S/PV.9181 Security Council

I would like to warmly welcome the Secretary-General and the Ministers and other high-level representatives present today. Their presence underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, the Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia and Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; His Excellency Mr. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security of the African Union Commission; Her Excellency Ms. Mary Robinson, Chair of The Elders; and Ms. Karin Landgren, Executive Director of Security Council Report. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite Mr. Silvio Gonzato, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2022/799, which contains the text of a letter dated 24 October 2022 from the Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept note on the item under consideration. I now give the floor to His Excellency Secretary- General António Guterres.

I thank the Government of Ghana for organizing this open debate on integrating effective resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace. Our peace operations, which include peacekeeping operations and special political missions, provide the space for political solutions. They help to protect civilians and prevent violence. They enable the work of peacebuilding, development, humanitarian and human rights actors. But the local and global contexts in which they operate are becoming more challenging by the day. Geopolitical tensions are increasing. Insecurity is spreading, and the drivers of instability are powerful, many and mutually reinforcing. They include escalating climate catastrophes, worsening hunger and poverty, deepening inequalities, spreading violent misogyny, misinformation and disinformation and waning trust in institutions. All those factors are fuelling political tensions, economic despair and social unrest. Unconstitutional changes of Government are proliferating, alongside inter-State conflicts, invasions and wars. Entrenched divides between world Powers continue to limit our ability to collectively respond. The chasm between humanitarian needs and humanitarian assistance continues to widen. Human rights and the rule of law are under assault. Cyberwarfare and lethal autonomous weapons present risks that we barely comprehend and for which we lack the global architecture to contain. Our world is transforming at a breakneck speed. We must keep pace to keep peace. The peacebuilding gains on the African continent and elsewhere are reversing. We must ensure a sharper focus on prevention and building resilience. The New Agenda for Peace proposed in my report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) will prioritize investment in prevention and peacebuilding. Our peace operations must be empowered and equipped to play a greater role in sustaining peace at all stages of conflict and in all its dimensions. That requires committed, inclusive national ownership that considers the needs of the most vulnerable, including women, young people and minorities. Above all, development and respect for all human rights  —economic, social, cultural, civil and political — are the world’s best preventive tools against violent conflict and instability. Allow me to focus on four priorities today. First, we must deepen engagement with local communities and promote more responsive and inclusive Governments and institutions. Peace operations are manifestations of the political leverage of the Council. They bring the normative role and technical capacities of the United Nations system to bear on the ground, and they contribute to shared goals for legitimate, responsive and inclusive governance. Peace operations create space for dialogue and political participation, reduce community violence, secure the delivery of basic services, encourage reconciliation and promote equal access to justice. But we must act more quickly and effectively to address needs and grievances. Specifically, that means strengthening a whole-of-society approach and increasing investments that build trust, community engagement and cohesion. Secondly, we must bolster the leadership of women and youth in shaping the future of their countries and ensure that they benefit from peace and development gains. The contributions of women peacekeepers and local women networks are pivotal to building community resilience and ensuring that women’s concerns are front and centre in conflict-prevention and -resolution efforts. We know that securing women’s rights and equal participation in decision-making is essential to building and maintaining peace. That is why we are investing in partnerships with local women leaders and peacebuilders, including by increasing the number of women personnel at all levels. And we are pursuing policies that guarantee full gender parity and women leadership, including through quotas, across election monitoring, security sector reform, disarmament and justice systems. At the same time, we must ensure the voices of young people are heard loud and clear in articulating peacebuilding priorities. Our youth, peace and security agenda — together with the African Union’s 2020 Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security — are important and complementary tools to amplify those critical voices. Thirdly, we need a more holistic and integrated approach to building resilience and sustaining peace, with tailored investments across the humanitarian- development-peace nexus. That means strengthening synergies across the range of peace work  — from conflict prevention and resolution to peacekeeping, peacebuilding and long-term development. It means deepening partnerships among the United Nations, the African Union and other regional organizations, as well as international and regional financial institutions. And it means better integrating the work of United Nations country teams with the mandates of peace operations, particularly in transition contexts. Fourthly, and fundamentally, is the crucial question of financing. We all recognize that prevention and peacebuilding are cost-effective and save lives. But that understanding in principle is not matched with the necessary resources in practice The international community continues to underinvest in peace. It is time to walk the talk. The General Assembly’s financing for peacebuilding resolution (General Assembly resolution 76/305) reflects a commitment to find solutions for increased and more predictable and sustainable funding. The Peacebuilding Fund continues to be an invaluable resource. Last year, the Fund provided $150 million to 25 countries in Africa and became the catalyst for much larger contributions by other financial institutions. But needs far outpace resources. Funding must be scaled up, and partnerships with international financial institutions must be further strengthened. The Security Council plays a critical role in supporting the efforts of our peace operations to build resilience and sustain peace. By acting early, engaging strategically and speaking with one voice, the Council can mobilize the international community’s political and financial support and foster the commitment of conflict actors to secure peace. I look forward to continuing to work with the Council to strengthen peace operations and advance peace.

I thank the Secretary-General for his introductory remarks. I now give the floor to Ms. Pobee. Ms. Pobee: I join the Secretary-General in thanking the Government of Ghana for organizing this timely open debate on a topic that lies at the heart of the work of the Security Council. The nature of crises in today’s increasingly unpredictable world calls for our renewed efforts to adapt United Nations peace operations to fast-changing conflict dynamics. They call for renewed efforts to preserve the trust of the affected civilian populations in the capacity of international and regional partners — the United Nations in particular — to help preserve peace. I will try to elaborate, in all modesty, on a couple of elements that the Secretary-General touched upon in his thoughtful remarks — the need for holistic and integrated approaches and for inclusive processes. As the Secretary-General just noted, we cannot rely on security responses alone. Holistic and integrated approaches are necessary. Peace operations mandates, as defined by the Security Council, range from protecting civilians to strengthening institutions, supporting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, enabling justice and reconciliation, holding credible elections and extending legitimate and accountable State authority. In order to ensure the success of peace operations, we need inclusive strategies that consider the entire spectrum of peace  — from prevention, conflict resolution and peacekeeping to peacebuilding and development. It also requires the mobilization and engagement of all related actors  — whether international, regional or national  — working together in an integrated and coordinated manner. The Security Council has a vital role to play in that regard. Peace operations need clear, realistic and topical mandates, with well-identified priorities, adequate sequencing and the flexibility to evolve over time. Let me be clear. I am not suggesting that peace operations should be tasked with or take upon themselves all aspects related to building resilience as part of such approaches, or that the Security Council should indeed engage in issues of a socioeconomic nature. However, we need to recognize that purely security-oriented responses are proving increasingly insufficient. That is clear in the Sahel, for instance. Whether in Mali, Burkina Faso or Somalia, where years of focus on security efforts have yet to turn the tide of violent extremism, building resilience requires responses that are part of wider political strategies and are mindful of, and responsive to, socioeconomic realities and needs. In the case of the Sahel, the ongoing assessment of the Independent High-level Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel, led by former President Issoufou, should hopefully offer some useful elements in that regard. Support to locally oriented, nationally owned political solutions remains at the core of the work of the United Nations, most especially within the context of sustaining peace. For that reason, truly holistic and integrated solutions cannot rest on expediency. They must be based on a national vision and be inclusive. They must recognize the needs and contributions of all segments of society, including women and youth, as agents of peace and development. Women carry a particularly large burden of conflict and climactic or socioeconomic shocks. Inequality and discrimination increase their vulnerability and undermine their coping capacities. Yet they often have unique knowledge that allow them to protect livelihoods and decrease tensions. The deployment of peace operations presents a unique opportunity to support progress towards gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Through the combined contributions of women peacekeepers and local women, women’s concerns become an integral part of conflict-prevention and -resolution efforts. Mainstreaming the youth, peace and security agenda in the mandate of peace operations offers new momentum to promote inclusive processes, create space for dialogue, reduce community violence, encourage reconciliation and promote equal access to justice. To support resilience-building, it is essential to ensure that peace operations pursue people-centred approaches, and not just focus on the State. The United Nations needs meaningful engagement with a multiplicity of communities and groups, especially at the local level, to help strengthen social cohesion, enhance trust and foster the credibility of the United Nations. I also want to stress the importance of complementarity and collaboration between peace and security efforts, the protection of human rights and development and humanitarian work. United Nations country teams play a critical role in supporting countries with a long-term perspective, and they are an integral part of our efforts to sustain peace. That is especially important during United Nations transitions, such as in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau in the recent past, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the near future. Furthermore, to achieve sustaining peace and sustainable development, we need to engage in strong collective action and enhance collaboration and partnerships with regional and subregional organizations, financial institutions, civil society and the business community. Working more closely with international and regional financial institutions is particularly important. The recent World Bank Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion Project is a good example of how they can bring resources to bear while complementing United Nations prevention and peacebuilding efforts. As we develop those partnerships and innovative approaches, I look forward to the continued support of the Security Council in orienting collective efforts and resources to build resilience in the countries and regions where United Nations peace operations are deployed, and beyond.

I thank Ms. Pobee for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Adeoye. Mr. Adeoye: I address the Security Council from Abuja, where we have just concluded the inaugural Lessons Learned Forum on African Union Peace Support Operations and the African Standby Force. We were pleased to be joined by Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix. Like today’s open debate, the African Union seeks to enhance our resilience-building in peace support operations for sustainable peace. The identified drivers of conflict in Africa vary from structural economic dependence, with limited growth opportunities to provide jobs, to uneven development, insecurity and further limited opportunities related to socio-political and economic exclusion. The resulting high level of discontent requires a rapid response through structural transformation. Peace operations lay the foundation for entities better suited to take over and support affected countries towards a post-conflict context. One way the that the Security Council can ensure that peace operations in Africa help provide a pathway to addressing the underlying causes of conflict is to adopt a whole-of- organization approach in implementing mandates. Since today’s peace support operations are multidimensional and multifunctional, with mandates that go beyond military pacification of the conflict theatre, it is imperative — in our view — to ensure that the relevant United Nations and other stakeholders support deployed missions as early as possible. Experience has shown that addressing the underlying causes of conflict is primarily the responsibility of affected countries. Another pathway is to align programmes for complementing critical political transitions with exit strategies for peace support operations in order to build relevant institutional and normative capacities towards resilience. To that end, the African Union has entered into a collaborative arrangement with the United Nations Development Programme to create a facility to support critical political transitions in a country support model. I urge the Council to support the African Union-United Nations Regional Governance Facility for Managing Inclusive Transitions in Africa, in order to gain traction as one of the responses to addressing underlying causes for conflict. Over the past decades, Africa has been saddled with a plethora of conflicts requiring prompt, innovative and comprehensive international, regional and subregional intervention. That includes humanitarian disasters and other threats to human security. The nature of those emerging threats, particularly in Africa, has shown that no single institution, no one country, no one region in some cases, can adequately and rapidly respond to them. Therefore, to improve synergy between the African Union and the United Nations, we call for common purpose in addressing existing and emerging threats to regional and international peace, where there is a need for increased collaboration and coordination. Hopefully, the upcoming high-level inter-institutional consultations between the African Union and the United Nations in December  — at the level of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the Secretary-General  — will provide further impetus to strengthen our common peace endeavours. Within the continent, the African Union continues to engage meaningfully with member States as well as regional economic communities and regional mechanisms to enhance capacity to rapidly address those threats as they arise — The African Union remains committed to continuous strategic engagement with the United Nations on early warning, conflict prevention and crisis —

I would like to draw your attention, Ambassador Adeoye, to the fact that the audio is quite poor, and we cannot hear you. May I therefore suggest that you provide us with your statement for circulation to members. Mr. Adeoye: I regret the audio difficulties. The changing nature of conflicts and security threats in Africa compel a new agenda for building resilience, and we need to build our commitment to that agenda together in order to face the challenges of today.

