations itself. Progress in implementing the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which I mentioned, is the result of close collaboration among the Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Operational Support and the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance. I would like to thank my colleagues Under-Secretaries-General Atul Khare and Jan Beagle, as well as Catherine Pollard, and their teams for their joint efforts in advancing Action for Peacekeeping. I look forward to continuing to lead that effort with those two departments, as well as with all those in the Secretariat who help us achieve our objectives. Our progress is also due to the collective action we have taken more broadly within the United Nations, in particular with agencies, funds and programmes. A notable example is the intense and invaluable collaboration in the fight against Ebola among the World Health Organization, MONUSCO, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and other partners. I should also mention the end of peacekeeping in Haiti and the transition process under way, which is taking place via very close cooperation among the Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and many other United Nations actors. Nonetheless, the success of Action for Peacekeeping depends on strong partnerships that extend well beyond the United Nations system. My department’s close and deep cooperation with the African Union Commission has proved invaluable and indispensable in advancing political solutions and in implementing peace agreements on the continent. Other partners play a vital role in our collective efforts for peace through their political commitment and action on the ground. I would mention the European Union, for example, and subregional organizations in Africa and beyond. Above all, strong and tangible commitment on the part of Member States is vital to ensuring the full achievement of the objectives of Action for Peacekeeping. We need their strong and united support for political solutions. We also need their continued commitment and cooperation to improve performance across the board through our collective efforts. (spoke in English) The Secretariat remains fully committed to improving peacekeeping and has made significant efforts in that regard. Peacekeeping is changing for the better. It is better prepared, more robust and more reactive. But the journey has just begun; it cannot be undertaken alone. For our part, I commit to further strengthening our efforts to support political processes and to ensuring that the processes we support make a tangible difference in the lives of those we are mandated to serve. I further commit to enhancing peacekeeping performance, including by further strengthening integration at all levels, including command and control in particular. We are also redoubling our efforts to assess progress on the basis of concrete evidence-based data. As I already mentioned, we circulated to Members earlier in today’s meeting a document highlighting some of the key achievements we have accomplished thus far. I intend to circulate similar products on a much more regular basis to keep everyone informed of the concrete results we are achieving. We have also provided guidance to our missions on how to report on their contributions to A4P. That is an additional measure to ensure that we are doing our utmost to track and share with members the progress we are making in the various contexts in which we are deployed. I would also like to reiterate my requests for members to visit our field missions and evaluate our progress in person. We need their candid and field-based assessment to help us move forward and change course, if needed. I would like to express my thanks to all members that have accepted our request to serve as champions in the key areas relevant to peacekeeping. It is a clear demonstration of their ongoing commitment to A4P. We look forward to further discussing how we can continue to work together to maintain that momentum and strengthen our collective results on the ground. Finally, we are grateful for the Council’s commitment to supporting our efforts to strengthen peacekeeping and hope to be able to continue to count on the Council’s support for such efforts.

I thank Mr. Lacroix for his briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

First of all, with your permission, Mr. President, I would like to firmly condemn the reprehensible terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of 29 people in Burkina Faso yesterday, Sunday. My country shares the grief of the families affected and extends its resolute support to the Government of Burkina Faso at this difficult time. I welcome today’s debate on the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations, which is of particular interest to Côte d’Ivoire given our recent experience as host country to a United Nations peace mission and our hope to regain our place as a troop- and police-contributing country. The briefing by Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, whose analysis is always very relevant, served to underscore the need to reform peacekeeping operations. The peace and security architecture must evolve in order to adapt to new threats to peace and security and become an increasingly effective tool for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Resolution 2378 (2017) was the first of its kind to holistically address the issue of reforming United Nations peacekeeping operations. It was adopted in a context marked by efforts by the Secretary-General to reform the United Nations peace and security architecture, based on the recommendations of the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446). More than ever, the reform appears to be a call for collective action, which requires constant interaction among the Secretariat, the Security Council and troop-contributing countries. Côte d’Ivoire therefore welcomes the inclusion of that collective dimension in the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, which more than 152 countries have signed to date, thereby demonstrating their commitment to supporting ongoing reform efforts. Resolution 2378 (2017) also underlines the importance of properly implementing and monitoring peacekeeping reform in accordance with existing mandates and procedures. In that regard, the Security Council’s Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, which Côte d’Ivoire is honoured to chair, is tasked with undertaking thematic reflections on reform initiatives in conjunction with all stakeholders. Thus far this year, the Working Group has served as a forum for discussion on such relevant topics as peacekeeping reform, enhanced triangular cooperation, the protection of civilians, the role of women in peacekeeping, strategic force generation and capacity planning. Côte d’Ivoire remains convinced that progress in peacekeeping reform depends on continued collective mobilization and the consistent political support of Member States. Peacekeeping reform must also give prominence to the process of developing mandates, cooperation among stakeholders, the role of regional organizations, gender parity, training, capacity- building and financing. My country is also of the view that adequate training and capacity-building in peacekeeping operations — including their military, police and civilian components — is essential to improve their performance in key areas of peacekeeping, such as the protection of civilians and the promotion of human rights. We have acknowledged these requirements by taking them into account in the constitution and training of the combat-ready Ivorian battalion, soon to be deployed within the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). It is also important to forge a common and objective perception of issues related to the performance of peacekeeping operations. In this regard, efforts to provide civilian and uniformed personnel with the appropriate skills and training appropriate for the asymmetric environments where peacekeeping operations are deployed need to be strengthened. One of the fundamental pillars of the ongoing reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations is the strengthening of partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, particularly the African Union, which has engaged in commendable cooperation with the United Nations. This strategic partnership is based on increasingly close collaboration and better coordinated actions between the two organizations on conflict prevention through joint field visits and more in-depth consultations on the root causes of conflict and their means of resolution. In addition, as we approach the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1325 (2000), on the contribution of women to peace and security, it is more urgent than ever that the reform of peacekeeping operations incorporate the gender dimension, pursuant to resolutions 2242 (2015) and 2382 (2017). Côte d’Ivoire takes this opportunity to welcome the convergence of the views of Council members on the need to increase the predictability and sustainability of the financing of African Union peace support operations authorized by the Security Council. Let us recall that, in resolution 2378 (2017), the Council expressed its intention to consider practical arrangements that can be made and the necessary conditions for establishing a mechanism to partly finance African Union peace support operations through statutory contributions and on a case-by-case basis. Since then, significant efforts have been made to strengthen the mandate development, management, oversight, accountability and conduct- and-discipline mechanisms of African Union peace support operations, as well as to finalize frameworks for respect for human rights. Côte d’Ivoire values dialogue as a critical prerequisite for taking bold decisions on issues of common interest and therefore believes it is time for the Council to translate the intentions it expressed in resolution 2378 (2017) into concrete action. We hope that the momentum generated following the adoption of resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017) will continue, in coordination with all stakeholders, with a view to adopting a long-desired resolution on the funding of African Union peace support operations.

At the outset, I would like to emphasize that France emphatically condemns the attacks that took place in Burkina Faso and claimed many lives, including those of women and children. France offers its condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirms its solidarity with the countries of the region in their efforts to combat terrorism. I would also like to thank the Under-Secretary- General for his briefing. During the high-level week of the General Assembly at its seventy-third session, 52 countries endorsed the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, which crowned the Secretary-General’s initiative on peacekeeping reform. At that time, France expressed its full support for this initiative through the President of the Republic. Now, one year after its launch, it is time to take stock of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative and chart our path for the coming year. The results so far have been very positive, and I wish to particularly highlight the following points. Since September 2018, a further 100 countries have joined the Declaration of Shared Commitments, indicating that the vast majority of Member States have engaged with the Secretariat in favour of reforming peacekeeping operations to ensure that they are capable of addressing the challenges of the twenty- first century. Structures have been put in place, both within the Secretariat and by Member States, to enable us effectively assess missions, identify both difficulties and good examples and fully implement our respective commitments. The partnership framework that underpins the Declaration of Shared Commitments is working. Thus, the shortcomings identified by the Secretariat with respect to certain contingents within the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) have been taken into account by troop-contributing countries. France has, inter alia, provided the necessary training and the performance of its troops is now fully satisfactory. We hope that this partnership framework will be maintained and that regular dialogue can be established between the Security Council and the Secretariat on performance issues in particular. We must now move on to the next stage, given that significant challenges remain. We are at a crossroads. Some processes have been created, new mechanisms tested and initial positive outcomes achieved, but we cannot rest on our laurels if we wish to make this reform a success. This concerns all of us — the Secretariat, the Council and all Member States. Financial contributors, troop contributors and penholders all have a role to play, and therein lies the crux of triangular cooperation. The quest for performance must continue. The effective and shared implementation of the comprehensive performance assessment system and its extension to all missions; the systematization of predeployment visits; the light coordination mechanism to ensure that training offers and needs jibe; and strategic planning efforts integrated into all mission components are all elements that will contribute to the ongoing improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of peacekeeping operations. This performance objective affects not only military and police personnel, but also civilians. Much work remains to be done to ensure that all missions have the right people in the right posts and that everyone possesses the necessary qualifications. The skills being sought today for the head of a peacekeeping operation are no longer the same as they were 10 years ago. The United Nations human resources policy must be tailored to take that into account. Our goal is to establish a genuine culture of performance that is measurable, goal-based and braced by clear accountability and incentive mechanisms, as well as remedial action. France plays a major role as a permanent member of the Security Council, financial contributor and troop contributor to national operations in support of peacekeeping operations and intends to be at the forefront to ensure the successful implementation of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We pledge our full support politically, within the Council as a penholder, so that peacekeeping operations have clear, benchmarked and prioritized mandates in order to advance well- defined and transparent political objectives, as was the case for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MINUSCA and MINUSMA. We also pledge our full technical support in terms of training and supply of equipment. France, which is heavily involved in the training of the African soldiers likely to be deployed in peacekeeping operations each year, will maintain that commitment, both bilaterally and in coordination with regional peacekeeping training schools. Our support for French language acquisition will also continue. We are convinced that the linguistic dimension underpins the success of Missions, particularly in Francophone environments, and we will continue to work actively in that direction. We will also commit to stepping up our financial contribution to the Department of Peace Operations. In conclusion, I would be remiss if I failed to reiterate the importance of two elements: on the one hand, adequate funding for those Missions and, on the other, the proper coordination and cooperation of peacekeeping operations with the various local and regional actors on the ground. Regional organizations are playing an increasing role in the promotion of peace and security, as provided for under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. Strengthening the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union is a major priority of our work, and it is imperative to establish United Nations support for African peace operations as soon as possible. We therefore welcome the fact that the African members of the Council have decided to raise this issue once again. That not only acknowledges African ownership, but also the subsidiarity required in the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, while respecting the primacy of the Security Council. That is one of France’s strategic priorities.

I thank you, Mr. President, for presiding over today’s meeting and Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for his detailed briefing. I welcome all the representatives of troop- contributing countries (TCCs) to today’s meeting. China joins previous speakers in condemning the attacks in Burkina Faso yesterday, which led to at least 29 deaths. We offer our condolences to the Government and the people of Burkina Faso and the families of the victims. United Nations peacekeeping operations (PKOs) have contributed significantly to the maintenance of international peace and security. Currently, as the deployment environments and mandates of peacekeeping operations are becoming increasingly complex, constant adjustments in the light of the situation on the ground are necessary. In September 2017, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2378 (2017), which supports the reasonable and necessary reforms of PKOs. In 2018, Secretary-General Guterres put forward the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, and 152 Member States signed the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, thereby injecting new momentum into the reform. Over the past year, the initiative has been steadily advanced. At the same time, continued efforts should be made to implement the relevant Council resolutions and initiatives to effectively improve the efficiency and effectiveness of PKOs. China would like to share the following views on promoting PKO reform. First, the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations must be upheld. Peacekeeping operations should be governed by such basic principles as the consent of the party concerned, impartiality and the non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. Those principles are also in line with the basic norms governing international relations, such as sovereign equality, non-interference in the internal affairs of others and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The peaceful settlement of disputes through political means is at the core of the Charter. Peacekeeping reform and the implementation of relevant initiatives must strictly follow the basic principles governing peacekeeping operations and the purposes and principles of the Charter. Enhancing consultations with the countries concerned and respecting their ownership is important in peacekeeping operations. The mandates of PKOs must be centred around the fundamental goal of political settlement and be promptly adjusted according to changes in the political process. Secondly, PKO partnerships should be consolidated. As the major actors in PKOs, the Security Council, TCCs, police-contributing countries (PCCs) and the Secretariat should discharge their respective functions and, more importantly, maintain close coordination and leverage mechanisms, such as Security Council meetings wih TCCs/PCCs and the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations to strengthen communication and forge synergies. African Union-led peace operations are positive steps taken by African countries to solve African problems in African ways and an important complement to the relevant United Nations PKOs. The United Nations should strengthen its partnership with the AU in all aspects of peacekeeping and provide sustainable and predictable financial support to African Union-led peace operations. Thirdly, efforts must be bolstered in enhancing capacity-building in peacekeeping in order to improve its effectiveness. The international community should provide greater peacekeeping capacity-building support to TCCs that are developing countries. TCCs should ensure that peacekeepers are adequately trained, equipped and resourced. The Secretariat should attach great importance to the safety and security of peacekeepers, strengthen early warning, provide efficient and high-quality support and ensure the performance of peacekeeping forces. Improving the effectiveness of PKOs requires integrated measures. The Secretariat and the military, police and civilian components of the PKOs are all responsible for improving peacekeeping performance. We should regularly take stock of and improve the performance evaluation system and invite TCCs to fully participate in the relevant work. As a major financing and troop contributor to United Nations PKOs, China has actively participated in and contributed to them in significant ways. China is the second-largest financial contributor to PKOs and pays its contributions on time, in full and without preconditions. More than 2,500 peacekeepers from China are serving in eight missions on the ground, including in Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sudan, Lebanon and Cyprus. In September 2015, at a series of summits celebrating the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the China-United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund and a standby force of 8,000 troops. Over the past four years, China has vigorously followed through on its commitments. The China-United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund has made an outstanding contribution to strengthening capacity- building for developing countries in peacekeeping, improving the safety and security of United Nations peacekeepers and implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The standby force of 8,000 troops has been generated according to plan. As we celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the founding of the United Nations next year, United Nations PKOs will also usher in a new beginning. China stands ready to work with all peace-loving countries to dispel the shadow of war with the power of peacekeeping operations so that the light of peace will shine in every corner of the world.