I thank Mr. Adeoye for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mrs. Robinson. Mrs. Robinson: It is an honour and a privilege to address the Security Council today in such distinguished company for this timely discussion, and I would like to extend my thanks to Mr. Harold Agyeman, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Ghana, for his generous invitation and convening efforts. I speak today in my capacity as Chair of The Elders, a group of independent global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela 15 years ago, which works on tackling conflict and the existential threats facing humankind, including the climate-change crisis, nuclear weapons and pandemics. The Elders have a special bond with Ghana through the life and legacy of our dearly missed friend and former Chair, Kofi Annan. In preparing my remarks today, I was reminded of one of his insights that is particularly relevant to our discussion today, which was that the human family will not enjoy development without security, will not enjoy security without development and will not enjoy either without respect for human rights. Security, sustainable development and human rights should be the bedrock of effective and resilient United Nations peace operations, but we know there remain significant challenges in turning that core principle into practice. The Security Council needs to lead by demonstrating coherence, acting in the collective interests of the whole United Nations and working more closely with other parts of the Organization. In order for United Nations peace operations to focus effectively on the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity, and not just their immediate symptoms, the Security Council should play a more proactive role and promote a whole-of-United Nations approach that supports just and sustainable peace, while making sure that peace operations draw on and complement the insights and experience of staff working in all parts of the United Nations at the country level. As a former Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, I am under no illusions as to how challenging that is, but I am equally aware of the risks of failure and fatalism. We believe that the Council currently faces the greatest threats to global peace and security since its formation, including through violent conflict and its intersection with global environmental, food, energy and financial crises. The war on Ukraine has fully exposed the inability of the Council to respond to aggression by a permanent member against a non-nuclear sovereign State. Too often, Council members have acted to keep friends and regional allies off the Council’s agenda, which seriously undermines conflict-prevention efforts. The Elders support the principle of enabling regional organizations, such as the African Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to take a leading role in conflict prevention and resolution where they are best placed to do so, in their own regions, including through regional peace operations. The Council should cooperate closely with regional organizations, but where they are unable to take effective action, the Council also has a responsibility to step in. From the outset, peace operations should be equipped to respond to the shifting conflict landscape we see today. As has been mentioned, there needs to be a more holistic focus on the underlying causes of conflict, from political and economic instability to poverty, inequality and the marginalization of minorities within countries. I am pleased that today’s debate has expressly acknowledged women and young people as two particularly important groups that are too often excluded from decision-making. Through the women and peace and security agenda, the United Nations has sought to promote the equal representation of women in peacebuilding and mediation processes, but the evidence tells us that there is a long way to go. Analysis by UN-Women of 40 peace processes since the end of the Cold War shows that, in cases in which women were able to participate, they had a strong influence on the negotiation process and there was a much higher chance that an agreement would be reached. In order to ensure both fair representation and the meaningful integration of the rights and perspectives of women and girls into peace processes, it is critical for women to be equitably represented in security and defence structures, as well as in peacebuilding and mediation. It is encouraging to see United Nations peace missions pushing for greater representation of women in the national security and defence sectors. Firmer action must be taken to deter and deal with the reprisals that women peacebuilders and human rights defenders face by providing targeted and rapid resources for responding to threats, as called for earlier this year by our President of the Council today, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs (see S/PV.9090). In the context of resilience-building within peace operations that addresses the root causes of conflict, I want to focus particularly on the climate-change crisis, a threat-multiplier and driver of conflict. I am pleased that there has been increasing recognition among the members of the Security Council  — albeit not yet consensus  — concerning the security dimensions of climate change, and there have been some modest steps towards integrating climate-change considerations into United Nations peacebuilding operations, such as through the appointment of an Environmental Affairs Officer in the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia. That is progress, but in The Elders’ view we must go much further. As the climate-change crisis becomes ever more acute across the world, similar roles should be considered for other United Nations peace operations. Last year, six of the 10 biggest United Nations peace operations — more than 80 per cent of United Nations personnel — were deployed in countries that are highly exposed to climate change. We therefore believe that integrating environmental analysis into the work of the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission must now be a priority. I first visited Somalia 30 years ago, in 1992, as President of Ireland, because of the food crisis there at the time. I returned in 2011 with Irish aid agencies, as famine had been declared. Now in 2022, Somalia faces its third famine in 11 years, as ever-greater climate shocks have been exacerbated by the ongoing conflict and terrorism. Last Saturday, at least 100 people were killed by explosions in Mogadishu, but the world barely noticed. Those were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and grandparents leaving behind grieving families, targeted by Al-Shabaab extremists. The agonies endured by Somalia’s people over the past three decades should compel all Council members to redouble their efforts to tackle the interconnected threats of violent extremism, conflict and the climate-change crisis. The links between conflict and climate change are also evident in Tigray, which I visited in 2016 as the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on El Niño and Climate and where I witnessed the great cooperative work done by the United Nations and aid agencies to counter the drought there, because there was no conflict at that time. Today communities in Tigray and northern Ethiopia are suffering from both conflict and climate shocks, with truly dire consequences. The Elders commend the African Union-led negotiations that have secured a new cessation in hostilities, and we urge the Council to actively support that process in order to help turn the ceasefire into a lasting resolution of that devastating conflict. Now is the time for the Council to step up and speak with one voice. Only through sustained engagement to tackle the root causes of conflict and build just and sustainable peace will its mandate be fulfilled and the promises of the Charter of the United Nations delivered to current and succeeding generations.

I thank Mrs. Robinson for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Landgren. Ms. Landgren: I thank you, Madam, for inviting me to brief the Security Council at today’s open debate. Peace operations fit for contemporary times need to devise new approaches that include responsiveness to the underlying causes and drivers of conflict. That is the ambitious framing of our discussion today because, as Ghana’s concept note (S/2022/799, annex) states, evidence suggests that unaddressed structural factors can contribute to conflict resurging during or after peace support missions. I want to focus my remarks today on the Security Council’s achievements in taking up these issues to date. The Council has moved towards greater acknowledgment of these unaddressed structural factors, including non-traditional threats, in its discussions and also in its mandating. In Haiti, the Council has increasingly voiced concern about the deleterious effects of gang violence and other criminal activities, and it recently established a sanctions regime, while also stressing that addressing the root causes of instability in Haiti requires political solutions. Many past Council resolutions have referred to organized crime, and the Council has repeatedly made reference to corruption in Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan and Iraq, among other situations. Renewing the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq, for example, the Council noted “the importance of the Government of Iraq urgently delivering meaningful reforms aimed at meeting the Iraqi people’s legitimate demands to address corruption” (resolution 2631 (2022), eighth preamblar paragraph). The Council has frequently supported transitional justice initiatives, including in mandating peace operations in the Central African Republic and Colombia, and has explicitly associated this area of work with addressing root causes of conflict. In its concept note for an October 2021 Council meeting on diversity and State-building (S/2021/854, annex), Kenya pointed out that most situations on the Council’s agenda stem from domestic conflicts over ethnic, racial, religious, partisan, or socioeconomic identity. It noted that marginalization and exclusion of groups from political processes and from economic resources have led to violence and the formation of separatist movements. Liberia is one example of Council resolutions that cite social exclusion. When I served there, Liberia was a study in contrasts between the vast wealth derived from exploitation of its natural resources, on the one hand, and the acute deprivation of most of its population and a financial structure that had remained unchanged for a very long time, on the other hand. Members of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and Council members would tell me that this was a “development” issue. But every peace operation needs to consider all the factors that could trigger or retrigger conflict. The social and economic exclusion I observed in Liberia was also about power, inequality and mistrust of government. The Council’s language in this case helped provide an additional opening to discuss social exclusion, which was valuable. Matters such as a State’s financial structure and management, the impact of parallel informal power networks, the role of organized crime, and accountability issues, including corruption, can be hard to raise and to acknowledge at the national level. They are very difficult issues for Governments to own and to address. Ideally, the Council will approach these issues with hope and vision. Not every structural problem will lead to conflict. But it would be wrong to dismiss the Council’s consideration of these issues as “securitizing development”, as we sometimes hear; rather, it is part and parcel of bringing resilience-building to the forefront of peace operations. The first Secretary-General’s report on transitions in United Nations peace operations, issued in late June, emphasized the efforts that are needed to safeguard the “hard-fought achievements” of peace operations and “to ensure that the follow-on presence can succeed” (S/2022/522, para. 41). Past achievements of peace operations have often been won at a cost of a decade or more of engagement, expenditure of billions of dollars, and lives of many peacekeepers lost. These investments in peace deserve to be protected. This may be an area where the Council could consider additional steps. Signalling the Security Council’s strong interest in sustained peace, and in tandem with the work of the PBC, Council members might check back in with the country concerned from time to time. The Security Council could invite that country, with the Secretariat and members of the United Nations country team, to present on progress in areas of the former mandate at, say, the one-year, three-year and five-year marks after mission closure. Council members could consider paying a visit to see for themselves. For example, why should there not be a Security Council visiting mission to Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, countries whose United Nations peace operations closed in 2014, 2017 and 2018, respectively? The basis of integrating structural and societal factors into the work of peace operations is understanding  — understanding not just of the history, politics and conflict of the country, but of its economy and of the levers of informal power within the society, including those elements that benefit from continued conflict or from the continued weakness of State institutions. The recommendations of the 2015 High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (HIPPO) remain highly relevant to devising better approaches to peace operations. The HIPPO report observed that “more often than not”, peace operations did not address “root causes and conflict drivers” effectively (S/2015/446, para. 14). It recommended that the United Nations Secretariat embrace “a more nuanced analysis of the complex drivers of the conflict” (ibid., para. 51). Today’s topic amplifies the continued importance of this HIPPO recommendation. While no peace operation is expected to address every last issue, we should still, with all humility as outsiders, reflect on and speak to the full, intricate context in which these operations intervene.

I thank Ms. Landgren for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana. Let me begin by thanking all the Ministers and officials who have travelled from their capitals, as well as all Security Council members and non-members of the Council, for their participation in today’s open debate. I thank the Secretary-General for his important statement and welcome the clarity of his views on how best to integrate effective resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Martha Pobee, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security of the African Union Commission, Ms. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and current Chair of The Elders, and Ms. Karin Landgren, Executive Director of the Security Council Report, for their informative and insightful briefings. As the Security Council, we have a primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Getting the balance right with the instruments we deploy for peace operations is critical for ensuring that the peace we seek is sustained across the world. The link between peace and development is clear for all. The latest report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has stated that cascading and interlinked crises are putting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in grave danger, along with peace and security and humankind’s very own survival. We agree with the Secretary-General’s statement to a meeting of the Economic and Social Council in May 2022, which is on point: “We must rise higher to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals — and stay true to our promise of a world of peace, dignity and prosperity on a healthy planet”. We must therefore ensure funding across the peace continuum if we are to achieve any measure of success in addressing the protracted and complex conflicts we are currently confronting. In addition, there is a need for a strong ecosystem to make the triple cross-pillar nexus a reality and to promote the transformative, prevention-focused and conflict-sensitive responses required to accelerate action to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ghana is concerned about the fact that not enough resources have been devoted to non-military interventions in peace operations by comparison with military components. As the 2015 High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations noted, the changes in conflicts may be fast outpacing the ability of United Nations peace operations to respond (see S/2015/446). That sustainability gap now threatens current peacekeeping missions, as a number of mission host countries are turning to outside forces for interventions while at the same time limiting the mandates of the peace missions. What is even more worrying is that poor countries are shouldering the burden of addressing the socioeconomic and political complexities and challenges that are driving the rising levels of terrorism and violent extremism, while at the same time bearing the costs of the military operations needed to defeat terrorists. Integrating effective resilience-building into peace operations must be a central preoccupation of the Council if it is to remain a credible guarantor of peace and security around the world. If any evidence were needed, we need look no further than the Sahel, where the stability and viability of States are tested daily, with violence and deaths increasing with each attack. But the Sahel — which, according to the latest edition of the Global Terrorism Index, is experiencing 35 per cent of terror-related deaths in the world — is not the only region where the Council’s traditional response fails to meet the nature of the threat. It is clear that sustainable peace today requires that even as we consider ways to further reform peacekeeping to ensure adequate programmatic funding, we must also look at ways to make the successes of military operations against terrorists more durable by addressing the underlying factors that exacerbate the terrorist threat. In the Sahel and coastal West Africa, the impacts of climate change, including displacement and food insecurity, poverty and exclusion, low levels of education and youth unemployment, among other things, create a fertile ground for radicalization and recruitment. Finding a solution to the widening gap between the expectations of citizens and the capacity of States to deliver on public goods and maintain a State presence is as much a security question as it is a development resilience challenge. The Council cannot ignore that concern, which is so relevant to international peace and security and has traditionally been considered part of peacekeeping transitions. I would now like to make a number of points about ways to integrate effective resilience into peace operations for sustainable peace. First, there is an overwhelming and urgent need for United Nations peace operations to be reconfigured to ensure a situationally determined balance between military actions aimed at restoring peace, including through defeating terrorism, and non-military measures to address the underlying causes of conflicts. We hope that today’s debate will lead to a process that transforms the peace-operations model to respond to the conditions of today. Resilience-building cannot be left to the tail end of peacekeeping; it must be a key objective, even at the beginning of peace operations. Secondly, the Council has to rise to its mandate and deal with the critical recommendation in the report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on the need for new modalities to deal with terrorism and violent extremism and the emerging threats to peace and security in our world today. The threats to international peace and security continue to multiply each and every day that no action is taken. Thirdly, we need to operationalize the Council’s agendas for youth and women, making them essential pillars of United Nations support for resilience-building in addressing the present challenges of insecurity. Women and young people face peculiar challenges in their communities, because they are disproportionately affected by conflict and violence. Finally, while the different organs of the United  Nations have separate responsibilities that impact the peace-development nexus, in practice, the sum of our efforts does not add up to conditions in which peace thrives. It is important that the Council encourage coherent action across the United Nations system that is targeted at the resilience-building agenda for sustainable peace. The collective contribution of the system has to be integral to the way in which mandates are adopted and executed. In conclusion, our capacity to deliver peace and security rests as much on our ability to understand and address the underlying conditions for conflict as on our ability to manage conflict. I hope that this open debate gets us closer to that understanding. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I call on the Permanent Representative of the United States and member of President Biden’s Cabinet.