We welcome the efforts made to reform the Organization in general, and peacekeeping in particular. I thank Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his informative remarks on the impressive steps taken over the past several months. The Action for Peacekeeping initiative is now the collective road map for all of us as contributors of uniformed personnel, the Secretariat, Security Council members and host countries, so that together we can pool our efforts in the coming years. We welcome the fact that the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations has chosen Action for Peacekeeping as the frame of reference for its report. We now have the road map; it is now a question of implementing it. We welcome the Member State fact- finding exercise currently under way, marking the first anniversary of the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. Every Member State, through concrete actions, brings its particular experience and expertise to peacekeeping. Sharing ideas and best practices helps and inspires us all. Today I will focus on three aspects of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative: first, our collective responsibility to ensure that mandates are clear, benchmarked and adequately financed; secondly, efforts in the area of performance; and, thirdly and finally, the added value of partnerships. This Security Council plays a central role in defining the mandates of peace operations, be they peacekeeping operations or special political missions. Such mandates must be clear, comprehensible and benchmarked. Indeed, mandates must be understandable and unequivocal so as to ensure that those entrusted with their implementation fully comprehend them. Our collective efforts in this regard must continue when we consider forthcoming mandate renewals. These mandates must also be achievable, meaning that each mission must be allocated resources commensurate with the scope of its mandate. It falls to each mission to use the necessary leeway in deploying its resources so as to best deliver on its mandate. Turning to my second point — working together to ensure efficient and effective operations — performance depends heavily on the way missions work and, in particular, on the integration of their various components. We must make every effort to structurally strengthen the capacity for integrated planning and coordination within missions and with country teams. We also welcome the work under way by the Departments of Peace Operations and of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs on the issue of stabilization and on how to tailor peace operations to the context of complex conflicts characterized by the presence of armed groups using terrorist tactics. As a contributor of uniformed personnel to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, we face this reality on a daily basis. The tools under development by the Secretariat — tools that are not only reactive but also preventative — will certainly be very useful. Finally, I turn to my third point: partnerships. The European Union and the United Nations have developed a strong and targeted partnership that operates on the ground, from the Central African Republic to Mali. In many situations, European Union activities complement those mandated by the Security Council, for example in supporting security-sector reform. The partnership between the United Nations and the African Union is also vital. Indeed, that is why we will be present in Addis Ababa next month. Talks are under way on the question of United Nations funding for African Union missions. We welcome the path being forged by the African Union, particularly through the revitalization of the Peace Fund aimed at providing predictable and sustainable funding for peace initiatives on the continent. The European Union has long supported the strengthening of the African Union Peace and Security Architecture. African operations that are complementary to United Nations operations must be able to benefit from sound financing, with full respect for human rights and international humanitarian law, as well as the budgetary rules of the Organization. I am confident that we will find common ground in this regard.

At the outset, I join the representative of Côte d’Ivoire in offering our condolences to the Government and the people of Burkina Faso as well as to the victims’ families. We condemn the terrorist attack that took place recently. We also thank Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his briefing. I am going to touch on three aspects of today’s topic: synergy among partners, follow-up on reform, and the role of the Security Council. First, concerning synergy among partners, peacekeeping is considered one of the United Nations tools that comprises the largest number of partners, stakeholders and decision-makers. It is a source of strength, consensus and impetus that, if well handled, could lead to development and reform, but if mishandled, could become a burden. The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations is the only Committee mandated to conduct a comprehensive review of peacekeeping in all its aspects. It reflects a basic consensus among Member States regarding all peacekeeping concepts and policies, supported by our agreement through the Fifth Committee to translate our commitments into a budget that supports such consensus. In that connection, the Secretariat plays a pivotal role in providing Member States with first-hand information, while troop- contributing countries play a key role as a result of their field expertise, which leads to policies that support the work and priorities of peace operations. Cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations is also gaining field relevance. The best example is that of the ongoing peace operations in two Arab countries, namely, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. Secondly, pertaining to the follow-up on reform, I once again thank Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix and his team for their clear efforts to follow up on the reform efforts of the Secretary-General and to achieve greater progress, especially regarding the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and its correlation with the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We look forward to the result of the follow-up by the Secretariat soon on reform in peacekeeping. Most of the eight areas of the Declaration have resolutions or presidential statements supporting their implementation. There are Security Council resolutions on the protection of civilians and on women and peace and security, as well as on performance, peacebuilding and the safety of peacekeepers, in addition to conduct and discipline. What remains are two areas where we need to witness developments or resolutions, namely, partnerships and policies. Regarding partnerships, we have just touched upon their importance in Somalia and the Sudan. As for policies, a point of reference should be agreed by all Member States pertaining to prioritizing political solutions in the missions of peacekeeping operations. The policy of the Secretariat on the representation of women also deserves encouragement. It must be supported in order to be reflected in all and not just some peace operations. Thirdly, regarding the role of the Security Council, the Council should build on the previous consensus reached by troop-contributing countries (TCCs), with emphasis on the importance of the role played by the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, chaired by Côte d’Ivoire, in coordinating the efforts of the Security Council, TCCs and the Secretariat — as well as the peacebuilding architecture — to ensure consensus. Last July we put forward some proposals during a meeting on triangular cooperation, some of which relate to procedural matters and to the need for the greater involvement of TCCs and countries hosting peacekeeping operations, especially given that the latter will need to focus on sustainable peace after the exit of peacekeeping operations. We have consistently called for assistance to those countries in the area of capacity- building and in ensuring their national ownership. We thank the United Kingdom delegation for having taken the initiative to mainstream and clarify the mandate of AMISOM. We hope that this approach can be implemented with regard to other Security Council resolutions. We also look forward to predictable, sufficient and sustainable funding of the peace operations undertaken by the African Union and authorized by the Security Council. In conclusion, we look forward to future developments and count on our unity to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

At the outset, let me join other delegations in condemning the recent terrorist attack in Burkina Faso and in expressing our condolences to the families and loves ones of the victims. Let me also thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his very comprehensive briefing and for highlighting a number of challenges facing United Nations peacekeeping missions. I will touch upon three major points in my intervention, namely, first, the implementation of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative; secondly, the significance of predeployment training; and, thirdly, the role of women in peacekeeping operations. Poland was not only one of the first Member States to endorse the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, but indeed also considers it as guidelines to improve United Nations peacekeeping. At the high-level meeting held in September 2018 in New York (see S/PV.8362), the President of Poland, Mr. Andrzej Duda, underlined the newness of the contemporary challenges to peacekeepers. He cited terrorism, climate change and the development of new weapons as factors influencing and shaping the current operational environment. All of them have to be taken into consideration in the mandates of peacekeeping operations in order to improve performance and effectiveness. Almost one year ago, the Secretary-General hosted a high-level meeting on Action for Peacekeeping to renew commitments to United Nations peacekeeping operations. We can now ask ourselves how the situation has changed in the past 12 months. The answer is not an easy one. On the one hand, there has been progress in terms of the safety of peacekeepers, as shown in the chart distributed by Mr. Lacroix. On the other hand, we still see urgent need for a useful gaps analysis that would allow for a better understanding of what the actual situation on the ground looks like. It is necessary to have this precisely identified so that integrated planning and prioritization can be conducted. That may help us better allocate resources. We would like to reiterate our strong support for tailored predeployment training and adequate equipment for troop and police units. As our own experience has proven, such mission-specific preparations are essential and have to be based on a complete operational, political, geographical and security picture. The preparation process for the Polish component to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) clearly demonstrates how we can realize the Declaration of Shared Commitments through extensive investment in predeployment training, responsible partnership between troop-contributing countries and the United Nations, and the actual implementation of recommendations from strategic documents. We are more than happy to be back in UNIFIL. As highlighted by Mr. Lacroix, one of the main obligations set out in the Declaration of Shared Commitments pertains to the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in all stages of peace processes. That is also the case with regard to the challenges and opportunities in terms of mandate implementation. Poland believes that only strengthened fulfilment of the principles underpinning the women and peace and security agenda will significantly improve our efforts to effectively find a long-lasting, sustainable resolution to conflict situations. In that context, we must mention the significant role of women peacekeepers in addressing charges of sexual exploitation and abuse. We recognize their profound role in prevention and awareness- building during predeployment training as well as in conducting investigations when allegations are made. As a strong proponent of the women and peace and security agenda, we have focused also on the meaningful representation of female soldiers in our UNIFIL contingent. The Polish UNIFIL company will be 7 per cent female, one of the highest percentages in UNIFIL, and will exceed the overall mission representation, which currently stands at approximately 5 per cent. I would like to conclude by expressing our strong support and gratitude to all peacekeepers, women and men. Their sacrifice and dedication help bring hope and peace to millions of people facing daily threats. We owe them our recognition and reassurance.

First of all, we join in condemning the terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso and express our solidarity with the families of the victims and the people and the Government of Burkina Faso. We would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing. I wish to begin by paying tribute to the men and women who have given their lives to the cause of peace over the past year. In particular, I would like to honour the memory of the Peruvian non-commissioned officer, Edwin Augusto Chira Reyes, whose legacy will live on in the Central African Republic. The dedicated work of officers, police personnel and civilians in peacekeeping operations constitutes, in practice, a source of hope for thousands of people across the world, in particular those most vulnerable. We therefore welcome the initiatives by the Secretariat and troop-contributing countries designed to raise their effectiveness and performance standards. In that connection, the holding of the Peacekeeping Ministerial and the third Chiefs of Defence Conference in March and July, respectively, was particularly important. I wish to highlight in particular the efforts of the Security Council over the past year to adopt consensus documents on this issue and to organize informative briefings and substantive debates. That work complements and provides fresh impetus to the efforts promoted by the Secretary-General to make peace operations more efficient, which is in the interests of all Members. The fact that more than 150 countries have to date joined the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations illustrates this point. In that connection, I wish to enumerate some of the elements that we have focused on during our participation in the Council and which are in line with the main themes of the Peruvian approach to issues related to international peace and security. First, we emphasize the crucial importance of implementing policies aimed at verifying and enhancing the performance of the various components of peace operations. That begins with the establishment of minimum compliance targets, which should include, inter alia, full respect for human rights and a gradual increase in female personnel. In that connection, we note the positive impact of strategic reviews of certain missions, which make it possible to identify the strengths and weaknesses and, where appropriate, to redirect priorities. Secondly, we underscore the need for troop- contributing countries to have up-to-date, precise information on the expectations, challenges and specific requirements of a specific operation and, in exchange, for those countries to provide duly trained, qualified personnel so that they can properly integrate into the host society. Thirdly, there is a need to continue promoting synergies between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations so as to harness their individual comparative advantages. The auspicious results of the joint visits carried out by officials of the Secretariat and the African Union speak to the potential of such a joint approach. We should further stress the need to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among the Security Council, the Secretariat and troop-contributing countries in order to deploy peace operations with more precise objectives, consistent strategies and innovative responses. We stress the importance of giving new momentum to triangular cooperation, which, among other things, requires having more interaction during formal meetings, convening them with due notification and defined goals, and being more systematic in the various stages of operations. We believe that the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations has a critical role to play in the institutionalization of triangular cooperation. We also welcome the major political support that the zero-tolerance policy provides in countering all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. Peru also fully endorses the use of that policy in the adequate training of troops and in combating impunity. In conclusion, Peru reaffirms its commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations and reiterates its readiness to continue to provide duly trained and disciplined contingents that respect host countries and include ever-increasing numbers of women.