We appreciate Ghana’s efforts in convening us for this important discussion. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his briefing, as well as all the other briefers for their insightful contributions. I want to start by taking a moment to recognize those who risk their lives every day in the pursuit of peace, especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect others. Sustainable peace requires all of us to come together and ensure that modern United Nations peace operations are truly multidimensional and integrated. In order to achieve sustainable peace, as Ms. Robinson noted, security, sustainable development and human rights are key. The Secretary-General has called on us to do just that through the Action for Peacekeeping initiative, which emphasizes the primacy of politics in conflict resolution and the role that peace operations play in supporting political solutions. It reminds us that the task of peacekeepers is to create space for political solutions and support local stakeholders as they tackle the root causes of conflicts. Here is what that looks like in practice. For the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the Security Council has outlined a strategic vision for the Mission’s role in supporting inclusive and accountable governance. In Mali, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali is tasked with supporting Malian implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali and a strategy to address the root causes of violent conflict in the centre of the country. In both cases, we have found that leaders of peace operations can operate more effectively and confidently when they have a clear sense of what the Security Council expects them to achieve. That is why we started to introduce longer-term strategic visions into peace-operation mandates. But let us be clear. To be successful, we must have the support and cooperation of host countries for the full implementation of United Nations peace operations and mission mandates. We also recognize that peace operations alone cannot address the underlying causes and drivers of conflict, which are generational challenges that require a full range of actors to come to the table, including local and national Government, civil-society leaders, humanitarian organizations, the private sector and United Nations Member States. Another key group that is too often shut out of the political process is women. We must work to ensure that women’s perspectives are integrated across peace operations functions so that the meaningful inclusion of women and girls in the political process and decision-making becomes the norm. The women and peace and security agenda has a vital role to play in United Nations peacekeeping operations. At the same time, we must ensure that young people have a seat at the table, since we know that their participation in peace and security is essential to the longevity of peace. Just look at Africa alone: the median age is 19 years old. That tells us how important young people are to the future of any peace operation. In many situations, we have also seen the importance of regional actors taking the lead, particularly in the case of the African Union. We applaud the AU’s efforts to promote peace and stability on the continent, and we encourage the AU to continue implementing compliance frameworks for peace support operations. The United Nations has a unique comparative advantage in advancing sustainable peace. We have the power to coordinate across the international community to identify clear and achievable goals. The Secretary- General’s New Agenda for Peace, as contained in the report Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), offers an important opportunity for considering how to make the United Nations more responsive to modern challenges as we address the root causes of conflict. For its part, the United States remains deeply committed to United Nations peacebuilding efforts. As called for in Our Common Agenda, we strongly support the expanded role of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) across a range of issues, including human rights and climate change, and we welcome its contribution to today’s meeting. The PBC has an important convening role to play and can help mobilize attention and commitment to international peacebuilding efforts. I also want to note that the United States is now implementing its own strategy to prevent conflict and promote stability. That effort builds on lessons learned from our own experiences in conflict- affected environments and integrates best practices for addressing the root causes of conflict and preventing future ones. In fact, the United Nations has applied many of the same lessons, from the value of local buy-in to the importance of integrating all diplomatic, humanitarian and security activities under a coherent plan. The United States stands ready to continue working within and outside the Council to address all causes of armed conflict. Together let us continue to support the heroic work of United Nations peacekeepers and do everything in our power to end protracted conflicts and build sustainable peace.

I congratulate Ghana on its presidency of the Security Council and assure you, Madam President, of Gabon’s brotherly support. I thank you for taking the initiative of convening this high-level debate, which is of particular interest to Gabon. We are indeed convinced of the central role that peacekeeping operations play in the resolution of conflicts and the promotion of international peace and security. I thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his informative briefing and the reforms undertaken during his first term related to both the Secretariat’s peace and security architecture and the structure of peacekeeping operations themselves, with the stated objective of reducing fragmentation within the United  Nations system in fulfilling its peace and security mandate. I also thank the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Ambassador Martha Pobee; the African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye; the Chair of The Elders, Ms. Mary Robinson; and the Executive Director of Security Council Report, Ms. Karin Landgren, for their respective contributions. The fact that today we are discussing integrating effective resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace is because the directives and implementation of the mandates conferred on United Nations peacekeeping missions are clearly lagging in terms of our expectations and the experience of the peoples of the world who have been plagued by insecurity and instability. We have been provided today with the opportunity to take a frank look at our peacebuilding tools and develop specific and realistic recommendations for improving the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations and ensuring that related mandates are commensurate with their required effectiveness on the ground. The security dynamics of the international community in dealing with new threats and challenges to international peace and stability must take into account the changing nature of crises and conflicts. We must redress both structural and recurrent shortcomings and promote the adjustment of the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations as a tool for sustaining international peace and security in order to ensure an adequate response to the many crises and conflicts that are polarizing the world today. Strengthening resilience within peacekeeping operations calls for a multidimensional approach supported by clearer and more realistic mandates that incorporate the promotion of human rights due diligence policies and the improved management and training of the Blue Helmets. For Gabon, in addition to those important issues, to which President Ali Bongo Ondimba has unrelentingly committed himself, making peacekeeping operations into instruments to sustain peace that are adapted to contemporary challenges depends on several essential factors, such as strengthening cooperation between the Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and improving coordination among United Nations country teams, including in the context of transitions. The role of the PBC as a bridge among the various United Nations bodies and Member States, including cross-cutting engagement with young people, women and the most vulnerable populations, as well as its role in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes, have made it a major asset for sustaining stabilization. Peacebuilding must be an integral part of peacekeeping operations’ mandates, as the reconstruction of countries emerging from crises very often remains a delicate undertaking that requires the meaningful commitment of the international community. We must promote a culture of prevention of armed conflict in order to effectively address the interrelated security and development challenges faced by countries plagued by chronic or cyclical crises. Sustaining the international community’s efforts to achieve peace hinges on that key issue. To that end, we must strengthen the means available to the United Nations to prevent armed conflicts. We must adopt a comprehensive strategy for the prevention of armed conflicts that takes into account their root causes. In that regard, strengthening and developing strategic partnerships, including prevention mechanisms, is a must, as is the allocation of resources to preventive diplomacy. In Central Africa, we have established not only channels for consultations in the framework of confidence-building measures but also a subregional mechanism for detecting the precursors of conflict, known as the Central African Early Warning Mechanism (MARAC), the headquarters of which are located in my country, Gabon. We are convinced that the more attuned we are to crisis prevention and early warning, the better our collective response will be for achieving peace. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to call for strengthening the financial and logistical capacities of MARAC in order to fully operationalize the subregional initiative. In conclusion, I reaffirm the importance of configuring our paradigms for the promotion of a culture of sustainable peace. The Council must be able to restore peace wherever it has been breached, maintain it where it is fragile and consolidate it where it needs to be strengthened.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening this timely debate. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his wise words, and our briefers for their thought-provoking messages to the Security Council. I am particularly proud to sit at this table and listen to a former President of Ireland, Ms. Mary Robinson. It is critically important that the Council and the wider United Nations system continue to work to address the underlying causes and drivers of conflict. The failure to do so would mean consigning ourselves to addressing the same security challenges repeatedly. The path to sustainable peace is not linear. History has shown that hard-won gains can be fragile and reversible. Ireland knows that at first-hand from its own peace-process experience. That is why we have prioritized the link between peacekeeping and peacebuilding during our term on the Council. United Nations peacekeeping is a remarkable example of multilateralism and international solidarity. Across the globe, women and men are working tirelessly, some laying down their lives, to protect civilians and resolve conflict. They are doing it to create the conditions necessary for sustainable peace. I am particularly proud of our Irish peacekeepers, who have worked together with the nationals of other Member States and served the United Nations with such distinction. We know our peacekeeping operations are being deployed to increasingly demanding and complex environments, where military solutions alone will not suffice. Those challenges require a holistic and coordinated response across all the pillars of the work of the United Nations. For peace to be resilient and sustainable, it must be inclusive and locally owned. Resolution 1325 (2000), adopted just over 22 years ago, gave us a path to delivering peace and security more effectively. That is why Ireland has made the women and peace and security agenda such a key focus throughout its time on the Council. The youth, peace and security agenda also has the potential to be transformative. However, we must invest properly to achieve that potential. Supporting those efforts can help to address the underlying causes of conflict situations. Creating an environment that is protective and resilient requires the engagement and input of local communities. That means putting women and young people at the front and centre of national and regional responses right at the start, not as an afterthought. During its time as an elected member of the Security Council, Ireland has worked to recognize the importance of women and youth in the Council’s peacekeeping and peacebuilding resolutions, particularly peacekeeping mandates. We have taken the same approach to human rights, by arguing consistently that measures to combat traditional and non-traditional security threats, including terrorism, must comply with international law. I would like to emphasize that that includes international human rights law and international humanitarian law. By addressing violations of human rights, we can help to mitigate violence and insecurity, radicalization and the growth of terrorism. We must also be responsive to other drivers of conflict, including climate-related security risks. Many States Members of the United Nations, including a majority of Council members, recognize the clear link between climate change and instability. Some 113 Member States made their voices heard last year by sponsoring a draft thematic resolution that set out those links (S/2021/990). Despite its failure to adopt that much-needed draft resolution, the Security Council has increasingly incorporated climate-related security risks into its peacekeeping mandates. It is important to ensure that such work continues. We have additional tools for peace at our disposal. The Peacebuilding Commission is uniquely placed to guide the collective efforts of diverse stakeholders. Peacebuilding gains can be sustained only if we continue to support peacebuilding programmes, and that costs money. We must enhance efforts to ensure adequate, predictable and sustained funding for peacebuilding, including through the Peacebuilding Fund. We must ensure that the quantum leap that the Secretary-General has called for finally becomes a reality. We also need predictable and sustainable financing for United  Nations-authorized, African Union-led peace support operations. We hope that the Secretary-General’s upcoming report on the issue will prompt an open and frank discussion and provide a window of opportunity for making concrete progress. In conclusion, I will turn to the issue of transitions. When peace operations leave or reconfigure their strategy or footprint, it is vital for the United Nations system to be ready to maintain and build on the peace gains that have been made. To that end, Ireland led the adoption of resolution 2594 (2021), the first Security Council resolution on United Nations transitions. That resolution seeks to ensure that peace is not perceived as a moment. It is not the signature of a peace deal, the conduct of an election or the departure of a peacekeeping mission. It is a process. It takes time, planning and resources. It is imperative that we have a shared understanding that as a conflict ends, our obligations remain. That is particularly important when it comes to the protection of civilians, who often face heightened risks, both during and after transitions. That is why Ireland has worked to incorporate transition planning into peacekeeping mandates. The Council must continue to work to ensure that we give our peace operations the best possible chance of success. We owe that to our peacekeepers, and even more so to all the people they are sent to protect.