I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for his briefing. The United States adds its condemnation to the attacks in Burkina Faso, as well as our condolences to the families of the victims. We are deeply concerned about an increase in violent attacks targeting civilians in Burkina Faso. The United States recognizes the courageous work of the Blue Helmets in conflict zones around the world. Their service and sacrifice help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace. We welcome this opportunity, one year after the unanimous adoption of resolution 2436 (2018), to discuss how the Security Council can help peacekeepers effectively implement mandates, protect civilians, restore peace and return home safely to their families. Equally important, we seek to partner with the Secretariat to improve reporting, accountability and transparency efforts, as outlined in resolution 2436 (2018). We support the Organization’s efforts to implement reforms that advance a culture of accountability in United Nations peacekeeping. Those reforms will enhance the safety and security of peacekeepers and civilians alike, increase the operational effectiveness of missions and hold peacekeepers accountable for underperformance. We appreciate and support Under- Secretary-General Lacroix’s regular meetings with the Department of Operational Support and the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance to discuss peacekeeping performance in individual missions. We would be grateful if the Department of Peace Operations would provide the Council with regular and formal briefings on outstanding performance in the field and examples of where peacekeepers could benefit from increased training. Those briefings could highlight many examples of significant progress towards developing peacekeeping guidelines, doctrine, standards and training materials, instituting a United Nations performance assessment framework and integrating and analysing performance data. Those briefings would align with the call of resolution 2436 (2018) for a more transparent and inclusive approach to improving peacekeeping performance. They would also allow Council members to better align our training efforts and receive feedback on the impact of the training we provide. The United States calls on the Secretariat to provide mission performance assessment summaries in its written reports to the Council on individual missions. Those assessments should document examples of high performance as well as underperformance and accountability measures taken to rectify it. Now is the time, one year after the unanimous adoption of resolution 2436 (2018), to ensure its rigorous implementation. We strongly support the Secretary-General’s efforts to implement his zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. We urge all troop- and police-contributing countries to enforce it and swiftly address any criminal allegations. The United States supports the United Nations in the repatriation of individuals who commit sexual exploitation and abuse, and of units that partake in abusive behaviour, including in cases were troop- and police-contributing countries do not fulfil their obligations under the zero-tolerance policy. Although there has been some movement in this area, we have not seen enough progress. The instances of peacekeepers engaging in sexual exploitation and abuse and the lack of information on accountability measures undertaken by their home countries erode trust and degrade the credibility of United Nations peacekeeping. Hearing about those cases in regular, formal briefings would allow us to address them before they become larger problems or recur. We also recognize that smart and adequate resourcing is essential to make peacekeeping effective. As you know, Mr. President, the United States is the largest financial contributor to United Nations peacekeeping. Our long-term partnerships with troop- and police-contributing countries helped develop their institutional capabilities and better prepare, deploy and support peacekeepers. Peacekeeping is a shared responsibility that comes with shared costs. It is the responsibility of all Member States to step up their efforts to make sure peacekeepers are well-trained and well-equipped, and we encourage our partners to match our level of commitment. When we discuss peacekeeping performance, it is not about politics or pointing fingers. It is about improving peacekeeping on the part of stakeholders, including Member States and the Secretariat. We must all do our part to make peacekeeping as effective as it can be. The United States, along with all of our partners around the table here today, are committed to fulfilling that goal.

First and foremost, Equatorial Guinea would like to join other speakers in emphatically condemning the criminal attacks carried out in Burkina Faso, which claimed the lives of 29 innocent people. We express our sympathy and support to the people of Burkina Faso. We would like to commend Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his broad and insightful briefing, which once again shed light on details of current developments within peacekeeping operations, following the changes introduced by the Secretary-General to improve their integrity, structural innovations, equipment and human capabilities in order to quickly, efficiently and effectively address new challenges. We also congratulate the presidency of the Russian Federation for having included this important item on the agenda, which is an opportunity for all of us to discuss and analyse the current development of peacekeeping operations after the Secretary-General’s reforms. As we well know, peacekeeping operations are one of the Organization’s most effective tools for ensuring, preserving and consolidating peace in the world. They often represent the last and only hope for millions of people who face daily threats to their security and basic rights. To that end, the need for peacekeeping troops and police to have the best possible training and equipment and the highest standards of personal conduct becomes evident in the light of that lofty responsibility. That is particularly true today, when peacekeeping missions have to face asymmetric attacks from armed groups and terrorists. That is why my Government considers this meeting to be very timely and important in monitoring the progress of peacekeeping operations and identifying the difficulties in ensuring that peacekeeping operations live up to their ideals and meet the needs of our time. The Action for Peacekeeping initiative strengthens peacekeeping, thanks to the promotion of collective action by peacekeeping agents, including all Member States, the Security Council, the General Assembly, financial contributors, troop- and police-contributing countries, recipient countries, intergovernmental, regional and subregional organizations, civil society and the Secretary-General. In that context, Equatorial Guinea appreciates all the changes and actions undertaken by the Secretary- General, as well as the achievements made in improving the balance of the capacities of peacekeeping operations. They are seen as a successful transformation, with considerable progress in reaching political solutions to conflicts and in increasing the political impact of peacekeeping. We are aware that the implementation of all the actions proposed by the Secretary-General’s reforms is not an easy task. There are many difficulties at all levels, and we wish to encourage him to continue with this arduous task. We urge the other members to act in line with their sense of responsibility in supporting the improvement of partnerships for peacekeeping. They should do so specifically with the African Union so as to strengthen and implement its policies, procedures and capacities, while improving the predictability, sustainability and flexibility of funding for African Union-led peacekeeping operations that are authorized by and under the authority of the Security Council in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations. In closing, Equatorial Guinea is steadfast in its commitment to continue supporting all peace initiatives, including in prevention, sustaining peace and peacebuilding and peacekeeping at all levels: bilateral, multilateral, subregional, regional and within the United Nations, in accordance with its founding Charter. At the same time, we wish to pay a well-deserved tribute to the brave men and women who every day work hard in peacekeeping missions to ensure international peace and security, protecting and saving the lives of others.

Let me first thank you, Mr. President, for having convened this very important debate. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary- General Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing. Allow me also to join others in condemning the terrorist attack that took place in Burkina Faso, which has claimed the lives of 29 people. Indonesia would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Government and the people of Burkina Faso, in particular to the families of the victims. As we mark one year of the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, it is an opportune time to take stock of what has been achieved and what needs to be done to move the reform process forward. The complex challenges in the area of peace and security today require us to work harder and faster to ensure that United Nations peacekeeping is fit for purpose. In that context, let me underline three points. First, we must maintain the positive momentum on A4P and ensure its effective implementation. The endorsement by 152 Member States of the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations reflects the wide and strong support for this reform. Indonesia has been part of this reform since the beginning and is fully committed to ensuring its effective implementation. Indonesia volunteered to become A4P champion on training and capacity-building while contributing actively in the context of other clusters. We believe that all A4P clusters are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and thus that implementation must cover all of them equally. Secondly, peacekeepers must be equipped effectively and provided with the necessary training, as training correlates with stronger performance. With the requisite training, peacekeepers will be able to better protect themselves and the local population. That is why Indonesia chose training and capacity-building as the theme of the open debate held during its presidency last May (see S/PV.8521), which resulted in the adoption of a presidential statement (S/PRST/2019/4). As part of its commitment, last June Indonesia also conducted an international seminar on preparing modern armed forces for peacekeeping operations. We were honoured to have Under-Secretary-General Lacroix attend that seminar in Jakarta as well as visit the Indonesia Peacekeeping Center in Sentul, and I would like to thank Mr. Lacroix for his presence there. Next year Indonesia will host a triangular partnership project to provide training for peacekeepers in South- East Asia and beyond. Thirdly, we must increase the participation of women in peacekeeping. It is evident that women bring significant added value to the success of peacekeeping as well as to peace processes in general. As Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said in this Chamber last May, investing in women equals investing in peace. For our part, we are proud that there are now 126 Indonesian female peacekeepers in eight missions, and we are committed to increasing their number. As part of its commitment, Indonesia hosted a regional training session on women and peace in Jakarta last April that aimed to establish a strong network of women peacekeepers in South-East Asia. We are working actively inside and outside United Nations forums to ensure a greater role for women in both peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Finally, let me underscore that United Nations peacekeeping missions can best fulfil their mandates when they are fully supported - politically, financially and materially. This also requires that all peacekeeping stakeholders be consulted properly and work synergistically on the basis of a common understanding. United Nations peacekeeping is by nature a collective undertaking, and therefore, as Under-Secretary- General Lacroix underlined earlier, partnership among all stakeholders, including regional and subregional organizations, is key to moving the reform forward. Indonesia, as the largest troop- and police-contributing country in the Council in its current composition, deploys approximately 3,000 peacekeepers in various missions and remains fully determined to do its part to contribute to and strengthen United Nations peacekeeping. We will stand against any weakening of this venerable and collective flagship enterprise of the United Nations.

I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for having put this item on the agenda. Let me start by expressing our condolences to the Government and the people of Burkina Faso in the wake of this terrible terrorist attack. You will recall, Mr. President, that under the joint French-German presidencies of the Security Council in March and April, the Council visited Burkina Faso and witnessed the situation on the ground and the efforts made by the Government and by Côte d’Ivoire, which co-chaired the mission. We are aware of the efforts made by the Government, but it is clear that the Government alone is not able to resolve this situation. This is a regional problem that requires regional support, and we need to support the African efforts made in this respect. Our Chinese colleague, in his intervention, noted the need for African solutions to African problems. There are some African solutions here, and I would again repeat our appeal for United Nations support for the Group of Five for the Sahel Joint Force. We need this stabilization force; we need to stabilize the region urgently. I would like to thank Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his very comprehensive, very transparent and very frank report and to reiterate what he said: that peacebuilding has changed for the better. I would like to endorse this and to commend him for all the efforts made and for what he said concerning the new spirit and the new mobility; better trained and better equipped personnel; and the fact that the number of fatalities has decreased, although, as he said, one peacekeeper killed is one too many. We have to continue to work in that direction, and, as he noted and as has been underlined around the table, a lot remains to be done. I would encourage the Secretary-General and the Under-Secretary-General to continue with the policy of, on the one hand, sharing positive examples and, on the other, reporting on the obstacles and problems that remain. I would like to make one general and in three specific points. The general one is that peacekeeping is not a stand- alone technical effort. It has to be embedded in a holistic approach in order to effectively enhance stability, since there is a need to strengthen the rule of law, the justice and penal system and the police component. It is vital to promote the women and peace and security agenda, and to work on development and economic issues so that fragile countries can get back on their feet. We therefore need the One United Nations approach, which is key and also includes the Peacebuilding Commission. Germany is committed to flanking all peacekeeping missions with its national civilian stabilization and peacebuilding efforts. Concerning our concrete support for the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, we are committed to its success and have taken on the role of its champion. For us three fields are particularly important, and I would echo what my Indonesian colleague has just said with regard to, first, training. We support predeployment training and mobile training teams financially and technically. We deploy German experts and we host conferences, on safety and security for example. Secondly, with regard to the women and peace and security agenda, we believe that it is very important to promote awareness regarding the protection of women from sexual and gender-based violence, in line with resolution 1325 (2000). We work hard regularly on integrating this topic in the mandating of peacekeeping missions, which we regard to be very important. Mr. Lacroix has reported some progress with regard to the number of female uniformed personnel, but I think that we are all aware that we need to do more in that regard. Member States may remember that, during Germany’s presidency of the Security Council, our Defence Minister was present here to promote the issue and to support initiatives, including by highlighting our own initiatives on the global female peacekeepers network and its financial support to the valuable Canadian Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations and its trust fund (see S/PV.8508). We have sent more women into peacekeeping missions. We have a national barrier study and enhanced military observer training. We know that in Germany we still need to do more. Our numbers are still quite low. Our Chief of Defence issued a guidance to our service to enable more women to take part in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Lastly, we need to constantly improve through review, and we support the targeted reviews conducted by the Office for the Peacekeeping Strategic Partnership through voluntary contributions because we believe that we must identify the shortfalls that exist in a systematic manner in order to tackle them.

I would like to thank Mr. Lacroix for his valuable briefing. The Dominican Republic also condemns the terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso. Peacekeeping operations are one of the most effective United Nations tools for the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. We therefore acknowledge that more action by the Security Council is required in order to promote the objectives set out in the Declaration of Shared Commitments of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Given the challenges facing peacekeeping operations, there must be an integrated approach by troop- or police-contributing countries, donors and host countries, as well as States Members of the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations. That will make operations more effective and efficient on the ground; hence the importance of this kind of debate. We recognize the valuable role of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. We regret that it was not able to reach agreement on the annual report at its most recent session but we welcome the Committee’s decision to work on a document in support of implementing the pillars of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We would like to take this opportunity to express the support and commitment of the Dominican Republic to the Action for Peacekeeping initiative and the Declaration of Shared Commitments, and we encourage Member States that have not yet endorsed the Declaration to do so. Peacekeepers are routinely threatened by deliberate attacks against them. The most recent incident was in Libya a few weeks ago. We must therefore strengthen their security and protect them from threats. In addition, it is important that peacekeepers contribute to capacity- building at the local level to lay the foundations for sustainable development, alleviate poverty and maintain peace in the host country. Increasing the presence of women among deployed troops is an essential element in increasing the operational effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. The Dominican Republic endorsed the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. We recognize that it is essential that appropriate child protection provisions be included in all peacekeeping mandates. The United Nations still bears responsibility for youth in conflict. We therefore urge that political missions and peacekeeping operations include initiatives aimed at implementing the youth and peace and security agenda in their respective mandates. An environmental focus is also required. That is why we call for peacekeeping missions not to exacerbate pollution, thereby creating new climate vulnerabilities. The Dominican Republic’s contributions to various peacekeeping missions, such as observers in the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, have been supported through training and academic skills-based programmes in areas such as the prevention of violence against women, humanitarian law and human rights. That demonstrates the value that our country attributes to peacekeeping training. Finally, we believe it important that there be greater cooperation and coordination between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission during peacekeeping mandates. That would bring about a better relationship between the Security Council and host countries. Peacekeeping missions are the best example of multilateralism. By investing in peace, we are committed to the sustainable development and prosperity of conflict-affected areas.