Let me begin by conveying my best wishes and greetings to you, Madam President, on Ghana’s presidency of the Security Council this month. We also thank you for organizing today’s open debate on the extremely important issue of peacebuilding and sustaining peace, especially in the context of United Nations peacekeeping operations. We hope that your initiative today will help us all better understand the linkages between peacekeeping and peacebuilding and the role of related stakeholders. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, for his insights, and the other briefers for their useful and important statements. United Nations peacekeeping operations com­ menced seven decades ago as relatively simple, largely one-dimensional missions, designed to keep the peace and to facilitate political processes aimed at finding lasting solutions to conflicts. That context has changed profoundly over the years. Today both the political and security environments, as well as the nature of conflict, have undergone paradigm shifts. Today’s environment has become more complex, uncertain, volatile and am­ biguous. Conflicts are far more fragmented, with the participation of non-State actors, including armed mili­ tias, terrorists and organized criminal groups, in many instances with political support. Technological advanc­ es have also contributed to the changing nature of such conflict in many ways. Terrorist and radical extremist groups have unprecedented access to various techno­ logical tools to incite, spread propaganda and under­ take recruitment, as well as to purchase weapons and conduct illegal money transfers. Theatres of conflict are often characterized by breakdowns in the rule of law, the absence of effective State institutions, the pro­ liferation of illicit economic activities and the illegal exploitation of natural resources. Those factors are also manipulated by terrorists and radical groups to serve their nefarious objectives. In such a complex setting, United Nations peace operations are often burdened with objectives that go beyond the traditional mandates of peacekeeping. United Nations peace operations now handle multidimensional tasks that include building the capacity of host Governments in the security sector, providing humanitarian assistance, monitoring human rights violations and ensuring the inclusive participation of women and marginalized sections in political processes. That ever-expanding basket of responsibilities for many United Nations peacekeeping missions often ignores the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity. The need of the hour is therefore a holistic approach, coordinated action and a clear strategy that addresses the challenges to peacekeeping operations and peacebuilding. In that context, let me offer the following submissions for the Council’s consideration. First, in contemporary conflicts, solutions often lie in the political and social domains, not just on the security front. As such, peace operations can create the conditions for political and social processes to take hold, but they cannot replace them. Secondly, we believe that peacekeeping and peacebuilding are mutually exclusive. Attempts to extend the role of peacekeeping missions to peacebuilding tasks will strengthen neither and in fact will weaken both. The military component of peacekeeping can play only an enabling role but cannot bring about peacebuilding on its own A realistic assessment in that regard is the need of the hour. Third, in relation to peacekeeping in Africa, solutions anchored in African regional organizations are given priority and are a good path to follow for the resolution of many contemporary armed conflicts. Fourth, India recognizes the primacy of national Governments and authorities in identifying and driving priorities, strategies and activities with regard to sustaining peace. What is needed is to work with Member States, in line with their national requirements and needs, rather than to advocate prescriptions or solutions from outside. Fifth, as the world’s largest democracy, we are convinced that representative and inclusive governance structures will help to stabilize peace, safeguard fundamental rights, protect the rule of law and make governance representative, transparent, responsive and people-centric. We must encourage nurturing such governance structures in countries in conflict settings. That also requires giving them both the time and the space that they need to deliver efficiently. Sixth, gender sensitivity and inclusivity in governance and the security sector strengthen nation-building. Similarly, creating an environment that provides opportunities for young people to grow out of conflict cannot be overstressed. Seventh, there is an urgent need for predictable and sustainable financing for peacebuilding efforts to be more effective. Inadequate financing for peacebuilding activities continues to remain a stumbling block. Last, but not least, the threat posed by terrorism, as also highlighted in the presidency’s concept note for this open debate (see S/2022/799, annex), needs a unified voice from the international community. We should strengthen the capabilities of the security forces of host States, join hands in preventing terrorist forces from gaining access to financial resources and collectively call out those who provide safe havens to terrorists, as well as those who stand with them and come to their defence, including in the context of Security Council sanctions regimes. In each of the areas that we have presented today, India has made significant contributions. We have been a bridge-builder and a facilitator of consensus on many of the contentious files that the Council has dealt with in the past two years. We have strongly advocated for ensuring that peacekeeping mandates remain objective, well-defined and focused. Nearly 5,800 Indian military and police personnel are today deployed as peacekeepers in 9 out of 12 active United Nations peacekeeping missions. We have also been an active member of the Peacebuilding Commission since its inception. We have always played a constructive and significant role in the context of peacebuilding through our extensive development partnership with countries of the global South, including in Africa. In the short span of the past five years, the India-United Nations Development Partnership Fund, which was established in 2017, has grown to a portfolio of 66 development projects in partnership with 51 developing countries, including 17 Member States from Africa. In conclusion, let me reiterate that India’s contribution to United Nations peacekeeping missions and our partnership with Africa are based on building instruments of empowerment that would enable Africa to find African solutions to African problems. India has committed concessional loans of more than $12 billion to various projects in Africa since 2015. India will continue to be a force multiplier for all peacebuilding efforts, particularly for our brothers in Africa. I thank Ghana for its leadership on this subject.

I congratulate Your Excellency, Madam Minister, on Ghana’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for November. I welcome the Secretary-General’s remarks and those of the former President of Ireland, now Chair of The Elders, Her Excellency Ms. Mary Robinson. I thank Ms. Martha Pobee and Ms. Karin Landgren for their briefings. I also thank Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, for his insights. I congratulate him and, through him, the African Union Commission on its role in the cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia, agreed under an AU-mediated negotiation. Kenya pays tribute to United Nations peacekeeping personnel and their efforts in safeguarding civilians, peace and security. We mourn and honour those who paid the ultimate price while carrying out their duty. The Security Council sends men and women wearing the famous blue helmet into harm’s way to implement mandates that we negotiate and adopt. We owe a duty of care to them and to the countries and communities into which we dispatch them. The least that we can do is to try our best to ensure that the mandates, equipment and other enablers are fit for purpose. To make that a reality, we must consistently and professionally assess performance and ensure that there is accountability throughout the peacekeeping process. That is why Kenya fully supports the Secretary- General’s Action for Peacekeeping and Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiatives and all their provisions. The job that we are sending them to do in regions such as the Sahel increasingly pits them against determined terrorist groups. Left to run their course, groups in Africa that are affiliated with Al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham may cause State collapse and the mass suffering of many millions. Through multiple resolutions, the United Nations has agreed, both in the Security Council and in the General Assembly, to prioritize action against terrorist groups. The need and the commitment align. We must now make sure that peacekeeping mandates, operational planning, the readiness of troop-contributing countries and command and control are also aligned. United Nations peacekeeping is an innovation of the Security Council and the Organization that was not contemplated when the Charter of the United Nations was established. It must continue to innovate, particularly in situations that require enforcement. Otherwise, it will suffer the ignominy of irrelevance and failure, ultimately leading to the delegitimization of the United Nations. The Security Council cannot afford to dissociate peace operations from counter- terrorism, especially with regard to the protection of civilians and the provision of a basic level of security in countries in which they are deployed. United Nations peacekeeping under Chapter VII of the Charter is necessary, but insufficient. It must be combined with other measures in a coordinated and sufficiently resourced manner for peace and security to be achieved in a reasonable period of time. Allow me to share four recommendations on how the Security Council can strengthen peacekeeping in response to the way in which Ghana has set out today’s open debate. They are drawn from Kenya’s long experience as a troop-contributing country to both United Nations peacekeeping and African Union-led peace operations. Earlier, I thanked Ambassador Bankole Adeoye for the result delivered in Pretoria yesterday. I also thank him for the efforts of African Union-led peace missions. We honour the lives lost and marred by Al-Shabaab’s violence against the troops of the African Union Mission in Somalia. AU peace operations, such as the one in Somalia, have the mandate of the Security Council. They are fighting for international peace and security in line with the United Nations Charter and the commitments from Member States that it demands. They deserve equal priority and resources. Tough experience has taught us that voluntary and ad hoc arrangements hinder proper planning and operations. It is time to move beyond circuitous debates that lead us nowhere and embrace United Nations assessed contributions to support AU operations. That is the first recommendation directed at the Council’s commitment to overcoming terrorist groups and standing with Africa. The second recommendation is that we must do a better operational job of protecting civilians with the peacekeepers and equipment that we have right now. Troop-contributing countries must prepare their personnel to raise their performance standards once they are in the field. We strongly agree that the safety of peacekeepers is critical, but so too are the protection of civilians and the robust execution of the mandates under which peacekeepers operate. Also included in that recommendation is the need for a deliberate, credible and continuous analysis of the conflict environment. The conflict map should always be up to date and ready for peacekeepers to have a clear operational picture. Those peacekeepers should be trained to operate in the prevailing conflict environment and possess a mindset that is ready to adapt to changes on the ground. In addition, strategic communication should be treated as a core part of effective peacekeeping. It should manage the public’s expectations, counter misinformation and disinformation and further the mission’s the operational aims. Thirdly, great effort must be made to undertake a credible and sustainable political process in order to bring together disparate and conflicting actors. A uniting, inclusive political agreement is a necessary factor in delivering peace. The role of neighbours and regional organizations is therefore key. The Security Council should truly embrace Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, especially when dealing with the African Union, which has a comprehensive and engaged mediation and engagement architecture, as we have recently seen. Lastly, the important synergy and complementarity between peacebuilding and peacekeeping calls for enhanced collaboration between the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the Security Council, particularly during the consideration of mission mandates and transition periods. Kenya welcomes the written advisory from the PBC, particularly its recommendations on how to better design and deploy peacekeeping operations that prioritize the prevailing dynamics of host countries in their pursuit of sustainable political solutions. Kenya’s support for peacekeeping operations as a critical tool to maintain international peace and security will remain strong.

Mexico welcomes you to the Security Council, Madam Minister, and welcomes Ghana’s convening of this debate. I also thank the Secretary-General and the other participants, whose briefings enrich this debate and allow us to have a better perspective of the topic under consideration today. At the outset, I would like to highlight that peace operations are a critical tool for multilateralism and international solidarity. We see them as an essential instrument to help States in conflict situations to create mechanisms that provide them the necessary stability to address the structural and underlying causes of the violence they are facing and to advance peacebuilding. But for that instrument to be effective, it is necessary to take into account the evolving nature of conflicts. The contexts in which peace operations operate today are often characterized by asymmetric conflicts in which weakened States are confronted by armed groups, extremist organizations, climate crises or a combination of those elements at the same time. In such circumstances, national strategies and support from the international community must go beyond a purely military response and incorporate a human-security approach. As Her Excellency Ms. Mary Robinson reminded us this morning and as peacebuilding reviews have demonstrated, there can be no development without peace and no peace without development, and in order to address and prevent conflicts, it is necessary to address their structural causes, such as exclusion, poverty, discrimination, inequality and corruption. That was our stance exactly one year ago, when Mexico presided over the Council (see S/PV.8900). That can be accomplished, however, only by first strengthening the rule of law and promoting sustainable development and national reconciliation, including by ensuring victims’ right to justice. Peacekeeping operations must therefore work to realize the inclusion of all sectors of society, particularly  — as we heard today  — women and youth, in every step of peace processes, from local dialogue to the rebuilding of national institutions. It is particularly important to follow those principles in the transitional phases of peace operations. We have witnessed that the way those transitions are organized is a determining factor in whether they lead to stability or relapse into violence. The case of Haiti is a clear and regrettable example case in point. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that the mandates of peace operations are sufficiently flexible and that they cover all post-conflict phases so that they can effectively contribute to sustainable peace. That is where the coordinated work with regional and subregional organizations plays a particularly significant role. We must continue strengthening the links between peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and we must come to understand them on an even deeper level. We must bolster support for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes; security sector reforms; transitional justice and health services, including mental health services and psychosocial support for victims. We believe that a peace operation can be considered successful if, upon its departure, it leaves behind sufficiently robust national structures to provide basic services and guarantee the rights of the population. Conflict prevention is at the core of the Secretary- General’s Our Common Agenda (A/75/982) initiative and has also been a priority for Mexico as a member of the Security Council. We appreciate that this new agenda promotes greater coordination among Resident Coordinators, United Nations country teams, regional offices and the other agencies in order to ensure the success of peacebuilding strategies.