Let me also condemn the attacks on civilians in Burkina Faso and convey our condolences to the families. I thank Under-Secretary- General Lacroix for his briefing. Today we have an opportunity to identify where peacekeeping reforms have already delivered a real impact and where we need to redouble our efforts. We are very proud to be among the 152 Member States that have endorsed the Declaration of Shared Commitments of the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative. It remains an important framework regarding our collective efforts to make peacekeeping operations fit for the future as well as our individual efforts as members of the Council. We are also proud of the role that we have played in the past year in advancing the A4P commitments, including as champions in the areas of politics, peacebuilding, women and peace and security, and performance and accountability. With regard to politics, as Security Council penholders on the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, we have streamlined mission mandates, making them clearer and more focused, and we have continued the practice of engaging troop- contributing countries (TCCs) throughout the process. We are committed to continuing to work with Council members, TCCs and the Secretariat to do the same with regard to renewing other complex mandates, including the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) in October. I would suggest to my French colleague that France might like to rise to the challenge in doing the same regarding the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo later in the year. On the peacebuilding front, I think it important that we mention UNAMID’s mandate and the events in the Sudan this year. It recalls the importance of a focus on the successful transition to peacebuilding sustaining peace. That is what we have learned so well from the peacekeeping operations that have taken place so far. Recognizing the wider importance of transitions, we have therefore doubled our annual contribution to the Peacebuilding Fund to some $20 million. It would be good to see all members of the Council able to make a contribution to the Fund so as to show the importance that we collectively give to its work. In October we will host a conference in the United Kingdom on improving transitions, convening stakeholders from across the peace, security and development nexus. As penholder for resolution 1325 (2000), we will also continue to champion the women and peace and security agenda, including by maintaining efforts to meet the United Nations targets for women’s uniformed participation. We were delighted to announce a contribution of $1.2 million to the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations in March for uniformed women and police in peace operations, and in July we handed over the chair of the Women, Peace, and Security Chiefs of Defence Network to Canada, to which we wish every success and which we will continue to support. Looking ahead to 2020, we will be deploying 250 United Kingdom troops to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali to form a long-range reconnaissance patrol task group. That is a multi-year pledge, responding to a specific capability need identified by the United Nations, and it will be complemented by a new training office to partners deploying alongside us. As ever, we will strive to ensure that the troops that we contribute in Mali are well trained and well equipped and should be held, of course, to the highest standards of performance. We recognize the important contributions made by regional and subregional organizations in preventing and responding to conflict, such as the role played by the African Union (AU) in Somalia. We recall our support, in principle, for AU-led peace operations to be partly funded from United Nations assessed contributions on a case-by-case basis, and we look forward to continuing discussions with Council members on a mechanism for such support that in particular ensures that standards are fully met. In that context, I would ask all Member States to back posts designed to support AMISOM in that way in the Fifth Committee going forward. In adopting resolution 2436 (2018), the Council was clear that achieving the highest standards of peacekeeping performance requires greater transparency and accountability. We recognize the challenges involved in providing detailed performance reporting based on objective performance data. That is why we have provided extrabudgetary funding to support the development of tools such as the comprehensive performance assessment system. Without better performance reporting, we cannot properly assess the impact that reforms are having in the field, nor can we identify examples of outstanding performance and best practices that could be replicated more widely. We therefore look forward to the rigorous implementation of the performance agenda set out in resolution 2436 (2018) in the coming year, including through more extensive and detailed performance reporting. We owe it to our peacekeepers and the civilians whom they protect to pick up the pace and focus our efforts on the reforms that will deliver maximum impact on the ground.

We appreciate the convening of today’s debate. Similarly, we would like to join colleagues in condemning the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso that claimed 29 lives. My delegation would like to thank the Under- Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, for his detailed briefing. We would like to reaffirm that peacekeeping is one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security, as well as in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. Let me from the outset state that we continue to call for the prioritization of mediation, negotiations and dialogue to resolve ongoing conflicts. In that regard, we want to welcome the positive developments in the Sudan and South Sudan; considering the rapprochement between Eritrea and Ethiopia, stability in the Horn of Africa is improving. We also welcome the recent signing of a peace agreement in Mozambique. We further welcome the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement in May as contributing to sustainable development in Africa and, ultimately, the maintenance of peace and security. Those are positive steps towards the implementation of the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and will also contribute to the implementation of the joint United Nations-AU framework for enhancing partnership in peace and security. However, as long as peacekeeping is needed on the continent, South Africa remains committed to ensuring that it becomes more effective so as to be able to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security. We therefore welcome the continued discussions on improving or rather reforming United Nations peacekeeping, to make it adaptable to the changing nature of security threats. Some of the important issues that must be addressed in the context of peacekeeping reform are the process of developing mandates, better cooperation among the relevant stakeholders, sufficient funding, the role of regional organizations, improving gender balance and stepping up training and capacity-building. South Africa appreciates the efforts of the Secretary-General aimed at strengthening cooperation on peacekeeping among the Security Council, the Secretariat and the troop-contributing countries (TCCs) and police-contributing countries (PCCs). Cooperation among those three important stakeholders should take place during the planning phase of defining mandates, the implementation phase and the assessment phase, when possible exit strategies are considered, consistent with resolution 1353 (2001). Furthermore, such cooperation should extend beyond discussing the mandates of peacekeeping operations. It should also include the provision of support to peacekeepers, such as for their safety and security, training, conduct and discipline, equipment and national caveats, among others. In that regard, South Africa reiterates its support for the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) Declaration of Shared Commitments on Peacekeeping Operations, adopted in 2018, which provides an opportunity for the United Nations and its Member States to undertake future peacekeeping operations that are fit for purpose. We also acknowledge the increased and vital role that regional organizations play in peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts. In that regard, there is always room for strengthening cooperation between the Security Council and regional organizations such as the African Union. We appreciate the considered efforts of Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix to work closely with AU Commissioner for Peace and Security Chergui on peace endeavours in various African conflicts, as well as of Secretary-General Guterres and AU Commission Chairperson Faki Mahamat in going forward in those areas. We reiterate our call for sustainable and predictable funding for AU-led peace-support operations authorized by the Security Council, as recognized in many Council resolutions, in particular resolution 2378 (2017). South Africa would like to recall that in resolution 2378 (2017), the Council undertook to give further consideration to practical steps that can be taken and the conditions necessary to establish the mechanism through which African Union-led peace-support operations authorized by the Security Council and under the Council’s authority under Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations could be partly financed through United Nations assessed contributions. That will further be on a case-by-case basis, in compliance with the relevant agreed-upon standards and mechanisms, so as to ensure strategic and financial oversight and accountability, taking into account the work carried out by the United Nations Secretariat and the African Union Commission in that regard. We await a decision by the Council to address that pertinent issue. We also recognize the vast experience and expertise of TCCs and PCCs in Africa in the field of peacekeeping and their potential in strengthening the capacity of peacekeeping operations. We therefore urge the Secretariat, in consultation with African countries with resident training centres, to enhance cooperation in the field of training, capacity-building, experience-sharing and best practices. We further welcome the operationalization of regional initiatives such as the African Standby Force, which is based on standby arrangements with the AU’s five subregions to allow it to respond swiftly to any crisis on the continent. We also call for increased funding and support for regional and national peacekeeping centres and for ensuring that the peacekeeping curriculum is streamlined and periodically reviewed for accelerated performance. South Africa is proud to be among the countries with a high number of women deployed in United Nations peacekeeping missions and will continue to work diligently towards increasing the number of women police officers and military troops, in line with resolutions 2242 (2015) and 2382 (2017). We commend the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations, which is aimed at the realization of those goals. Furthermore, we recognize the important work done by the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations over the past number of years. We should continue to utilize that mechanism for the discussion of thematic and related issues, in a timely and detailed manner. We further urge all Member States to work in unison to ensure that the General Assembly Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) continues to discharge its mandate and provide support to the Council’s work. The impasse that led to the C-34 not adopting its annual report at its substantive session, held in March, should not be repeated. South Africa is fully committed to the zero- tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping operations. We have developed and institutionalized a predeployment sexual exploitation and abuse induction programme to raise the level of consciousness, efficiency and command accountability for our deployed troops. Furthermore, South Africa provides additional in-mission training interventions on a continuous basis to reinvigorate troops’ situational awareness and mission readiness on command-and- control matters, leisure time utilization, the protection of civilians, human rights standards and sexual exploitation and abuse. From June 2018, we also introduced practical steps to fight the scourge of sexual exploitation and abuse by introducing DNA tests to all deployed South African troops. That has proven to be a best practice. With regard to transitions, the Security Council must ensure at the outset that peacekeeping mandates are realistic, tailored and flexible in order for missions to achieve their desired outcomes in terms of keeping the peace and creating an enabling environment for peacebuilding processes. We reaffirm our support for strengthened cooperation between the Peacebuilding Commission and the Security Council, in particular when the Council is considering the review and drawdown of peacekeeping operations. In conclusion, we would like to pay tribute to those peacekeepers who have paid the ultimate price while executing the mandate of the Council.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Russian Federation. Like my colleagues, I would like at the outset to extend our condolences following the tragedy that struck northern Burkina Faso. The attacks claimed the lives of 29 people. We thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing. Peacekeeping is the flagship activity of the United Nations in the area of maintaining international peace and security for several decades and has had a direct impact on the lives of millions. Peacekeeping operations are the source of great hope, as they are intended to address pressing issues and facilitate the long-term settlement of disputes. The current challenging working conditions of missions and the shifting nature and unique features of conflicts undoubtedly make it necessary for peacekeeping mechanisms to be adaptable. There is also a pressing need to enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping. We value the personal efforts of Secretary-General António Guterres to that end. We agree with the overarching message of his Action for Peacekeeping initiative — the importance of meaningful partnership and concerted efforts on the part of the members of the international community to ensure that peacekeeping operations can operate successfully. As we understand it, that presupposes the need for stringent and scrupulous compliance by all parties, with the agreements and obligations undertaken at the intergovernmental level. In that regard and in the light of persistent divergence among States vis-à-vis their understanding of the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, we believe that the General Assembly’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations took an important decision, to align, on a trial basis, the structure of its reports with the main thematic elements of the Declaration at its forthcoming session in 2020. We trust that that will help synchronize the peacekeeping processes initiated by the Secretariat with the consensus-based decisions and recommendations adopted by the States Members of the United Nations. Regardless of the shape peacekeeping reform may take, the following need to remain at the heart of transformation processes: unconditional respect for the sovereignty of host States and adherence to the Charter of the United Nations and the core principles of peacekeeping, which are the consent of parties, impartiality and the non-use of force except in the case of self-defence and the defence of mandates. In all circumstances, peacekeepers must remain neutral; otherwise, they run the risk of being drawn into conflict. That, in turn, will spawn additional threats to the safety of Blue Helmets. The same applies to the proposal for peacekeepers to conduct robust and preventive operations. We believe that the existence of such mandates does not create a precedent. The functions of contingents, such as so-called peacekeeping intelligence, data-collection and analysis, can be conducted only within frameworks agreed upon by States. Data-collection must be conducted strictly in line with the Charter of the United Nations, with respect for the sovereignty of the host State, through purely legitimate methods and only for the protection of civilians and the safety of peacekeepers. In that context, the reliable storage and secure processing of sensitive information are, of course, of particular importance. We believe that it is important to bolster trilateral cooperation among the Security Council, troop- contributing countries (TCCs) and the Secretariat to generate a spirit of partnership, cooperation and mutual trust. In that connection, we welcome the participation of the major TCCs in today’s meeting. We believe that there is a need to establish trust- based cooperation with host States, which bear the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians, the elimination of the main causes of conflict and post-conflict recovery. Priority should be given to cooperation between missions and the Secretariat and the host State, which cannot be supplanted by civil society or non-governmental organizations. Effective cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, on the basis of Chapter VIII of the Charter, undoubtedly has added value in fine-tuning United Nations peacekeeping. The fruitful cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union attests to that. We see good potential for developing partnerships among the United Nations, the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which are improving their political standing and helping to bolster regional and international security. The importance of the Security Council setting clear, focused and realistic mandates is indisputable. At the same time, the main objective of the Blue Helmets is to set the stage for political dialogue and national reconciliation. In that connection, we deem it wise to curtail secondary peripheral tasks of Blue Helmets, including those of a human rights, humanitarian or social nature, which distract them from performing their main functions and require considerable funding. That is relevant, in particular, in the light of the policy to make peacekeeping more cost-effective. To a large extent, the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping hinges on respect for the appropriate division of labour within the Organization, with due coordination and mutual complementarity of efforts. The key role in defining shared approaches to peacekeeping and in establishing relevant instructions for the Secretariat is played by the General Assembly’s Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. Logistical, budgetary and staffing issues must be discussed in the Fifth Committee. The Security Council should in turn account for the fruits of those discussions when making informed decisions in the process of designing the individual mandates of peacekeeping operations. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Ethiopia.