China commends Ghana’s initiative to hold this high- level meeting and welcomes your presence in New York, Madam Minister, to preside over it. I thank Secretary- General Guterres for his statement. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Pobee, Commissioner  Adeoye, Ms. Robinson and Ms. Landgren for their briefings. Peacekeeping is an important means for the United Nations to maintain international peace and security, and has evolved and progressed over the decades in response to changing circumstances. Since the 1990s, the Security Council has deployed a series of peacekeeping missions, with extensive mandates in Africa, based on its understanding of the drivers of conflict and the changing needs of the countries concerned, thereby playing an important role in addressing the root causes of conflict, enhancing the resilience of the countries concerned and achieving lasting peace. China supports the continuous development of United Nations peacekeeping operations and will make further efforts to that end. Allow me to make three observations. First, we must focus on the core mandate of peacekeeping operations, that is, resolving hotspot issues to create peaceful space for resilience-building in the countries concerned. No matter how wide-raging the mandates of peacekeeping operations are becoming to adapt to the changing circumstances on the ground, resolving conflicts and achieving peace should be the primary and most fundamental mandate. Peacekeeping operations should strengthen their good offices and mediation, actively cooperate with the United Nations and regional organizations and actively push for the political resolution of hotspot issues. Peacekeeping operations should support the countries concerned in their efforts at disarmament, demobilization and reintegration and in promoting social reconciliation and tolerance and consolidating the basis for sustained peace. Peacekeeping operations should also provide training and technical support to police and other law enforcement agencies to continuously improve their ability to protect the safety of citizens and maintain law and order. Secondly, we should further integrate peacebuilding efforts and make a positive contribution to the development of the countries concerned. Development is the cornerstone of peace and security. The international community should assist African countries in their efforts to develop their economies and improve people’s livelihoods so as to build a solid foundation for peace. Some peacekeeping missions, within their mandates and in the peacebuilding framework, have provided assistance to the countries concerned in the area of peacebuilding, building up a number of successful experiences. In the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, the Deputy Head of Mission is double-hatted as Resident Coordinator. That can help facilitate United Nations agencies integraing their work on security and development to better assist the countries concerned achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The trust fund for peace and security in Mali administered by MINUSMA has implemented a number of projects across the infrastructure, health and energy sectors, meeting the pressing needs of many people in northern and central Mali. Quick-impact projects implemented by some peacekeeping operations on the ground have also played an important role in improving local livelihoods. The United Nations should draw on those experiences and, in the light of the differing circumstances of each mission, extend any good practice in a positive and prudent manner. In addition, peacekeeping operations should prioritize local recruitment and the procurement of locally sourced supplies to help improve local employment and increase local revenues. Thirdly, we should strengthen coordination across United Nations agencies and provide tailored assistance to the countries concerned in response to the challenges. In recent years, the security situation in Africa has undergone profound changes as the continent is more aware of the drivers of conflict and African countries have more diversified needs for peacekeeping operations. China supports peacekeeping operations in Africa in acting within the parameters of their existing mandates and resources and, at the request of the countries concerned, fully leveraging their respective strengths within an approach anchored in the nexus between peace and security, while stepping up coordination and cooperation with other United Nations agencies on the ground. That will create synergies and better meet the needs of the African countries concerned. Peacekeeping operations can assist humanitarian agencies in alleviating the plight of the affected population by providing security guarantees for humanitarian relief work. They can work with UNICEF and other agencies to help the parties to a conflict implement child-protection action plans and enhance the capacity of the countries concerned to protect children. They can also work with UN-Women and others to assist the countries concerned advance the women and peace and security agenda in line with the realities on the ground. In August, the Security Council adopted presidential statement S/PRST/2022/6, drafted by China, which requested the Secretary-General to submit a report by 31August 2023 to assess the performance of peacekeeping operations and make recommendations on how to adjust their mandates in line with the changing dynamics. China, together with other Council members, will actively participate in the follow-up discussions and play our part in further improving peacekeeping operations to better meet the needs of the countries concerned. China is an active participant in, and an important contributor to, United Nations peacekeeping operations. At present, nearly 2,000 Chinese peacekeeping soldiers are on duty in Africa, serving with firm resolve and diligent dedication to maintain peace and security and promote development and progress in Africa. China is a strong advocate for, and an active practitioner of, cooperation with Africa. We have provided military assistance to the African Union and relevant African countries to enhance Africa’s capacity to fight terrorism and maintain stability, so as to achieve the Silencing the Guns in Africa initiative as soon as possible. We calibrate China-Africa development cooperation by focusing on what our African partners really need. We have been working with African countries to implement Belt and Road projects with high-quality deliverables. Through the China-United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund, we are implementing a great variety of projects in Africa, making a positive contribution to eliminating the root causes of conflicts, enhancing the resilience of the countries concerned and achieving lasting peace. October saw the triumphant conclusion of the twentieth National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing. His Excellency Mr. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and President of China, solemnly declared in his report that China has always been committed to its foreign policy goals of upholding world peace and promoting common development. China is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future. Guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and with a commitment to the greater good and shared interests, China endeavours to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries, including African countries. China firmly supports and assists developing countries in accelerating development. China adheres to true multilateralism, resolutely safeguards an international system with the United Nations at its core and takes an active part in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Together with the rest of the world, China stands ready to make a greater contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): As others have done, I also thank than the Secretary- General and our other thought-provoking briefers this morning. The United Kingdom is grateful to Ghana for its long-standing role in tackling armed conflict and its significant contribution to United Nations peacekeeping. Ghana’s leadership has resulted in a safer world for many. We deeply value our close partnership. At the outset, I also want to congratulate the African Union and African colleagues on the promising step towards lasting peace in Ethiopia with the agreement announced yesterday. We offer our continued support. As we heard, conflicts are becoming increasingly complex. For United Nations peace operations to operate effectively in that environment, they need to adapt and better coordinate with wider United Nations and non-United Nations peacebuilding work. Specifically, I would like to underline three points. First, peace operations need the capabilities to understand conflict drivers and feed that analysis into the wider United Nations strategy and approach. The United Kingdom is proud to support United Nations peace and development advisers, whose expertise could be used in mission settings to support greater strategic and operational join-up across the work of the United Nations. Secondly, we need to incentivize and deliver a more integrated United Nations system to enable a more holistic approach, as others also said this morning. Integration scorecards piloted in Haiti, Somalia and the Sudan, with United Nations funding, have made progress, but we need to scale that up. The Security Council can also drive that commitment, both in the mandates it sets and by encouraging the full use of the United Nations strategic planning and operating frameworks, as well as instruments such as the Global Focal Point for the Rule of Law. Thirdly, coordinated investment in peace is crucial. The Peacebuilding Fund, which the United Kingdom continues to support, is a key tool for bringing together different parts of the United Nations system. But it also needs strong leadership in missions that can encourage the wider United Nations development system to step up investment in peace, and that promotes partnerships with regional and international financial institutions as well. Both the Council and the Peacebuilding Commission can help to drive that. The costs of conflict are self-evident. Investing in prevention is essential, as is strengthening women’s roles in conflict prevention and resolution in order to achieve lasting peace and security. The United Kingdom is also proud to support the African Union’s Network of African Women in Conflict Prevention and Mediation. A system-wide approach to sustaining peace is critical. The United Kingdom thanks Ghana for convening today’s open debate and remains committed to realizing the promise of the twin resolutions of 2016.

I thank you, Madam President, for convening today’s important debate. We also thank the Secretary-General and the briefers for their statements. As the Secretary-General has confirmed in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982), investments in prevention, resilience-building and preparedness pay for themselves many times over. Making those investments in peace operations is key to making them more effective in responding to the changing security dynamics they encounter both in Africa and globally. Let me start by underlining the importance of ensuring that support for political solutions is at the centre of all peacekeeping. Lasting peace cannot be achieved or sustained by military means alone. We here in the Security Council must enhance the link between peacekeeping and peacebuilding when we are planning and mandating peace operations. The current efforts in the Sahel illustrate the need for holistic solutions. We must deal with growing insecurity while also addressing the root causes of conflict. We need innovative thinking and renewed partnerships that can bring out the best of the United Nations, the African Union (AU) and regional complementarity. That is why Norway strongly and actively supports the Issoufou Independent High- level Panel on Security and Development in the Sahel, initiated by the United Nations and the AU. In order to achieve peace that is truly sustainable, this Council must also ensure that peace operations facilitate the participation of women. Local women, women’s organizations and civil-society groups have unique insights and intergenerational knowledge that should be included at every stage of the development of preventive policies, including early-warning mechanisms. The full, equal and meaningful participation of women enables policies to be more equitable and responsive to local community needs, which is key to building resilience. Moreover, the inclusion of young people is important, and their innovative ideas and perspectives must be heard. It is also critical that we address the drivers of conflict, such as climate change, inequality, corruption, unemployment and violent extremism. Without those broader steps, the efforts of peacekeeping operations are unlikely to be successful. A lack of protection of civilians during conflicts also damages the prospects for their resolution and for sustainable peace. That protection must be an integral part of peacekeeping and peacebuilding and is particularly important in transition settings. While the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, all the parts of the United Nations system must work together to build resilience and prevent conflict. There is no better way of preventing conflict than protecting human rights. Greater interaction between the Security Council and its peacekeeping operations, together with the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Human Rights Council, is needed to facilitate early engagement and prevention. The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is another underutilized tool in our resilience-building toolbox. Through its cross-pillar coordination mandate, the PBC is well positioned to holistically address the drivers of conflict without the constraints limiting other United Nations bodies. The Security Council should seek and use the PBC’s advice more frequently and invite its Chair to brief us in order to inform our decisions. And we must increase financing for peacebuilding and the prevention of conflict. The Peacebuilding Fund is centrally placed in that regard. We continue to be impressed by the Fund’s agility, efficiency and spirit of innovation. We are and will remain a major donor to the Fund and encourage other Member States to increase their contributions. We must be able to build resilience alongside our work countering immediate security threats and protecting civilians. In our efforts to achieve long- lasting peace we cannot afford to overlook prevention, resilience-building and preparedness.

We thank you, Madam President, for organizing today’s debate and are grateful to the Secretary-General and the briefers for their thoughtful insights. United Nations peace operations play a key role in preserving peace and security, and ensuring that they have the resilience to cope with their manifold challenges is vital. That requires a continued, proactive and comprehensive approach towards conflicts and their changing nature, especially on the part of the Security Council. Building resilient peace means going beyond peace agreements. It requires working for reconciliation and ensuring social cohesion and development, as well as building strong institutions based on respect for human rights and the rule of law, two fundamental pillars for building open societies. It also means dealing continually and successfully with the underlying roots of conflict such as climate change, food insecurity, inequality and fragile governance. Ensuring an environment that is conducive to peacebuilding requires work in all those areas. Let me mention some key aspects from our point of view. First, it is important to adopt a comprehensive approach, which means contributing to a sustainable peace and the provision of security, primarily — but not only — through promoting tools for conflict prevention. Prevention has been and remains the weakest and most frustrating point for the Council and the entire Organization. We need to do more for the integration of various dimensions, including on the political, security, development, rule of law, human rights and humanitarian fronts, in the core of United Nations missions. Secondly, we need to focus on what works rather than solely on divisive issues. That approach has proved an effective way of getting people together across the conflict divide. While interpretations and historical narratives may differ significantly and the root causes of conflicts may be contested and highly sensitive in post-war settings, interlocutors seem ready and willing to acknowledge their common strengths and assets as the basis for tackling divisive issues. Thirdly, there is no doubt that local ownership is crucial to the successful implementation of any effort to integrate sustainable processes of change into peace and development. Dialogue with all those interested parties, including local communities, is therefore key to success in peacebuilding actions. Showing understanding for the concerns of the people involved in conflict should be seen as an instrument for confidence-building, which is an earlier stage of peacebuilding. Fourthly, strategic communication and transparency of information are critical. Any distortion of information may prove detrimental to peacekeeping efforts, as we clearly see in some theatres, but also for building an enduring peace in any conflict. Unfortunately, we have seen the use of propaganda, hate speech, disinformation in past conflicts, and we continue to see them being used in current conflicts to pursue narrow-scope political or nationalist agendas. Let us also not forget the ever-evolving agility of non-State actors and other violent groups for terrorist actions and purposes. Albania fully supports the sixth priority of the Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiative, on strategic communication, and believes that efforts to ensure unbiased information as a useful tool for peacebuilding will benefit therefrom. Fifthly, advancing inclusive political solutions, including the promotion of the women and peace and security and youth and peace and security agendas, is conducive to a smooth transition of a situation from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. A strong political dimension in United Nations missions can have positive impacts many times over on the future of a conflict in transformation. A special role should be attributed to women and youth as genuine promoters of peace by empowering them with strong political and social instruments for sustainable peace. This is what we, together with many other States around this table, are supporting and promoting as a member of the Security Council. In this context, I would like to mention a concrete example from the Western Balkans, where I come from: the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, which is headquartered in Tirana, Albania. Youth from the once-troubled region of the Western Balkans — from different countries, with different backgrounds and sometimes with different historical narratives — are now getting together, not only to meet, talk and exchange, but to work and implement projects and successfully promote reconciliation. And it works: often, where politicians stumble, youth, with their forward-looking spirit and energy, may see a breakthrough. Successful initiatives such as this may and should be replicated in other parts of the world. Sixthly, ever-increasing climate vulnerability is an important consideration, as rightly mentioned by some speakers, including in particular President Robinson. The converging crises of conflict and climate change can be mutually reinforcing, with climate impacts potentially exacerbating the conflict cycle and violence weakening the governance structures and institutions needed to build climate resilience. It requires addressing the underlying causes of climate vulnerability, which in fragile States can overlap with such drivers of conflict as weak governance, inequality and poverty. Failing to see a link between climate change and security is sleepwalking towards the fire. A resilience-based approach can enrich peacebuilding strategies. It has also been shown to produce essential inputs for a national peacebuilding dialogue. Building peace needs sustained efforts, and it is imperative that all of us do everything we can to never give up on trying to reach that goal.

I thank Ghana for hosting today’s meeting and for its unfailing commitment to supporting United Nations peacekeeping. I would like to emphasize three points. First, with respect to cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union, today’s meeting comes at a time when both organizations have entrusted President Issoufou with assessing the future of the security architecture in the Sahel. France will continue to provide its support to countries in the region that request it. We will continue to support, both nationally and with the European Union, the development of security forces capable of ensuring security on their territory, respectful of constitutional order and human rights. More international support is needed to support African initiatives, in particular those of the African Union. We hope that the draft presidential statement proposed by Gabon on this subject be adopted soon. France reiterates its support for the financing of African peace operations through mandatory United Nations contributions. Secondly, it is imperative that the root causes of conflicts be addressed. Military measures alone cannot build a lasting peace. The entire United Nations system must be mobilized, which means establishing a virtuous circle between development and climate change mitigation, supporting the deployment of the State and public services, and reforming the security sector. Strengthening the rule of law must enable the building of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. This is also the spirit of the youth, peace and security and women, peace and security agendas, which must be implemented in a very concrete manner. Controlling the exploitation of natural resources and combating trafficking are issues of security and economic growth. These issues must be more fully integrated into the mandates of peace operations. In Africa, as pressure on natural resources increases, France continues to support the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the African Legal Support Facility. The informal mining sector also deserves special attention. There can be no peace without justice. Efforts must be redoubled to ensure that everyone, without discrimination, has access to quality justice. The fight against impunity and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law are also conditions for peace. France will remain vigilant and committed to ensuring that everyone’s freedoms are guaranteed. Finally, we must strengthen the regional dimension and the continuity of United Nations action. The effectiveness of the fight against terrorism raises a final fundamental question: where does United Nations action end? First of all, I am thinking of geographical limits. The fight against terrorism calls for action not only in the country where operations are deployed, but also with agencies, funds and programmes located in the rest of the region. I am also thinking of the life cycle of peace operations. In transitional contexts, there must be continuity between peacekeeping operations and peacebuilding actors. This is the approach we are currently pursuing in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Peacebuilding Commission must also continue to fulfil its role of coordination and exchange among all partners. The Peacebuilding Fund must provide financial support for transitions. The Fund will continue to be supported by France, which is increasing its contribution again this year to $7.5 million.

Through you, Madam President, I thank Ghana for organizing this very important and timely debate. I thank the Secretary- General for his remarks, and I also thank our briefers for their valuable contributions. As Brazil has stated time and again in the Security Council, peace and sustainable development are interdependent and mutually reinforce one another. Conflict destroys the necessary conditions for economic activities that in turn provide the material basis for the functioning of the State. Economic growth and sustainable development are necessary to give people hope and to help reduce the appeal of violent ideologues. Strengthening international cooperation, investing in productive capacities and combating poverty and hunger are as essential to addressing conflict as security considerations. Building resilience in vulnerable countries is necessary to prevent the onset of conflicts, as well as to maintain the progress already achieved on the path towards peace. However, achieving this goal must not be a burden placed solely on peace operations, which can certainly play a peacebuilding role, but it must be balanced with the need to have realistic and clear mandates. Excessively ambitious, vague and open- ended mandates can result in frustration among partners and in the population of the host country. Excessively ambitious, vague and open-ended mandates can result in frustration among partners and the population of the host country. Instead, building resilience is a task for which the United Nations must offer a system-wide approach. It certainly involves the Security Council, as the organ with the foremost responsibility on peace and security matters, but it must also involve other bodies and agencies. I refer in particular to the Peacebuilding Commission, which is well suited to working as a platform for promoting greater coordination among the relevant partners of a particular country at risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict. It can also mobilize regional organizations and international financial institutions and foster South-South and triangular cooperation arrangements in support of international peacebuilding initiatives. In addition, it can support the implementation of peacebuilding activities by peacekeeping operations and help mobilize political support to promote reconciliation, institution-building and other nationally defined peacebuilding priorities. Focusing solely on the security dimension of conflicts will lead to endlessly renewing peacekeeping mandates without achieving the desired results. It will also leave fragile countries chronically dependent on humanitarian aid. Resilience-building, peacebuilding and the promotion of sustainable development are essential for addressing the root causes of conflict. I once again thank the Ghanaian presidency for helping bring focus to this important issue.

First of all, I would like to welcome your personal participation, Ms. Shirley Botchwey, in today’s meeting. We greatly appreciate the contribution of your country, a champion of pan-Africanism, to United Nations peacekeeping efforts and defending the interests of the African continent. We also wish to thank the Secretary-General, Assistant Secretary- General Pobee and African Union Commissioner Adeoye for their briefings. We listened very carefully to the assessments of Ms. Robinson and Ms. Landgren. At the outset, we would like to acknowledge the noble mission carried out on a daily basis by Blue Helmets in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions in which they put their own lives at risk. We pay tribute to all peacekeepers of the United Nations, the African Union and other regional organizations, who serve with honour, and we convey our condolences to the Governments and the families of those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. United Nations peacekeeping operations remain one of the main tools for maintaining international peace and security. More important, however, is the fact that millions of people continue to pin their hopes on such operations to bring about a cessation of hostilities, protect civilians, help national authorities gain control over their territory and strengthen State institutions in order to resume a peaceful life, provide social services and thus create the conditions for economic recovery. The changing nature and specifics of modern conflicts, which are compounded by terrorist threats, including cross-border threats, as well as difficult humanitarian and socioeconomic conditions, pose a challenge to the international community: how can existing mechanisms be adadpted to modern realities, and what new solutions can be offered? Discussing options for optimizing efforts in the field of maintaining peace and security is a very important and topical issue. At the same time, we are convinced that all discussions must be centred around the imperative of finding political decisions based on a shared understanding of the causes of conflicts. Without defining the goal, it is difficult to choose the means of attaining it. Unfortunately, we are witnessing situations in which opinions on those issues differ significantly among the warring parties, the main actors in the region or interested players outside it, and the Security Council itself. Without a political solution, it is impossible to agree on a clear and realistic mandate, gain the confidence of the host State or ensure effective support for regional efforts. One of the consequences of such disagreements is that, in various regions of the world, in the absence of results achieved by a United Nations presence, regional or other bilateral options are being sought. United Nations peacekeeping operations have been present in a number of countries for many years  — in some cases for decades. That can lead to the expansion of a peacekeeping operation’s mandate to include various secondary and non-core tasks related to human rights, social affairs, gender-related issues and climate change. Peacekeeping operations then risk being built into the domestic political context and become part of the conflict-management process rather than a tool for its resolution. As a result — and we have witnessed it more and more often recently — public dissatisfaction with the way peacekeepers carry out their mandate is on the rise. However, the cause of those problems is the discrepancy between the means and the established goal, and therefore the unreasonably high expectations of the population. Also, the multifaceted nature of modern peacekeeping operations only makes it more difficult to focus on the main priorities. Even different units within the same mission may view their tasks differently. Unfortunately, in many country-specific situations, we see a mentoring approach to solving purely domestic political problems, and that only makes the situation worse. Concerning the exacerbation of the terrorist threat in many regions of the world, including in Africa, the discussion of how to counter that scourge has recently intensified. We do not believe we should be under any illusions that United Nations peacekeeping operations can take on that burden. It is a problem that requires a military solution, inter alia, which can be provided only through national efforts, if necessary with bilateral or regional assistance. As we have said on numerous occasions, there have been examples of situations in Africa in which a common sense of purpose and trust-based cooperation have led to the achievement of meaningful results. Nevertheless, that was possible only when all the countries of the region affected by a given problem agreed on how, when and with what means they could push back the terrorists. In terms of the situation in West Africa, in particular in the Sahel, where the issue of terrorism is now particularly acute, we must not forget that all countries must be united in their desire to overcome it even if they have political differences. The key to the success of regional efforts is a common assessment by the countries of the region of the existing threats and ways to overcome them, as well as their willingness to bear the risks of responding to those threats, to create a coherent and effective command- and-control system based on trust and cooperation. As far as funding modalities are concerned, regardless of what the situation requires, it is important that initiating countries have the space to make their own political decisions to counter threats, without those decisions being dictated by external influences. We believe that African States are justified in raising the issue of the provision of financial assistance by the United Nations, and we stand ready to discuss the matter. In the concept note for this meeting (see S/2022/799), Ghana is right to point out that a number of long- standing challenges hinder conflict prevention and resolution, including the lack of social and economic development and education, the growing percentage of young people in the structure of society and the effects of climate change, among other challenges. United Nations assistance in those areas is absolutely justified and is needed now more than ever before. At the same time, we are convinced that it is important to clearly understand which United Nations institutions can be most effective in solving these problems. United Nations peacekeeping operations can provide targeted peacebuilding efforts in the framework of their mandates — for example, in promoting security sector reform; enabling disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; and increasing the training of national personnel in the areas that the host country deems important. However, they cannot fully cover those needs. The main role in that regard should be played by the relevant specialized United Nations bodies and international financial institutions. We also agree that the Peacebuilding Commission, whose recommendations were submitted for this meeting, should play the role of the connecting link where security issues cross over into the area of socioeconomic development. But in that regard as well we should be guided by countries’ national priorities, the root causes of conflicts and each country’s individual specifics.

I would like to start by welcoming you, Madam President, and thanking you for presiding over this important and timely meeting. I would also like to thank Secretary- General Guterres for his opening remarks and Assistant Secretary-General Pobee, Commissioner Adeoye, Former President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders Ms. Robinson and Executive Director Landgren for their briefings. Given the multitude of varied threats to peace and security and the rapid pace at which they evolve, peace operations must be multifaceted and designed with the core objective of building resilience to short- and long- term threats. The task before us is therefore a daunting but vital one. While it is perhaps over-idealistic to expect peace operations to comprehensively address every threat to peace, we know that strengthened resilience not only secures peace but also prevents the eruption of conflict and relapses into it. Accordingly, I would like to share the following three recommendations on how peace operations can play a key role in building resilient societies and sustainable peace. First, tailored, clear and realistic transition strategies require a thorough consideration of the local and regional dynamics, as well as extensive coordination with a variety of local actors, including women, young people and religious and community leaders. Such efforts are particularly relevant to ending violence by armed groups and designing effective mechanisms for the disarmament, reintegration and prevention of the re-recruitment of former combatants. Transition strategies can also help prevent a security vacuum as well as effectively counter the narratives and drivers that fuel extremism and terrorism. Ensuring that the needs and priorities of local communities are taken into account creates a solid basis for sustaining the national ownership of peace and building back resilient, stable and inclusive societies. In the words of the late former Secretary-General and peacebuilding champion Kofi Annan, “[W]e need to be closer to those whose peace it is to make or to break”. Secondly, peace operations can lead to improved, lasting and positive outcomes, including by building reliable infrastructure that can benefit host communities after the drawdown of peace operations. That is particularly relevant as unprecedented droughts, heatwaves, floods and other extreme weather events continue to exponentially increase. We commend the efforts led by the Department of Operational Support to increase the use of renewable energy in peace operations and encourage the development of a comprehensive plan to scale up their deployment. Emissions reduction will not only enable the United Nations to lead by example in mitigation efforts, but it will also leave behind the kind of energy infrastructure that strengthens the resilience of local communities. The United Arab Emirates, together with Norway, has been at the forefront of advocacy for such an increase in the use of renewables in United Nations peace operations. Thirdly, promoting sustainable and effective peacebuilding requires a coordinated and integrated multilateral response. That means coordinating with all actors, including the Security Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and regional and subregional organizations, to ensure targeted rather than isolated efforts. That can also help to develop adequate, sustainable and innovative methods and funding mechanisms that collectively address traditional as well as unconventional threats, from climate change and food insecurity to global health crises, terrorism and extremism. In conclusion, peace operations can be enablers of nationally and locally owned efforts to sustain peace. Their legacy is not only what is accomplished when they are present but what they leave behind when they depart. The United Arab Emirates remains committed to supporting local capabilities that can create the conditions for lasting peace.