We thank the Russian Federation for convening today’s important debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations, which is a strategic issue that Ethiopia placed high on the Security Council’s agenda during its presidency of the Council in September 2017. The adoption of resolution 2378 (2017) was one of the major accomplishments of Ethiopia’s presidency (see S/PV.8051). Let me also extend our appreciation to Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing on the progress made in the implementation of United Nations peacekeeping operations reform over the past year, as well as the essence of the work done over the past two years. We strongly condemn the cowardly terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso and extend our sympathy to its Government and people. Among the several priorities set out in resolution 2378 (2017) was the need to undertake efforts to fill the gaps that peacekeeping operations face in terms of force generation and capabilities. We recognize that a lot has been done by the Secretariat in this regard. At the annual Peacekeeping Ministerial in March, Ethiopia pledged to contribute two fully equipped battalions of uniformed peacekeepers to fill the gaps identified by the United Nations. We also expressed our readiness to accept other individual requests for military and police officers to be deployed in peace operations. With regard to recognizing the role of women in peace and security, we are working to increase the number of women peacekeepers. With respect to promoting the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, which must adequately respond to peace and security challenges, we have strengthened our training and capabilities. In our quest to introduce preventive measures to avert all forms of abuse and exploitation of civilians, we have made this a top priority. It is a great success that the United Nations has drawn the necessary benchmarks to address challenges through consistent awareness-raising, the taking of administrative measures and the putting in place of an accountability mechanism to be implemented together with troop- and police-contributing countries (TCCs/ PCCs). The predeployment and in-mission training programmes instituted by TCCs/PCCs are also taking root, and we trust that these efforts are moving in the right direction to help overcome existing and future challenges. I hope that we all agree that a comprehensive reform of peacekeeping operations requires cooperation and transparency among all actors within the United Nations peacekeeping architecture. In this regard, we need to witness more concrete measures relating to how all stakeholders will contribute to such reform, as well as audit efforts aimed at restructuring the peace and security pillar. The work of the relevant committees established by the General Assembly — for instance the Fifth Committee, which is involved in budget negotiation and the allocation of resources — needs to be better understood. Matching benchmarked mandate delivery requirements with the necessary resources is not a subject that can be deferred. In this connection, the Security Council needs to explore means of addressing challenges resulting from serious mismatches. Ethiopia is committed to the whole-of-pillar approach in implementing United Nations reform and believes that integrated political solutions, reinforced by strong partnerships and the participation of women, are essential elements of the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We have been supporting the United Nations Secretariat in its efforts to successfully implement structural reforms, including those set out and recommended in the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446). In that regard, I want to highlight the need to first reaffirm that Member States’ ownership of the implementation of United Nations security- pillar reform, including the reform of peacekeeping operations in the field, remains key for success. It is very important that we all agree on the essence of the reforms and appreciate their relevance in order to ensure efficiency. Secondly, there is a need to sustain communications among stakeholders in order to identify any gaps in the implementation of resolution 2378 (2017), as well as in the Secretary-General’s reform agenda. We believe that what is expected of each stakeholder is not obvious and that Member States, the Security Council and field missions must be adequately informed so that the gaps and shortcomings associated with peacekeeping operations can be addressed. Thirdly, the role and contribution of each actor in peace operations must be reaffirmed. Over the past seventy-four years, Ethiopia has been proudly involved in the peace operations serving humankind and the objectives of the United Nations. This endeavour has evolved over time and is now becoming more demanding owing to extended mandates and constrained resources. We believe in celebrating the life and efforts of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and valuing the causes they defended. In this regard, while we recognize the importance of financial and other contributions, it must be acknowledged that there is no moral or material ground for equating the expenditures or resources employed with human life. For that reason, the safety and security of peacekeepers operating in a dangerous and life-threatening environment should remain a key priority for field missions. At present, TCC/PCCs are forced to shoulder particularly heavy and difficult responsibilities in implementing mission mandates, paying the price both in terms of the human sacrifice and financial burdens posed by peacekeeping operations. This is not, by any standard, fair or acceptable. If the overburdening of TCCs/PCCS persists, we understand that the situation will become unsustainable and affect efforts to maintain peace and security throughout the world. Finally, we want to underscore that engagement between the Security Council, TCC/PCCs and the Secretariat will help to enhance the coordination of missions’ leadership and mandate delivery. However, we all know that the formal triangular consultation mechanism has yet to truly take root due to certain established norms in the Security Council. We therefore trust that the next reform will focus on fixing the imbalance of cooperation, including reforms of the Security Council itself. Let me conclude my remarks by reaffirming Ethiopia’s commitment to the success of United Nations peace operations.

I now give the floor to the representative of Rwanda.

I would also like to join Council members in thanking the Russian Federation for having convened this important debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations. I thank the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, for his comprehensive briefing, which once again highlighted the Secretariat’s commitment to making United Nations peacekeeping more effective and proactive, as well as for sharing with us a number of points where progress has been made. Let me also thank previous speakers for their invaluable contributions to today’s discussions. I would also like to present Rwanda’s heartfelt condolences to the people and the Government of Burkina Faso following the most recent terrorist attacks in the north of the country. Today’s debate is timely in that on 25 September, we will be marking the one-year anniversary of the launch of the endorsement of the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. It is the right time to take stock of whether we are delivering on the commitments and pledges we made in connection with United Nations peacekeeping operations. The report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446), as well as the recommendations of the Secretary-General, rightly acknowledged the primacy of politics. It is therefore right that peacekeeping reforms have prioritized prevention and sustaining peace, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and coherence of peacekeeping operations and special political missions. Peacekeeping is one — if not the most important — of the tools that the United Nations has in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security. It is able to create a favourable space for a nationally owned political solution. Peacekeeping currently continues to face several challenges, including capabilities issues, and at times, especially recently, a lack of sufficient resources and incongruities between mandates and resources. Rwanda continues to play a critical role in peacekeeping, and, as a top troop-contributing country, it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. In that regard, I wish to make the following points. First, we recognize that the primary responsibility for the protection of civilians lies with countries. We also know that in the absence of capabilities or the will of countries to protect their populations during conflict, that same absence can threaten regional and international peace and security. In such situations, it is the responsibility of the Security Council to engage all possible means, measures and resources to protect civilians. That requires a unified understanding of the protection of civilians among peacekeeping partners and collective support for protection-of-civilian initiatives. Rwanda is one of the advocates of the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians. The Principles address all key aspects necessary to ensure the effective protection of civilians, including assessment, planning, force generation, training, equipment, performance and accountability. We encourage all Members to implement the Kigali Principles on the Protection of Civilians. My second point concerns the performance and accountability of United Nations peacekeeping, which is a broad yet essential area of peacekeeping. Peacekeeping is an undertaking predicated on partnership. Therefore, performance assessment should not be exclusively focused on uniformed units. Performance can be jeopardized by a number of other factors, including ambiguous mandates, excessive delays and arrears in the reimbursement of troop-contributing countries and restrictions imposed by host nations. We would like to have a comprehensive performance assessment that does not focus on only some partners, while leaving out others. Indeed, troop and police units require the right capabilities and equipment to meet the challenges faced on the ground — an endeavour that cannot fall short of adapting to new technologies. Additionally, we must be resolute in ensuring that we have the necessary data, particularly with regard to situational awareness, to inform all operations. That can minimize threats and reduce peacekeeper fatalities and injuries. Training is central to performance. United Nations peacekeeping requires training that is tailored to the peacekeeping operation environment at hand. In that regard, we would like to commend the proactive involvement of a number of partners in the wake of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. They have become much more proactive in terms of entering new partnerships. In July, the Rwanda Police Academy, in partnership with Sweden, concluded a training course for United Nations military experts that involved 26 countries, in particular officers from the East African Standby Force. We believe that such triangular partnerships should be further encouraged. Similarly, in August, the Rwanda Defence Force, in partnership with United States Army, African partner military allies and international organizations, successfully concluded Exercise Shared Accord in Rwanda. Once again, we believe that such exercises increase readiness, interoperability and partnership-building among participating nations in peacekeeping operations. My third point concerns women in peacekeeping. We cannot overemphasize the importance of women’s involvement at all levels of peacekeeping. Evidence shows that having women in meaningful roles increases the effectiveness of peacekeeping and improves missions’ abilities to protect civilians. Rwanda is proud to be a contributor of female police personnel in peacekeeping missions, but we agree with Under- Secretary-General Lacroix that we can, and must, do much more. My country’s Mission and police division and the United Nations Police Division are currently finalizing arrangements to send a United Nations selection and assistance assessment team solely for female peacekeepers and police experts before the end of this year. Recruiting women in peacekeeping reduces the risk of conflict and community confrontation. It provides a larger sense of security to local populations, including, and especially, women and children. In that regard, we are taking practical measures to support the United Nations ambition to increase the percentage of female peacekeepers deployed. We welcome the efforts to incentivize the deployment of a greater number of women in military and police contingents in United Nations peacekeeping operations and would recall resolution 2242 (2015) as well as its aspiration to increase the number of women in such contingents. My fourth point concerns United Nations cooperation with regional organizations. We welcome the strengthening of the cooperation framework between the United Nations and the African Union, and we would like to see the spirit of that partnership extended to all aspects of peacekeeping missions in Africa. Such enhanced cooperation should be based on the African Union and United Nations respective authorities, competencies and capacities. The partnership should respect the principles of burden-sharing, consultative decision-making processes, comparative advantage, division of labour and mutual accountability. We understand that strengthening that partnership is not uniquely shouldered by the Secretariat. We call on Council members to consider more seriously the elements of burden-sharing. With regard to my fifth point, allow me to commend the role of the United Nations Police in facilitating the protection of civilians, strengthening and extending the rule of law and contributing to the proper and coordinated peace transitions of peacekeeping missions. We support the recommendations of the Secretary-General contained in his report to the General Assembly entitled “Assessment of the Police Division” (A/74/223). Peacekeeping transition is a critical moment for both the host nation and the United Nations. The United Nations Police plays a necessary and very important role in ensuring that host nations’ authorities are prepared for and capable of upholding peace and security. There is a great need to reinforce the support provided in terms of the necessary capabilities and resources for the police division and police components in the field missions.

I now give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh.

We congratulate Russia on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. We would like to thank you, Sir, for having convened this important debate and inviting us to share our perspectives. We also thank Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his briefing on the current state of the various reform initiatives of United Nations peacekeeping. We would also like to join other delegations in condemning the recent terrorist attacks that killed many civilians in Burkina Faso, offer our deep condolences to the bereaved families and express our solidarity with the Government and the people of Burkina Faso. For over seven decades, peacekeeping has remained the United Nations flagship contribution to international peace, security and conflict resolution. Over our past three decades of association with this noble cause, we have been proud of the service and sacrifices of our peacekeepers in the world’s most vulnerable places. We are committed to remaining equally responsive to the United Nations call for participation in future peacekeeping missions. Peacekeeping is a dynamic enterprise having evolved over time in the policy and operational domains alike. Since 2017, there have been important changes in United Nations peacekeeping through structural reforms in the peace and security pillar of the United Nations, as already mentioned by Under-Secretary- General Lacroix. Essentially, the actors in the field have had to adapt to many resultant drivers of change in order to cope with the shifting priorities and challenges. The stakeholders concerned, including the Security Council, troop- and police-contributing countries, the Secretariat and host countries, have shown certain degrees of flexibility, adaptability and resilience to build meaningful partnerships across divergent views. In going forward, the concepts of review and reforms must hinge on the notion of meaningful cooperation and partnership. We must utilize various institutional mechanisms within the United Nations system for informed dialogue among all stakeholders to steer the reform initiatives forward in a coherent and sustainable manner. In our view, such dialogue must be strengthened and should take place at regular intervals. We support the efforts to implement the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We appreciate the Secretariat’s efforts in conducting a gap analysis and stress the need for in-depth and focused conversations involving all stakeholders on the proposed way ahead in narrowing the gaps. We also appreciate the circulation of a leaflet this morning summarizing the progress and achievements made so far in the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiatives. We are happy to note that in some missions this initiative has resulted in advancing lasting political solutions and facilitating transition. There have been commendable achievements in the areas of women and peace and security, performance, safety and security of peacekeepers, and improving peacekeeping partnerships. Bangladesh also appreciates the initiatives taken to strengthen the conduct of peacekeeping personnel. In this connection, let me reiterate our commitment to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s policy of zero tolerance for any kind of sexual exploitation, harassment or abuse in peacekeeping operations. In line with this policy, Bangladesh takes any issues relating to sexual harassment very seriously and has consistently integrated this perspective into all predeployment training for peacekeepers. We have already expressed our interests in championing some areas, including the protection of civilians, women and peace and security, and reducing the environmental impacts of peacekeeping operations in the field. We have also contributed our part to building consensus around aligning the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations report structure with the A4P priority areas. On the protection-of-civilians front, our peacekeepers have achieved a great reputation in some of the most challenging situations. In the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, for example, the engagement of our peacekeepers with the community is very deep and friendly. They are supporting political processes, protecting human rights, facilitating humanitarian assistance, providing medical care and raising awareness about health and hygiene. Where hopes and aspirations are on the brink, these noble initiatives undoubtedly have far- reaching impacts in winning the hearts and minds of the people. On reducing environmental footprints, we are co-chairing with Italy the group of friends for leading on environmental management in the field. We reckon that good practices for limiting peacekeepers’ environmental footprints will also contribute to enhancing their image as responsible and sensitive actors in the communities they serve. Despite our sincere efforts, the safety and security of peacekeepers in the field remain a serious concern. According to the Department for Peace Operations, there have been a total of 236 fatalities due to acts of violence since January 2013. We express our deep condolences to the families of those heroes who lost their lives away from their countries for a noble cause. While we need to examine the direct causes for such fatalities, we believe there needs to be improvement on a range of issues — from rapid deployment to unimpeded access for troops; from furthering our efforts to ensure physical security to human intelligence gathering; and from predeployment training on safety measures to adequate medical support after injuries. We must also be able to combat the emerging medical challenges in peacekeeping missions, including myocardial infarction and post-traumatic stress disorder. In that regard, we would like once again to request the members of the Council to explore the need for a comprehensive resolution on ensuring the safety and security of peacekeepers. We cannot overemphasize the primacy of politics for the success of peacekeeping operations, from mandate setting to exit. If the political process falters, vulnerability increases for civilians and peacekeepers alike. We must therefore have an objective assessment of conditions for sustaining peace on the ground to determine the priorities and sequences of the mandate. In that context, we cannot but reiterate the seminal importance of meaningful triangular cooperation and consultations among the Council, troop- and police-contributing countries and the Secretariat. That also raises the interlinkages between mandate and performance. Our peacekeepers are generally keen to facilitate effective mandate delivery. But, as one of the major troop- and police-contributing countries, we also expect the Council and other stakeholders to be sufficiently responsive to voices and concerns coming from the field. We support the notion of increased accountability on the part of all peacekeeping actors as espoused in the Comprehensive Performance Assessment System. However, we would like to stress that performance cannot be seen in isolation. Rather, it may be seen in close relation to needs-based, predictable resources and critical enablers specific to each peacekeeping mission. Before I conclude, I would also like to emphasize that the budget question remains crucial for the success of peacekeeping reforms. Doing more with less is an unsustainable prescription in potentially dangerous operational situations. There must be structured consultations among the Council, troop- and police-contributing countries and the Secretariat to rationalize widening gaps between expectations and resources.

I now give the floor to the representative of India.

United Nations peacekeeping is a unique innovation of multilateralism to respond to threats to international peace and security. As a country that has been associated with various facets of this phenomenon and contributed to its evolution, we thank you, Sir, and the Russian Federation for holding this debate and for providing us an opportunity to express our views. We also thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for providing the context for today’s discussion. I join other speakers in conveying our deep condolences to the people and the Government of Burkina Faso, the most recent victims of terrorism. India is committed to implementing the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of peacekeeping within the contours of our shared understandings. At present, peacekeeping is in a no-man’s land, between trying to keep the peace in fragile environments and trying to enforce the maintenance of peace where there is none to keep. Responses to new security environments require a willingness to adapt abilities to meet emerging realities. In that context, we will offer three specific suggestions for the Council’s consideration. First, the institutionalization of an approach whereby all key actors, especially troop-contributing countries (TCCs), are consistently and predictably engaged in the decision-making matrix has now been discussed for decades. The issue of consultations with and communications to TCCs has been in focus since the Council’s presidential statement of 1994 on this matter (S/PRST/1994/22). It has been reflected in a number of other Council documents, for example: a presidential statement of 1996 (S/PRST/1996/13), resolution 1327 (2000), on the Brahimi report (see S/2000/809); and resolution 1353 (2001). However, in practice, we do not see effective improvement in cooperation among troop- and police-contributing countries, the Security Council and the Secretariat. It is time to move from the pursuit of individual activism by individual Member States to collective action by the Security Council to institutionalize this effort. Secondly, further incentivizing women peacekeepers is now essential. As of 31 July, women accounted for only 6 per cent of peacekeepers. There are 5,243 female peacekeepers out of a total of 86,687 peacekeepers. In 1993, during the first spurt of peacekeeping, women made up 1 per cent of those deployed as uniformed personnel. Today the number is 6 per cent. In 26 years, we have increased the share of women by 5 per cent. At this rate, it may not be possible to meet even minimum targets. There need to be special incentives for women peacekeepers and priority deployment of all women- unit pledges. Otherwise, the targets will remain just that, targets. Thirdly, innovation in capacity-building for peacekeepers needs to be a priority if we are to move away from a culture of caveats that bedevils peacekeeping and confines it to a segmented activity. Innovative options, such as co-deployment of peacekeepers from different countries, engender a genuine spirit of partnership for peace and need to be promoted. Enhancing capabilities and capacities through mobile training teams in large missions is a useful mechanism to harness available talent for specific, common objectives. Expansion of online initiatives to develop the capacities of future commanders and managers so that they lead by example and raise awareness of United Nations standards of conduct among their personnel is another innovation that can be further promoted. The best tribute that we can pay to the valiant men and women who have served the cause of peacekeeping and to the memories of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving United Nations peacekeeping is to keep incentivizing change, institutionalizing best practices and placing a premium on innovation. We hope those objectives will inform the next generation of changes to United Nations peacekeeping that the Council undertakes.

I now give the floor to the representative of Nepal.

At the outset, Nepal also joins others to condemn the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso and offer our deep condolences to the Government, the people and the families. I would like to thank the Russian presidency for convening this important debate on United Nations peacekeeping and for inviting Nepal to participate. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing. United Nations peace operations do not have the luxury to fail. They must succeed to uphold hopes of millions of people devastated by conflicts around the world. They must succeed to maintain international peace and security. And they must succeed to promote a peaceful environment in which the Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved, leaving no one behind. Current peace operations are facing a raft of challenges. Late payment and withholding of assessed contributions have resulted in a lack of corresponding resources. That has turned into deferred reimbursement to the troop- and police-contributing countries (TCCs/ PCCs). Consequently, peacekeepers have to compromise on their performance in the conflict theatre. Member States and the Secretariat both should work in tandem for better delivery on the ground. We appreciate the efforts that the Secretariat has been making in that direction. Two years ago, the Council adopted resolution 2378 (2017), a landmark resolution on peacekeeping. Nepal was one of the co-sponsors. As one of the major TCCs/PCCs, Nepal attaches great importance to the issues of United Nations peace operations. Nepal has always responded positively to the calls of the United Nations, even at the shortest notice, without any national caveat. Our peacekeepers are deployed even in fragile political situations and environments with an acute security threat. Based on experience as a major TCC/PCC, let me submit the following points on effective and efficient United Nations peace operations. First, support for an inclusive political process should be at the forefront of designing peacekeeping missions. Peace operations should complement and support the domestic capacity of State institutions of conflict-affected countries. Second, thorough and broad analysis of conflicts and their root causes should guide the mandate formulation process. Moreover, penholders should consult with prospective TCCs/PCCs before finalizing mandates. Third, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should be integrated into peace operations, with a sharper focus on poverty alleviation and inclusive socioeconomic development. Fourth, the mandates should be supported by adequate and predictable resources for their effective implementation. Fifth, mission leadership should be empowered and made accountable for whole-of-mission performance. Sixth, mission-specific performance indicators should be set based on mandates and reality on the ground. However, the effectiveness of peace operations should be assessed according to the political and tactical situations on the ground. Seventh, the protection of civilians and zero- tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse must be ensured. And the participation of women, youth and community leaders must be promoted in peacebuilding processes, as it helps in winning the trust and confidence of the people. With that, I wish to conclude by expressing Nepal’s full support to reforming United Nations peace operations with the aim of succeeding of building sustained peace and rejuvenating the hopes of millions of people afflicted by conflict around the world.

I now give the floor to the representative of Morocco.

Allow me, first of all, to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the accession of the Russian Federation to the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September and to thank you for the invitation addressed to my country to participate in this debate. I would also like to join those who have preceded me in strongly condemning, on behalf of Morocco, the terrorist attacks that struck Burkina Faso yesterday and in expressing our heartfelt condolences to the Government, the Burkinabe people and the families of the victims. Morocco takes this opportunity to reiterate its full support to its sister country of Burkina Faso in its fight against terrorism, a scourge that is destabilizing the entire Sahel region. In that respect, increased support for the Group of Five for the Sahel is more important than ever. I would also like to warmly thank Under-Secretary- General Lacroix for his comprehensive briefing, which expressed the United Nations firm commitment to peacekeeping that is adapted to contemporary realities, on the basis of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, of which he was the driving force and which Morocco fully and firmly supports. His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in a letter addressed to the Secretary- General, was among the first Heads of State to express his full support for the initiative. I would like to take the opportunity of our debate today to pay resounding tribute to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose peace and security reforms and initiatives have a positive impact on peacekeeping operations. This debate, almost a year after the official launch of the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, is timely and will allow us to collectively assess the progress made and the challenges that remain. Furthermore, we commend the Secretariat’s leadership in implementing the Declaration of Shared Commitments on Peacekeeping Operations, including through the proposal of an action plan. In that context, Morocco welcomed the concept of “champions” and committed itself from the outset to supporting performance and accountability and to improving partnerships in peacekeeping. In view of other important themes, the Kingdom of Morocco has also committed to supporting the strengthening of leadership and to improving the safety and security of peacekeepers, who are so very important to us all. Allow me to share with the Council the concrete actions undertaken by my country since its endorsement of the Declaration of Shared Commitments, nearly a year ago. With regard to force generation, the recent deployment of a rapid deployment battalion under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), with new equipment that fully meets requisite standards, was completed in record time of two months, from the submission of the expression of interest to deployment. This is all the more important as the battalion was deployed just in time to support the security arrangements put in place by MONUSCO in preparation for the latest elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That feat, which was the result of exemplary collaboration with the Secretariat, could serve as a model of a good practice. I would like to take this opportunity to note that this endeavour would not have succeeded without the support and cooperation of the Secretariat. Morocco enjoys cooperation in the security sector with many friendly and allied countries, including in training and military capacity-building. My country is using its expertise and experience in peacekeeping to ensure adequate training for its troops and those of many partner countries. We will soon have an opportunity to announce a new type of partnership with another major troop-contributing country. We also welcome the positive feedback expressed by several delegations from the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Department of Operational Support (DOS), which recently visited Morocco and had an opportunity to visit the training centres. In order to optimize support, a series of training courses were planned, primarily for French-speaking African countries, within the framework of the triangular cooperation programme proposed by DPO and DOS, pursuant to the recommendations of resolution 2378 (2017). The initial training of planning officers is currently under way in Morocco, until 13 September, with 46 officers from approximately 30 countries. An engineering training course is planned from 16 October to 11 December, with a medical training course slated for the first quarter of 2020. Morocco is also working to strengthen the impact of peacekeeping operations on efforts to ensure the sustainability of peace, particularly through our role as Chair of the Central African Republic configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, which I have the honour to assume. With regard to conduct and discipline, including the fight against sexual exploitation and abuse, the Kingdom of Morocco fully supports the Secretary- General’s zero-tolerance policy and continues to take various measures to eradicate that scourge, especially since His Majesty King Mohammed VI is a member of the Circle of Leadership established by the Secretary- General. In addition, the Royal Armed Forces have made considerable efforts to promote the inclusion of women in peacekeeping operations, which has enabled Morocco to exceed the required level of participation. Moreover, in the context of bolstering its international commitments, Morocco recently endorsed the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. All of those actions are part of Morocco’s policy, which considers peacekeeping to be one of the most effective tools for ensuring global peace and stability. The Kingdom of Morocco also attaches particular importance to the primacy of political solutions and partnerships with regional organizations, particularly the African Union (AU). The Central African Republic is a perfect example, with successful cooperation between the United Nations, the AU and the Economic Community of Central African States, which led to the signing of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic. As Chair of the Peace and Security Council of the AU for the month of September, Morocco will spare no effort to strengthen that strategic partnership. This success is an additional guarantee of our continental Organization’s ability to meet important challenges and, we hope, should help advance discussions on United Nations financing for the AU peace support operations  — a priority for our continent. I would also like to stress the importance of the decision taken at the end of July by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations to review the structure of the report according to the eight themes of the Action for Peace initiative. Morocco, as peacekeeping coordinator for the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, will spare no effort, with the support of all Committee members, to achieve a positive outcome at the next session, to be held in March 2020. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute to the women and men serving in peacekeeping operations, often in difficult and life-threatening circumstances.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

At the outset, I would like to thank the Russian Federation for inviting my country to participate in this important debate, held pursuant to paragraph 10 of resolution 2378 (2017), which calls upon the Secretary-General to provide an annual briefing on peacekeeping reform with a view to increasing its effectiveness. I would also like to thank my friend Mr. Jean- Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his comprehensive briefing, which tackled the peacekeeping reform process and examined the obstacles to enhancing and developing the performance of peacekeeping operations. We commend his efforts and those of his team. I would also like to express my sincere condolences to the Government and the people of sisterly Burkina Faso following the heinous terrorist attack that claimed the lives of many innocent people. We support them in our collective war against terrorism. Today’s meeting coincides with a series of intensive consultations among the various stakeholders in the peacekeeping system, namely, the Secretariat, the Member States of the Security Council, troop- contributing countries (TCCs), police-contributing countries (PCCs) and countries that host peacekeeping operations. The aim is to discuss how to implement the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative and move from the signing of the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations to its implementation. In that context, I would like to share a general observation we have noticed from many meetings and discussions of peacekeeping. The deliberations on peacekeeping reform tend to focus on promoting uniformed capabilities and the operational aspects of peacekeeping, while disregarding its political and strategic aspects. As a result, the discussions on implementing such initiatives turn into debates where some parties attempt to blame TCCs for failures in the implementation of the Council’s mandates. That is a narrow perspective that fails to consider the huge sacrifices of the TCCs. Those who espouse that view also try to dodge their obligations, ranging from drafting clear and implementable mandates for peacekeeping operations that avoid so-called constructive ambiguity, to providing the necessary capabilities and resources to implement their missions. In addition, they fail to create a political environment conducive to peacekeeping operations in order to carry out their missions in accordance with the relevant Council resolutions. I am sure the Council agrees that such a narrow perspective of peacekeeping reform runs counter to the core of many initiatives  — starting with former Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali’s “An Agenda for Peace” (S/24111), the Brahimi report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (see S/2000/809) and the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446), to the latest initiative, namely, the current Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative. All such initiatives have comprehensively tackled the various political and operational dimensions of peacekeeping. They stressed that a supportive political framework accompanying peacekeeping operations is a primary index for measuring the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and defining their appropriateness in specific scenarios. The scope and nature of dialogue among the Security Council, the Secretariat and the TCCs and PCCs must therefore be further developed. Despite the intensive consultations, we as TCCs still sense a lack of a strategic dimension in those dialogues, which could otherwise make us true partners in efforts aimed at ensuring that peacekeeping operations meet their strategic objectives. The desired reform of the peacekeeping system will be achieved only with genuine collective political will on the part of all actors and with complementing roles in order to meet the various obligations and responsibilities. Based on its continued commitment to enhancing the effectiveness of the peacekeeping system, and being aware of the enormous challenges facing peacekeeping, Egypt, as a major TCC, was at the forefront of the countries supporting the Secretary-General’s A4P initiative and the Declaration of Shared Commitments. On its assumption of the chairmanship of the African Union, Egypt took the lead in placing African TCCs and peacekeeping host countries at the centre of the efforts to implement the A4P initiative. In November 2018, Cairo hosted the first high-level regional conference, which provided a unique and timely platform for the key actors of the peacekeeping system to discuss ways to enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations from a global perspective that addresses the strategic, political and operational dimensions across a given operation. The regional conference resulted in the Cairo Roadmap for Enhancing the Performance of Peacekeeping Operations from Mandate to Exit. It benefited from extensive consultations that reflected the experience, expertise, wisdom and aspirations of a broad range of actors and stakeholders, including TCCs. The Cairo Roadmap provides a practical, integrated and balanced framework to implement the Secretary-General’s A4P initiative by offering practical solutions for a number of shortcomings that undermine the performance and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. The Cairo Roadmap places operational and technical capabilities on par with the issue of policy priority, noting the important contribution of peacekeeping operations in building and sustaining peace. It defines the concept of performance in a way to reflect the broad range of responsibilities and obligations underpinned by the A4P initiative and the Declaration of Shared Commitments. The Cairo Roadmap prioritize conducting field analyses based on a comprehensive consultative process among a mission’s leadership, host countries, TCCs and active regional organizations. The conclusions and recommendations emerging from such analyses should serve as an important source of information for the Security Council when reviewing, restructuring and withdrawing missions. The Cairo Roadmap also develops the concept of tripartite consultations into one of quadrilateral consultations that include the host countries, TCCs, the Security Council and the Secretariat. I therefore call on the Security Council, which is entrusted with the maintenance of international peace and security, to give serious consideration to the practical solutions set out in the Cairo Roadmap in order to find solutions to the challenges that undermine the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. In conclusion, I would like to thank you once again, Mr President, for convening this important debate at a challenging time for peacekeeping operations, which requires us all to work together and demonstrate the genuine will and support necessary to make peacekeeping operations more suitable for the purpose for which they were created.