I would like to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no longer than three minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Flashing lights on the collars of the microphones will prompt speakers to bring their remarks to a close after three minutes. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Against a backdrop of the complex security challenges facing peace operations, I would like to highlight the following points. First, cooperation with the local population, while respecting its ownership and priorities, is a prerequisite for building resilience in peace operations. Engagements that focus on local capacity-building can make the effects of peace operations more enduring and consolidate trust between peacekeepers and host communities. In that regard, the Korean peacekeepers in South Sudan have been conducting civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) activities, which include vocational training in sectors such as agriculture, carpentry, electricity and construction. Secondly, the humanitarian-development-peace nexus should be strengthened to address the root causes of conflicts. Close coordination with the United Nations country teams and regional organizations is necessary. We continue to support cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union (AU), including through our contribution of $16.4 million to AU peace and security activities since 2016. In line with its humanitarian-development-peace nexus implementation strategy adopted last year, the Republic of Korea is partnering with UNICEF in South Sudan to enhance water supplies and access to education and medical services, creating synergy with the CIMIC activities conducted by the Korean contingent in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. Thirdly, mission mandates should point in the direction of sustaining peace throughout the life cycle of peace operations. Early engagement in peacebuilding can facilitate a smooth transition and lasting peace. In particular, we should counter violent extremism and terrorism, and in doing that it is crucial to enlist the capabilities of women and young people. In that regard, we encourage the Security Council to consult actively with the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in drafting and adapting mandates and coming up with political guidelines. Lastly, all of these efforts require sustained financing. It is important to make use of flexible mechanisms such as the Multi-Year Appeal of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and extrabudgetary funds for the Department of Peace Operations, the Department of Operational Support and the Peacebuilding Fund. The Republic of Korea will continue to contribute to those funds. As the host country of the 2021 Seoul United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial and a long-standing member of the PBC, the Republic of Korea reaffirms its support for building and sustaining peace in all phases of the peace continuum.

I now give the floor to the representative of Italy.

Italy fully aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union and thanks the presidency of Ghana for organizing this timely debate. I would like to stress three main lines of action to make peace operations more resilient and sustainable. First, we need to embrace and enforce the strategic transition of peacekeeping operations. Today’s conflict environments are often marked by geopolitical tensions, the proliferation of armed groups, exclusion, inequalities, social and political marginalization, climate insecurity, violent extremism, terrorism, the spread of misinformation and disinformation, and food insecurity. Those are all factors that, inter alia, often transform local conflicts into regional crises. There is no standard solution for challenges of that kind. Addressing them requires a shift from the traditional peacekeeping paradigm to the implementation of the key measures identified in the Action for Peacekeeping and Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiatives — collective coherence in support of the political strategy, as reflected in clear and achievable mandates by the Security Council that are matched with the appropriate resources; strategic and operational integration; well-trained and well-equipped peacekeepers; close cooperation with the host country or countries; the meaningful participation of women in all stages of the peace process; effective strategic communications; and an innovative data-driven and technology-enabled approach. Secondly, peacekeeping operations should be considered not only as stand-alone initiatives but also as essential components of the peace process. While they cannot address all the factors leading to a conflict, history demonstrates that peacekeeping operations can make a difference, either by paving the way for long-standing peace or, unfortunately, by exacerbating tensions. Therefore, they must be designed to achieve sustainable political solutions, promote the conditions for durable peace and reflect the drivers of conflicts. Thirdly, we should consider peacebuilding and peacekeeping to be complementary. Peace processes do not end when the last soldier leaves the ground. Before, during and after a peacekeeping mission, we must take full advantage of our peace toolbox, such as smaller civilian-only peacebuilding missions, police-focused rule-of-law missions, special political missions designed to support political processes and region-based special envoys. We must recognize the centrality of peacebuilding to break the vicious cycles of underdevelopment and, even worse, unfair politics and the militarization of political systems. We need more ambitious and structured collaboration between the Peacebuilding Commission and the Security Council, as the Commission is ideally placed to raise the Security Council’s awareness of regional efforts, local communities’ understanding and expertise and the cross-border dimensions of conflicts. We need more coordination between the United Nations and relevant international, regional and subregional organizations, including the African Union and the European Union, while recognizing their added value in the cross-border dimensions of conflicts. Making peace sustainable over time is our greatest challenge. It requires political solutions, inclusive peace processes, conflict prevention, robust post-conflict peacebuilding and a strong belief in multilateralism. As the first contributor of Blue Helmets to United Nations peacekeeping among Western countries, Italy will continue to do its part to address the whole set of challenges posed by today’s conflicts.

I now give the floor to the representative of Egypt.

At the outset, I would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your brotherly country’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council this month. I thank you for convening today’s important discussion and wish you every success in the Council’s tasks. I also thank all briefers for sharing their valuable visions with us today. Egypt gives high priority to building resilience through the establishment of effective national institutions that are responsible for, and capable of, protecting peoples’ capabilities and strengthening national ownership over peacebuilding efforts, as well as laying the foundation for stability and sustainable development. Egypt effectively contributes at the African and international levels to promoting capacity-building in national institutions, as they ensure that complex challenges are addressed. In that context, Egypt launched the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, which is convened annually to hold consultations and follow up efforts to establish peace and development in Africa. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt manages the African Union’s reconstruction and development dossier, the so-called United Nations peacebuilding dossier. Cairo also hosts the African Centre for reconstruction and development. Egypt was at the forefront of countries that supported the concept of the peace continuum and called for the strengthening of the impact of peacekeeping operations on peacebuilding and sustainable peace. We proposed presidential statement S/PRST/2017/27, which was adopted by the Security Council in that context. The issue of building national institutions was one of the priorities of the Egyptian chairmanship of the Peacebuilding Commission last year. I would like to make the following points. First, while establishing and reviewing the mandates of peacekeeping operations, the Council should pay greater attention to the peacebuilding component by conducting a needs-based assessment in each setting in order to determine the resources that will be required. We now see little interest in peacebuilding, and fewer resources being earmarked for it; as a result, the minimum resources needed for building resilience in countries hosting peacebuilding operations are not provided. Secondly, we call on the Council to pay the necessary attention to adopting a holistic approach to peacebuilding, which should take into account regional dimensions and cross-border challenges, support local capacity and provide basic services to people in remote and cross-border areas in order to enhance the sovereignty of States. Thirdly, we call on the Council to take greater advantage of the important advisory role of the Peacebuilding Commission when reviewing the mandates of peacekeeping operations. The Commission has vast and varied experience and can address the root causes of conflicts and peacebuilding in Africa. It is also a forum for sharing expertise, lessons learned and solutions. Fourthly, the nature of current challenges means that the United Nations must deepen its partnership with regional and subregional organizations, based on the comparative advantage of each of them to achieve the required integration. The partnership between the United Nations and the African Union is pivotal to addressing challenges that are not within the competence of United Nations peacekeeping operations, such as combating terrorism. Egypt underscores the importance of considering other options for the United Nations to fund African peace operations through assessed contributions from the United Nations budget. I also note that the current global geopolitical conditions should not diminish the interest of the international community in Africa. Fifthly, the primary challenge to the achievement of sustainable peace remains the provision of adequate, sustainable and predictable funding for building the resilience of countries emerging from conflicts. Egypt therefore calls on Member States to enable peacebuilding efforts to benefit from assessed contributions from the United Nations budget, including the Peacebuilding Fund. In conclusion, I reiterate my thanks to you, Madam President, for convening today’s important meeting.

I now give the floor to the representative of Slovenia.

First, allow me to congratulate Ghana on its presidency of the Security Council. I wish it every success in its presidency this month. I also thank you, Madam President, for organizing today’s debate on integrating effective resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace. Slovenia aligns itself with the statement to be made on behalf of the European Union and wishes to add some remarks in its national capacity. Today, as multilateralism is being tested by ever- multiplying crises, United Nations peace operations serve as a reminder of our collective commitments to international solidarity, to which we subscribed 77 years ago. United Nations peace operations are an essential instrument in supporting countries and societies that have been distressed by conflict in their search for lasting and sustainable peace and prosperity. Regrettably, as a result of the new complexities of crises, the growing number of multipliers and drivers of conflict worldwide, including climate change and water stress, violent extremism and inequalities, we have witnessed far too many societies relapsing into the vicious cycle of hate and violence. Therefore, an innovative and more integrated approach to peace operations is needed to effectively address the root causes of conflict and build resilient societies from the very early stages of peacebuilding. Only resilient communities will be able to fully implement the transition to lasting peace and a more prosperous future. Slovenia actively participates in efforts to identify new approaches to promoting collective responses and solutions in order to minimize the risk of future conflicts. We have supported innovative approaches to modernize United Nations peace operations, as well as the Peacebuilding Fund, through our extrabudgetary contributions. We actively participate in United Nations and other peacekeeping and stabilization efforts with military, police and civilian personnel in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It is our firm belief that international peace and security depend on the security of all its global partners. Cooperation and partnership with regional, national and local efforts and ensuring national ownership are essential to our efforts to build trust and resilience. However, that requires more than a military response to immediate threats and should also include capacity- building, promoting and protecting human rights, access to health services and education and socioeconomic development, as well as establishing effective early- warning and early-response mechanisms. Through the humanitarian organization ITF Enhancing Human Security, Slovenia supports efforts to build resilient communities by reducing risks to peace and security. Among such efforts is ITF’s active engagement in the implementation of the Early Warning and Response Partnership with the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in States members of ECOWAS, aimed at strengthening the capacity to identify, respond to and prevent crises more effectively. Women and young people have an essential role in the pursuit of lasting peace and resilient societies. They must become equal partners in all peace-related activities. The women and peace and security and youth and peace and security lenses should be applied in supporting regional, national and local efforts for lasting peace. The women and peace and security agenda was integrated into Slovenia’s education system and training programmes for experts in peacekeeping operations. We welcome the adoption of General Assembly resolution 76/305, on financing for peacebuilding, and we stress that sustainability and predictability in the funding of peace operations are key to effective peacebuilding. Allow me to conclude by reiterating Slovenia’s strong commitment to multilateralism. As a candidate for non-permanent membership in the Security Council for the period from 2024 to 2025, we will continue to contribute towards our shared goal of securing a peaceful future for us all.

I now give the floor to the representative of Switzerland.

I warmly thank you, Madam President, for having convened this open debate. Allow me to congratulate Ghana on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council again. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and all the other briefers for their valuable briefings. Fauziya Abdi Ali, Chair of a network of Kenyan organizations dedicated to the prevention of violent extremism, recently defined resilience as “learning how to change so as not to be changed by external threats”. Resilience can be achieved only if the population is involved in that change. The peacekeeping mechanism must therefore be equipped with tools that are efficient, inclusive and adapted to the reality on the ground. We would like to highlight three aspects of that challenge. First, peacekeeping missions can promote prevention that addresses the root causes of violence. The affected population, in particular women, who are too often left out, must be able to engage in a substantive and relevant dialogue with local authorities on good governance, human rights and the rule of law, as well as the security challenges of climate change. In that regard, we are very grateful to Ghana for hosting the first Regional Course on the Prevention of Violent Extremism in West Africa last year, which Switzerland had the honour of organizing with the African Union. Secondly, coherent action by the United Nations system is of great importance, and the effective integration of actors becomes crucial during the transition of peacekeeping operations. Close cooperation between the Resident Coordinator Office and the mission leadership is a key aspect of that, as is coordination with the various donors and international financial institutions, such as the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund. We also encourage the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund to fully play its role as a convener within the United Nations system. We commend its written recommendations for this open debate, which warrant our close attention. Finally, the local population must be committed to the objectives of peacekeeping missions, with the equal and meaningful participation of women. Good strategic communication, as well as an effective response to the expectations of the civilian population, is the basis for that acceptance. Projects that link the security, humanitarian and development pillars can provide opportunities, particularly for young people, to become peacebuilders. What is the role of the Security Council? First, it must encourage joint action by multiple actors, for example by systematically seeking support from the Peacebuilding Commission. Secondly, it needs to speak out, including on the predictable and sustainable funding of United Nations missions and regional organizations. Above all, it needs to shape mandates that take into account the many challenges and enable missions to act directly and interact effectively with other actors in combating the root causes of violence. Resilience must, in turn, be encouraged and supported, but it cannot be demanded without collective action against violence. It is in that regard and with that long-term perspective that my country intends to engage.