I now give the floor to the representative of Senegal.

At the outset, I would like to express my condolences to the delegation of Burkina Faso following attacks yesterday evening that led to many dead or injured, which we condemn in the strongest terms. I would also like to congratulate the delegation of the Russian Federation on its initiative to organize this timely debate, in that it provides us once again an opportunity to deepen our reflection on the challenges facing the international community within the peacekeeping agenda. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for his very enlightening briefing. While the launching of the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative and the subsequent Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations was an important step that is to be welcomed, it must be recognized that there are still many challenges to overcome in the reform of the United Nations peacekeeping system. In the light of the Secretary-General’s recent reports, the objectives of that initiative are still far from being achieved. By way of proof, despite improvements seen in political and administrative reforms, the security situation in some countries, such as Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and the Sudan, remains volatile, in particular owing to the upsurge in asymmetric attacks and intercommunal tensions. In that regard, given the increasingly multidimensional nature of peacekeeping operations, it is important to continue efforts to make the mandates of such operations more focused, clearer, more realistic and more achievable. However, such an admirable ambition necessarily reflects the need to allocate predictable and sustainable funding for each such operation. In that regard, my delegation further calls on the Council members to work, in the spirit of report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (see S/2015/446) and resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017), to continue consultations on the issue of the financing of African Union peace operations authorized by the United Nations in order to contribute to the effectiveness of the African initiative to silence the guns by 2020. Another fundamental aspect to which we must give attention is training and capacity-building in order to provide peacekeeping operations with well-trained, adequately equipped and troops instructed on the basics of humanitarian law. In addition, it is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of those troops, who are often called on to operate in very large and volatile security environments with limited resources. We must also continue to prioritize the participation of women in peacekeeping operations even though significant efforts have been made in that regard, in line with resolution 1325 (2000) and the Department of Peace Operations gender strategy. Similarly, our various actions must take the fight against sexual abuse and exploitation fully into account, in accordance with resolution 2272 (2016) and the Secretary-General’s policy of zero tolerance in that regard. In addition, given the increasing commitment and quality of French-speaking countries within peace operations and the presence of such operations in such countries, in particular in Africa, my delegation reaffirms the need to promote multilingualism in the context of such missions. As a major troop-contributing country, Senegal has prioritized all such requirements and remains ready to share its unique experience in peacekeeping, particularly through its specialized training centre, established in line with United Nations standards. However, the success of our efforts requires the renewal of our shared commitment to multilateralism, as I have just said, as a key mechanism for maintaining international peace and security. To achieve that, it is essential to foster ongoing dialogue among all stakeholders, in particular the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, as well as contributing and host countries. Senegal remains committed to continuing its efforts, in concert with the United Nations, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, to strengthen its contribution to initiatives to improve peacekeeping operations.

I now give the floor to the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Congratulations to you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September. First and foremost, my delegation condemns the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso and wishes to convey its heartfelt condolences for those who lost their lives. As we have all witnessed the most significant systemic changes and processes since 1 January 2019 in the history of the United Nations, allow me to add my voice to those of previous speakers to commend the Secretary-General for the successful implementation of the United Nations reform agenda and the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, especially in the key areas of management, the United Nations development system and peace and security. By all accounts, Secretary- General António Guterres and his team have ably demonstrated the commitment needed to meet Member States’ expectations, although challenges remain. I am honoured to be given an opportunity to address this important meeting on peacekeeping operations. Tanzania acknowledges the insightful briefing that was delivered by Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under- Secretary-General for Peace Operations, which offered a snapshot of the implementation of reforms in the areas of peace and security and the management structure. While Tanzania pledges its full support to the new peacekeeping management structures, we highly value and cherish the outstanding and productive roles played by the entire Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Field Support, under Mr. Atul Khare, as well as Ms. Jan Beagle, former Under-Secretary- General for Management, in improving the conduct of United Nations peacekeeping operations and delivering regular briefings to Member States to seek possible advice and input as they adapted and made new approaches possible. As Tanzania is one of the highest-ranking troop- contributing countries, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the Under-Secretaries-General of the newly formed departments under the new structure, namely: the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance. Although at this point it is too early to measure the positive results of the United Nations reforms and the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, I am gratified to note that, as expected, the current set- up in peace and security has provided a conducive atmosphere for a more integrated approach, with a single regional political-operational structure, which I believe will provide coherent guidance for mission and non-mission settings. There is no doubt, therefore, that the structural changes aim to enable greater integration within the peace and security pillar, as well as greater alignment with the United Nations development and human rights pillars. Looking at the overarching peace and security reform goal, the aim is to facilitate the United Nations playing a more effective role in peace and security by combining United Nations capacities across the board, which is expected to yield better results in regional strategies, integrated analysis and improved reporting to Member States. It is our sincere hope that this set- up will effectively provide direction, management and support of peacekeeping and link all aspects of conflict resolutions, such as prevention, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, as well as connect them to long- term development, so as to avoid segmentation. On the peace operations management reforms, we are delighted to note that the Secretariat has been able to review the support management systems, has eliminated most of the redundant administrative structures and has updated many others in order to ensure a simpler and more user-friendly management framework. The famous newly established one-stop- shop supply chain management is a key example of how the United Nations is determined to simplify and optimize the chain of activities that supports clients in field missions effectively and efficiently. We are very confident that the new management set-up will deliver improvements in efficiency, responsiveness, effectiveness and client satisfaction along the field support supply chain. On a similar note, we highly value the Comprehensive Performance Management Framework, which aims to provide checks and balances of the United Nations systems to ensure evaluation, monitoring and control of effectiveness and efficiency across the board. In that regard, I wish to commend the Secretariat for putting in place all the performance benchmarks, including the new 360-degree performance evaluation system to ensure effective performance at all levels. We also appreciate efforts of the Secretariat to develop plans to achieve and advance greater regional diversity. The Secretary-General will be updated quarterly on those plans. In that regard, we are fully confident that the management reforms will ultimately contribute to better mandate implementation in field missions within the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. We all agree that peacekeeping is one of the most effective tools of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security and an important pillar for post-conflict reconstruction and development. It is in that regard that Tanzania wishes to reiterate its continued readiness to participate and contribute troops to peacekeeping operations. Furthermore, we will continue to work with the new United Nations structures and collaborate with other troop-contributing countries to ensure effective peacekeeping operations. We welcome all initiatives by the Secretary-General and his recommendations to solve new emerging challenges in peacekeeping operations. We appeal to the Secretariat and the international community to provide financial resources accordingly and facilitate triangular cooperation mechanisms among the United Nations bodies, troop-contributing countries and regional bodies in order to achieve strengthened strategic coherence in peacekeeping operations, because it takes two to tango. It takes the one who finances those who are sending the troops and the Secretariat to contribute to the maintenance of peace.

I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Let me begin by thanking the Russian presidency for organizing this debate, and Under-Secretary General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for his briefing this morning. Over the decades, peacekeeping has become the United Nations flagship enterprise and one of its pivotal tools to manage complex conflicts that pose a threat to international peace and security. Because of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice, the Blue Helmets are now acknowledged and respected all over the world as an indispensable instrument of the United Nations. We have seen an increasing focus on improving the performance of peacekeeping over the past year, through the normative framework and in terms of concepts such as agility and protection through projection, which are heavily reliant on additional expectations from troop-contributing countries (TCCs). It is, after all, the TCCs that are expected to provide equipment, impart adequate training and ready the troops with the appropriate mindsets. Pakistan has been a consistent and reliable TCC since 1960. We have contributed over 200,000 troops to 46 missions so far, and we continue to be in the field. Additionally, we are also host to one of the oldest peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which monitors the situation on either side of the Line of Control in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. UNMOGIP’s role and importance have increased dramatically, exponentially even, since India’s illegal de facto annexation of occupied Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August, in flagrant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions. UNMOGIP’s efficacy has become more consequential due to mounting ceasefire violations by Indian forces, which necessitates regular and formal reporting to the Security Council in this Chamber. We appreciate the role UNMOGIP plays in maintaining regional stability. We also welcome the update on UNMOGIP provided by the Department of Peace Operations to the Security Council in its meeting on Jammu and Kashmir on 16 August. It is important that the Council continue to closely monitor the situation and also start exploring options to strengthen UNMOGIP and ensure that India also allows it the requisite freedom of access and movement in order for it to fulfil its mandate. As a major TCC, we fully understand the rationale behind generating critical capabilities, increasing female participation and, of course, improving training. Pakistan has met United Nations targets on the participation of women and also recently deployed a female engagement team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are also deploying critical enablers, including air assets to a number of peacekeeping missions, and participating in train-the-trainer programmes. Allow me to make six key points here. First, even the best training and equipment cannot be expected to deliver in the face of unrealistic expectations. We could have the best-trained force and critical assets on ground but not be able to optimally utilize them, either due to caveats or mechanisms involved in their deployment. It is therefore imperative that all assets be available for utilization as the on-the-ground situation warrants. Secondly, performance assessments must start with scrutinizing mandates and the adequacy of resources actually available to TCCs. The Secretariat obviously bears the responsibility of providing a pragmatic and realistic analysis of the situation, in terms of political environment, resource gaps and possible exit strategies. That information then needs to be reflected by the Council in its mandates. Thirdly, delays in deployment must be removed to ensure that TCCs do not become the victims of double jeopardy. Committed assets cannot be deployed for national demands and delays mean they are not even being reimbursed. Fourthly, peacekeeping is a shared responsibility. As we are all committed to the Action for Peacekeeping Declaration, we must fulfil our respective obligations and roles. Fifthly, rather than focus just on cutting costs and troop numbers, operations must dictate logistics and not the other way around. Sixthly, peacekeeping missions, especially those with multidimensional mandates, are on the ground to facilitate peacebuilding at all stages of conflict and assist in achieving sustainable peace. Peacekeepers cannot therefore be there to negotiate political solutions or enforce peace. In conclusion, we look forward to working with all stakeholders for our common objective of improving peacekeeping outcomes. The burden of responsibility should, however, be shared equitably to achieve the results we all want.

I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

First of all, on behalf of Canada, allow me to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the Government and the people of Burkina Faso following the recent terrorist attacks. We express our full solidarity with Burkina Faso. (spoke in English) I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting. We also thank Under-Secretary-General Lacroix for his comprehensive annual briefing on the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We stand ready to continue to support him in implementing the Council’s direction. I would also like to take five seconds to congratulate my colleague of Pakistan, who just made six excellent key points. I would like to commend her for her precision. I am not as precise in my comments but I will do my best. United Nations peacekeeping serves us all. It serves the rules-based international order. It serves States, regions and the international community as a whole. But most of all, it serves the communities and people directly affected by armed conflict. Effectively and efficiently serving them is unquestionably the ultimate objective of the Organization. As was said, Canada chairs the Working Group of the Whole of the General Assembly Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34), in full support of that goal. As a subsidiary body of the General Assembly, the C-34 is uniquely mandated to review peacekeeping operations in all their aspects. Moreover, that United Nations Committee includes troop- and police-contributing countries and major financial contributors alike, as well as host Governments. It is precisely that diversity of experience that enriches the Committee’s capacity to contribute to our collective understanding of United Nations peacekeeping operations and how they are evolving. As Chair, we have been privileged to lead the negotiations on the C-34’s annual report. In that capacity, we have seen first-hand the seriousness with which Committee members approach their deliberations. While many may dwell on differences of view, we are struck by a clear, common desire to improve the way peacekeeping operations are designed and delivered. The Security Council, of course, determines when and where a United Nations peace operation will be deployed. Council members determine the range of tasks assigned to United Nations operations. They also set troop ceilings in support of those tasks. Those are perhaps among their greatest responsibilities. As United Nations peacekeeping operations become more complex, more multifaceted and more dangerous, they stand to benefit from taking the views of the C-34 into account. Like Council members, C-34 members also understand how decisions taken here affect operations on the ground. After all, their nationals are the ones seeking to implement those decisions. That is what gives the Committee its credibility. That is what makes its views so vital. This past summer, following nearly three months of intersessional consultations, the C-34 reached an agreement in principle on a new structure for its annual report. Motivated by a shared, cross-regional desire to improve its output, the Committee chose to use the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative as the basis of its annual report. C-34 members also committed to putting an emphasis on reaching agreement on clear, concrete and specific recommendations in its negotiations. I would like to express my thanks to Nigeria, Chair of the Special Committee, as well as to the other members of the Bureau — Argentina, Egypt, Japan and Poland — for their support during the intersessional review. On behalf of the Bureau, I would also like to thank all C-34 delegations for their constructive engagement. Our success this summer was based on a genuine openness to change and a tremendous display of good faith on the part of all delegations. We are confident that the outcome will produce a better product that is accessible to all. (spoke in French) Allow me to add a few brief remarks in my national capacity. Beyond our work on the C-34, Canada remains firmly committed in support of United Nations peacekeeping. For that reason, we pay all of our United Nations dues in full, on time and without condition. We have done so consistently every year since the establishment of the United Nations, including 2019. I am pleased to report that we have already paid each of our assessed contributions for all United Nations peacekeeping operations in their entirety for this year as well. In addition, our commitment was also recently demonstrated through the provision of an air task force for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali. The Canadian contingent undertook 11 forward aeromedical evacuations over the course of that deployment, treating some 40 casualties in what has proved to be a uniquely complex operating environment. I am especially proud that we worked hand in hand with our Romanian partners to ensure a smooth transition. Canada is also dedicated to supporting United Nations operations by providing innovative contributions and filling critical capability gaps. That includes ensuring that the United Nations has reliable, flexible and predictable access to the kind of high- end military capabilities required to support peace and security in areas affected by conflict. Our C-130 plane in Entebbe just completed its first rotation of tactical airlift support for United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa. More flights are planned. It is important to note that this innovation represented the first time that such equipment has been made available for United Nations peacekeeping operations. We must continue to innovate in that manner so as to ensure flexibility in peacekeeping operations. The Council has always acknowledged that gender equality plays a critical role in creating lasting solutions to global challenges, including by advancing the women and peace and security agenda. Translating that understanding into meaningful, measurable action can be hard. We need to better learn from one another on what works best, why and how. To that end, we contributed to the launch of the Elsie Initiative Fund to help increase the number of uniformed women in United Nations peacekeeping with an initial contribution of $15 million. More recently, Prime Minister Trudeau appointed Ms. Jacqueline O’Neill as Canada’s first Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security. Ms. O’Neill will be here in New York later this week at the invitation of the President of the General Assembly for high-level events on women in power and the culture of peace. I encourage all Member States to take part in what promise to be stimulating discussions. Increasing the number of women police officers and military personnel at the heart of United Nations missions is a top priority for Canada and for Prime Minister Trudeau. Another priority for us is to address the plight of child soldiers, which is why Canada is so proud to have launched the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers. Over 100 countries have already adhered to the Principles, and I thank them on Canada’s behalf. A readiness to learn and to share, a proven interest in innovation, a steady commitment to contributing and unconditional financial reliability characterize Canada’s long-standing engagement in United Nations peacekeeping. As highlighted by our Senegalese colleague, we are also committed to deploying multilingual forces. Canada has been a long-term partner in ensuring that forces have multilingual capabilities at their disposal. The Council can rest assured that, if elected for the 2021-22 term, Canada will bring this long-standing effort and dedication to our work on the Council.

I now give the floor to the representative of Fiji.

I thank you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to address the Council. I congratulate you on reassuming the presidency in this very difficult and challenging month. I welcome Under-Secretary-General Lacroix’s challenging and far-reaching observations this morning that invited the Security Council and all Member States to reflect deeply. United Nations peace operations are always about people and communities in the end. One year has passed since we began to implement the Secretary-General’s reforms to make the United Nations more effective by focussing more on delivering peace and promoting the protection and development of communities in conflict. Today, over 100,000 military, police and civilian staff serve in missions across the world to deliver on this ambition. When we fail them, we fail the communities and the people living in those regions. Fiji welcomes the Secretary-General’s reforms to make the United Nations more effective. Doing so means that development and human rights must be central elements of the peace and security perspectives that frame United Nations peace operations. Fragmented approaches to peacebuilding come at a great cost to the United Nations. Without inclusive political processes, peacekeeping is ineffective; without development, peace cannot sustain itself. We know these interlinkages only too well. We know that the costs to the people and communities living in conflict is too high when United Nations peacekeeping fails to undertake a cohesive approach. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) list the interconnected development goals that Member States have signed up to. These apply equally to people and communities that live in regions where United Nations peace operations are deployed. We often overlook that simple fact. When the United Nations does peacekeeping well, we save lives, we promote cohesion in communities, which is so necessary for development to take place, and we are able to demonstrate progress across the SDGs as a result. When we do peacekeeping poorly, politics and development are unable to help communities transition themselves out of conflict, making the SDGs even more distant for those who live in conflict-affected areas. Fiji wholeheartedly supports the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Today, United Nations peacekeepers face far more complex and asymmetric conflicts. This often calls for new training, better force protection and new and highly specialized skills. Peacekeepers need to be able to better protect themselves due to the higher number of actors in conflict zones. They need to have the skills to identify and respond to the special needs of many groups and communities. The rise of an era of asymmetric conflicts, in which groups increasingly and systematically abuse women, children and vulnerable groups to influence power dynamics, calls for a step change in peacekeeping capabilities. Many of these capabilities are essentially soft in nature. Peacekeepers need to be able to interact with people and communities better; they need to be able to identify systemic exploitation early and not late; and they need to be able to build positive rapports with communities. Fiji pays extensive attention to bringing these soft skills into its preparedness for peace operations. Expecting peacekeeping missions to do more with less is a mistake. Conflicts are not static; they shift and, more often than not, intensify. One day, a land dispute may be the main driver of increased fighting and, another day, water shortages may become that driver in the same conflict area. This requires agility, flexibility and capabilities across peace missions. We are working with all permanent members of the Security Council — Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States — to enhance our capabilities, increase our agility and better prepare ourselves for peace operations. and be able to meet the new requirements. We look forward to this continuing partnership with all five permanent members of the Council as we build and enhance our capabilities. Peacekeeping missions need financing that is both predictable and sustainable to meet the requirements of their mandates in an era where conflicts very quickly become very complex. The design of peace operations in ways that combine development and political processes can only be done credibly if financial support for missions are predictable over the medium term. We have some distance to go still. We understand the need to improve the level of participation of women in all peace operations. This is significant in terms of reducing fatalities, as numbers have shown, as well as broadening opportunities for peacebuilding and overall success. Women peacekeepers also bring skills that enable missions to build positive rapports with communities that are useful in identifying, for example, sexual exploitation, abuse and other human rights violations early. This is where interventions are most effective. I take this opportunity to thank the Governments of the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, which are assisting Fiji in increasing the numbers of senior women officers in our peace engagements and developing specialized capabilities for their participation in such operations. We are also working with Australia to improve force protection capabilities. Fiji has taken a far-reaching and innovative approach to developing new partnerships. We are working with Australia and New Zealand, our regional partners, to combine our expertise in training and preparation for peace missions. This is proving to have significant benefits not only for us, as a small troop- contributing country (TCC), but also for our partners. Australia and New Zealand are developing even greater levels of interoperability in peace operations. As a small country, we have limited resources, but Fiji is offering its support to other Pacific Island small States so that they can participate in our police and military training programmes for their future opportunities to be involved in United Nations missions. Finally, I must yet again draw the Council’s attention to the climate crisis, peace operations and the link between them. More and more drivers of conflict are climate induced, such as water scarcity and control by armed groups of humanitarian access following climate-induced catastrophes. Fiji has developed a World Health Organization-certified medical unit that can be co-deployed in climate change-induced and other humanitarian disasters in peace operations in conflict settings, if needed. Peace operations are by far the most important intervention that the United Nations as a system makes across the world. It is through peace operations that multilateralism can best demonstrate its power and its force for good. It is critical, therefore, that United Nations operations be well supported and that financial support be predictable over the medium term. The Secretary-General’s efforts to reform peace operations need to be fully supported. No element of this can be held hostage to financial and administrative constraints. The lives of peacekeepers, as well as the lives of people living in conflict zones where peacekeepers are deployed, are dependent on this. In conclusion, peace operations give space to small TCCs to make their contributions to the global efforts of the United Nations. Small States like Fiji also sometimes bring highly valued expertise and unique soft skills that are increasingly necessary in peace operations. I hope that peace operations will continue to welcome the participation of small States and value the contributions and the expertise that they bring to our global efforts.

I now give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

I am honoured to address the Security Council at this debate on the reform of United Nations peacekeeping. At the outset, let me congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of September and for hosting this timely debate. I commend the Secretary-General for his vision for the United Nations, including the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations. Let me also commend Mr. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, for his comprehensive briefing on the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations. Sierra Leone acknowledges with appreciation the Secretary-General’s reform agenda on sustaining peace in all its facets. We support the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping initiative and would like to recall that Sierra Leone was among the first countries that endorsed the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. Given that peacekeeping remains one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations, its success is, however, dependent on a range of stakeholders. The commitment of all stakeholders to prioritizing the prevention of conflict and sustaining peace will enhance the effectiveness and coherence of our efforts to promote peace and security at the national, regional and global levels. A similar approach is also required for peacekeeping operations with a view to enhancing their performance and the full realization of set objectives within the parameters of realistic expectations. The evolving nature of today’s peace and security challenges demands more than ever before our collective commitment to working cooperatively for the achievement of a more peaceful and secure world. In that regard, the contribution of peacekeeping to peacebuilding and sustaining peace, as well as the need to promote sustainable development, cannot be overemphasized. However, if peacekeeping is to be more effective and efficient, we must invest more in addressing the drivers of conflict and the use of peacemaking and preventive diplomacy. That will enhance the coherence and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and better situate them to effectively deliver on their mandates, within clear exit strategies. We note, however, that, Security Council members and the larger United Nations membership have differing views on several issues related to peacekeeping. That was demonstrated by the fact that Member States were unable to agree on the draft annual report (A/AC.121/2019/L.3) of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations at its latest session in February and March as a result of substantive differences, particularly with regard to funding modalities of African Union peace support operations. It is our hope that this debate will provide an opportunity to take stock one year after the Declaration of Shared Commitments. In addition, Council members should identify the areas in which more work needs to be done and devise a plan to deliver on the commitments both at the Council and bilaterally. On this first anniversary of our Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, I would like to call on this organ, the wider membership of the United Nations and all stakeholders to build and strengthen partnerships in order to address the challenges faced by the United Nations in its peacekeeping efforts.

I now give the floor to the representative of Italy.

We would like to express our appreciation for the convening of this meeting and take this opportunity to wish you, Sir, and your team every success in your presidency of the Security Council for the current month. We listened carefully to the briefing of Under-Secretary-General Lacroix and would like to commend him and the entire Secretariat for their tireless efforts in support of peacekeeping operations. In today’s quickly evolving security scenarios, peacekeeping continues to be a powerful instrument at our disposal to prevent, contain and resolve conflicts, while providing a crucial contribution to our collective and comprehensive efforts to restore and sustain peace. As the top contributor of Blue Helmets in the Group of Western European and other States and one of the main financial supporters of peacekeeping, Italy is particularly aware of the challenges that peace operations are facing today. Italy has endorsed from the outset the Declaration of Shared Commitments on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and currently supports the Secretariat as a champion of multiple thematic areas of the Declaration. The efforts of the Secretariat, together with those of Members States, to identify gaps in peacekeeping operations, are a positive example of the virtuous dialogue that we need among all stakeholders, in particular troop- and police-contributing countries (TCCs/PCCs), to create synergies and best practices. We would like to focus on five fundamental aspects of performance. First, predeployment and in-mission training are of key importance. They provide peacekeepers with up-to-date expertise, high professional and ethical standards and common operating procedures. Italy has a strong record in training military and police personnel for peace operations and stands ready to continue providing its contributions. In that respect, we wish to mention the role of the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units in Vicenza, which is already engaged in very productive cooperation with the Department of Peace Operations. Secondly, we have to work jointly to increase the number and role of women in the field and promote a gender perspective within the military and police personnel through targeted training. Thirdly, we have to ensure that we continue providing peacekeeping operations with our best troops, first-rate equipment and appropriate enablers. That is the best way to enhance the performance of peacekeeping operations, while ensuring the protection of civilians, as well as the safety and security of our peacekeepers and humanitarian actors. In that context, Italy supports the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy against sexual exploitation and abuse and is proud to be the first contributor to the Trust Fund in Support of Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Fourthly, we should think in terms of the legacy of peacekeeping operations. That is something to be considered when mandates are being drafted and that requires cooperation among the Security Council, the Secretariat, host States and TCCs/PCCs. In the same vein, we have to reorient our resources in sectors that can ensure the performance of our peacekeeping and, at the same time, benefit the host State once the mission is completed. That is why we have strongly been advocating for according greater attention to the environmental impact of United Nations peace missions. Together with Bangladesh, Italy is honoured to co-chair the Group of Friends for Leading on Environmental Management in the Field, the main purpose of which is to support the implementation of the environmental strategy for field missions issued in 2016 by the former Department of Field Support. Fifthly, as Under-Secretary-General Lacroix mentioned, partnerships with regional organization are also essential. As a founding member of the European Union (EU), Italy is fully committed to strengthening United Nations-EU partnership and synergies. Italy also welcomes the cooperation between the African Union and United Nations, which we hope will lead to secure and more predictable and sustainable financial support for African peace operations. We wish to conclude by paying our heartfelt tribute to all the men and women who are upholding the values of the United Nations in the field, bringing about peace and security, and to those who, over the years, have lost their lives in the service of that goal. In that respect, let me express our deep condolences to the Government and the people of Burkina Faso for the heinous terrorist attacks yesterday.

I thank the members of the Security Council, the troop-contributing countries, the representatives of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and Under-Secretary- General Jean-Pierre Lacroix for participating in today’s debate.