I now give the floor to the representative of Thailand.

Thailand wishes to thank Ghana for organizing this timely open debate, focusing on enhancing resilience-building in peace operations for sustainable peace. We also thank you, Madam Minister, for presiding over this meeting. We are grateful to all the briefers for their important contributions. I wish to make the following four points on the topic under consideration. First, in order to achieve resilient, effective and sustainable peace and stability in the many conflict- affected areas, close dialogue and engagement with the affected countries and region are crucial. The concerns of the affected countries matter. The views of their neighbours matter. And the voice of the region matters. That is because regarding matters affecting regional peace and stability and ways to address them, the affected region knows best. Likewise, regarding matters affecting Africa and the way forward, Africa knows best. To that end, Thailand supports inclusive consultations among the Security Council, the host country, troop- and police-contributing countries and other relevant stakeholders. The key is to ensure a clear mandate for peace operations to support the priorities of host countries and affected parties. In addition, adequate and timely resources must be made available at United Nations Headquarters and in missions in order to support such efforts. Secondly, regional-global partnerships are relevant. Countries of the region, particularly those directly affected by peace and security challenges, are best placed to help to identify and create pathways forward for sustainable peace through sustainable peacekeeping and peacebuilding. But the international community’s role is no less important by providing best practices, catalysing initiatives and mobilizing resources. Africa provides a good example of regional initiatives and partnerships with the United Nations. The pivotal leadership of the African Union (AU) and the contributions of subregional organizations have been crucial in addressing peace and security, as well as other challenges on the continent. We also heard other proposals from the African Union Commissioner this morning, such as the United Nations-AU transitions facility. For its part, the Security Council should continue its important role in supporting region-led initiatives to promote sustainable peace, while helping to ensure greater coordination with the Economic and Social Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and the General Assembly, among other bodies. Thirdly, the link between peace and development is clear, as underscored by you, Madam President, this morning. Thailand echoes that view. Sustainable peace and sustainable development must go hand in hand. They are essentially two sides of the same coin, with one side reinforcing the other. It is with that in mind that Thai peacekeepers continue to contribute to host countries’ early peacebuilding efforts through capacity-building. For example, through the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Thai peacekeepers engage with South Sudanese local communities in capacity development in sustainable agriculture, water and land management. The local priorities are our priorities. Fourthly and lastly, inclusiveness is integral to addressing the root causes of conflict and achieving lasting peace. Resilience-building, including through peace operations, must therefore target and benefit all people, especially those in need and most at risk, including women and girls  — a point that was emphasized by Mary Robinson and a number of other speakers earlier. In conclusion Thailand stands ready to continue to play its part in United Nations and other international efforts to support peace operations as a means of helping to attain sustainable peace because the price of not attaining sustainable peace is high. Only yesterday, the Security Council was informed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in a meeting of just one of the high costs of conflict and strife, namely, about 103 million displaced persons worldwide (see S/PV.9178). Let us therefore reinvigorate our collective efforts to promote sustainable peace, sustainable development and human security for all. Let us support resilient peace operations based on the right balance between addressing security aspects and underlying causes, including development challenges as one of the important means to help obtain that goal.

I now give the floor to the representative of Austria.

Let me first congratulate you, Madam President, and Ghana for assuming the presidency of the Security Council during this month. Let me also congratulate you for organizing this discussion so early on in your presidency, which enables the wider membership to participate. In an increasingly challenging geopolitical context, you have chosen a topic that touches upon the core of the future of United Nations peace operations. It is not enough to build peace in the strictest sense of the word, meaning the absence of armed hostilities. What we need is long-term sustainable peace, and that requires building resilience in societies, especially in conflict and post-conflict settings, and we need to address the underlying drivers of conflict with the instruments, frameworks and mechanisms needed to advance our objectives. In order for the United Nations peace and security pillar to become better at integrating effective resilience-building, actions are needed at all levels of engagement — global, regional and local. First of all, on a global level, we need system- wide coherence. In your concept note (S/2022/799, annex), Madam President, you rightly identified climate change, the lack of sustainable institutions and socioeconomic factors as such potential drivers of conflict. The Security Council can address those by fostering its links with other parts of the United Nations, particularly the Peacebuilding Commission. The peace and security system should also draw on the vast expertise of the United Nations system for early warning and prevention on the interconnectedness of climate and security, poverty, human rights, as well as development and peace. Secondly, the United Nations must increase its capacities to build regional and comprehensive prevention strategies and foster even stronger partnerships with regional organizations, such as the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and the European Union (EU). Based on the Action for Peacekeeping and Action for Peacekeeping Plus initiatives, the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace will be a key opportunity to take those partnerships to the next level. Sustainable funding for African-led peace support operations is one important area to which the EU is providing substantial assistance through the European Peace Facility. Austria is committed to actively contributing to the discussion on how to specifically enhance those partnerships over the next years. Finally, on a local level, United Nations peace operations need to contribute to building resilient communities. Quick-impact projects that address the priority needs of the local population help foster trust. They have proven to be successful, and Austria will continue to implement such locally rooted activities in areas of deployment. Particular attention must be paid to building inclusive and resilient institutions and procedures based on the rule of law. And it is of the utmost importance to recognize that all members of society have a vital part in building resilient societies. I highlight here the fundamental role of women and young people in conflict prevention, peace processes and strengthening resilience. Austria remains committed to supporting all efforts to build resilience in and through United Nations peace operations. We have strongly supported initiatives to strengthen the rule of law, protect civilians in armed conflict and promote the women and peace and security agenda, and will continue to do so. And we stand ready to do more. With the intention of gradually increasing our contributions to the Organization’s peace efforts, we will step up our training and capacity-building activities over the next years. We are convinced that the more we invest in those areas, the better we can support local ownership and the resilience of States against threats to peace and security.

I now give the floor to the representative of Malta.

I thank Ghana for organizing this ministerial open debate on the resilience of peace operations. Resilience is what allows us to adapt to a fast-changing security landscape and is what is needed throughout the United Nations system in order to be able to face emerging threats. Peacekeeping remains one of the most fundamental tools at the Organization’s disposal. The Security Council has a special dual responsibility of ensuring that it deploys peacekeeping operations to uphold peace and security and that peacekeeping mandates reflect the realities of the day. We must also continuously review and examine our maxims and practices. Evidence strongly suggests that more needs to be done to ensure that we establish sustainable peace with all the necessary foundations to counter the resurgence of conflict in Member States where peacekeeping operations are deployed. Peacekeeping mandates also need to include a clear vision of how the mission in question will empower local societies and create resilient communities and institutions. This approach also includes the utilization of other important agendas, such as the women and peace and security agenda. By ensuring the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, we will also be contributing to the formation of resilient institutions and an inclusive society and decision-making processes. Young people also have a fundamental role to play. Such measures are essential in order to facilitate a transition from a situation of conflict to one of peace. Climate change, the use of new and emerging technologies and violent extremism are other realities that the Security Council needs to contend with. That rings true in Africa and in other regions around the globe. The way that destabilizing forces have changed in the world we live in has already pushed us to rethink peacekeeping mandates throughout the years. That process needs to continue, and we need to refine our approach and equip peacekeeping missions with the tools to meet new and hybrid threats effectively. Identifying and addressing the root causes of conflict is not easy, but the United Nations system has the necessary institutional knowledge and experience to refine its vision of how peacekeeping operations can bridge the gaps and establish sustainable peace. The Security Council has to maximize that potential and contemplate how to deploy future missions that are ready to focus on building resilience and make use of new interventions that go beyond the traditional military role we ascribe to those types of deployments. We believe that it is clear that the Security Council needs to continue its work on rethinking peacekeeping mandates, make them future-proof and conceptualize all the interventions necessary for creating sustainable peace. Only a concerted effort by the international community can ensure that peacekeeping remains an effective tool in the face of new asymmetric threats.

I now give the floor to the representative of Ecuador.

I wish you every success, Madam President, as you assume the presidency of the Security Council, and I thank you for convening this debate and for having broadly included in the Council’s agenda for the month of November the consideration of peacebuilding. We also thank the briefers for their important contributions at the beginning of this meeting. Ecuador supports the prevention approach as the best way to consolidate peace. Prevention requires considering the needs of all sectors of the population, which includes activities aimed at preventing the outbreak, escalation, continuation and recurrence of conflicts by addressing their root causes. A social fabric weakened by various deficiencies is more prone to violence. Dialogue is indispensable if we are to avoid or stop war and, once established, is necessary in order to continue strengthening the rule of law, promoting economic growth, eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities and bolstering democracy — all within the framework of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. In post-conflict contexts, sustainable peace has its foundations in the reconciliation process, which is forged through transitional justice and reparations to victims, as well as the demobilization and reintegration of former combatants. In line with the outcome of the 2020 peacebuilding architecture review, the Security Council should equip United Nations peace missions with the necessary tools to continue to strengthen long-term actions. One of these tools is the implementation of the women and peace and security agenda. Women must participate in all mechanisms of negotiation and implementation of peace agreements, as established in paragraph 8 (b) of resolution 1325 (2000). On 8 September 2021, the General Assembly adopted resolution 76/305 by consensus, which reaffirms the importance of ensuring adequate, predictable and sustained funding for peacebuilding, not only through voluntary contributions and other sources of financing, but also through assessed contributions. We underscore the need to strengthen the synergies of peace operations, at the earliest possible stage of the integrated planning and coordination of transitions, with resident coordinators, United Nations country teams, other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, the host State and other national actors. We also reiterate the value of strategic communications to counter misinformation and build confidence in the countries in which they operate, through consultation processes with civil society. Finally, Ecuador urges the Security Council to strengthen the mandates of peacekeeping operations to support joint efforts towards better conflict prevention.

I now give the floor to the representative of Sweden.

I have the pleasure to submit this statement on behalf of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and my own country, Sweden. The entire United Nations system must be geared up to tackle the global challenges of today. Violent conflicts are growing in number, and they are becoming more protracted. Conflict dynamics are exacerbated by increasing inequalities, humanitarian and food crises, complex security threats and climate change. Holistic and integrated approaches are necessary to face these challenges. The same applies to United Nations peace operations, which need robust and flexible mandates that are adequately resourced, in order to empower them to respond to changing dynamics. Prevention, resilience and peacebuilding should make up integral parts of peace operations. This requires thorough conflict analysis, identifying the root causes of conflict and fragility and sources of resilience. Complementarity with other actors such as United Nations agencies, regional entities and international and local civil society organizations across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus is an essential part of this approach. The Nordic countries would like to highlight four key points. First, with respect to broad-based national ownership and the active engagement of actors at all levels of society, peace operations cannot replace the need for the political will of conflict parties to pursue peace, nor the host State’s sovereign responsibilities. In this regard, we stress that protection of civilians, including children, must be a main priority. We encourage greater integration of police and law enforcement perspectives in peace operations. An effective police force, judiciary system and corrections service, with human rights and the rule of law at their heart, are a prerequisite for peace. Civil society inclusion and the empowerment of vulnerable communities is vital and can prevent the acceleration of conflict dynamics. The woman and peace and security agenda must guide United Nations peace operations to enhance the full, effective, equal and meaningful participation of women. Similarly, the role of youth in the prevention and resolution of conflict is a key aspect, as is the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Secondly, on partnerships, regional organizations such as the European Union and the African Union should be actively engaged in political processes and security efforts in United Nations peace operation settings to enhance strategic coherence and complementarity in efforts. We furthermore encourage cohesion with peacekeeping efforts under African subregional organizations, including the Economic Community of West African States, and initiatives such as the Accra Initiative, in line with commitments made under the Action for Peacekeeping initiative. Coherent and complementary approaches within the United Nations are equally important. The Peacebuilding Commission, with its convening and bridging mandate, plays an important role in promoting coherence. Stronger linkages between the Commission and the Security Council can help to ensure that national peacebuilding priorities are brought to the Council’s attention at an early stage and should be promoted. Thirdly, building peace requires adequate resources. Nordic countries are among the key contributors to the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and are jointly responsible for over 30 per cent of its funding. The resolution on financing for peacebuilding (resolution 76/305), adopted by consensus by the General Assembly, stresses the importance of sufficient funding to support the peacebuilding activities of peacekeeping operations and special political missions throughout their life cycle and in their transition phases. Lastly, climate change and climate-related security risks must be an integral part of peace operations, as it adversely affects already vulnerable populations. We encourage more countries to support the United Nations climate security mechanism, which, among other things, has provided advisors to United Nations missions.

There are still a number of speakers remaining on the list for this meeting. Given the lateness of the hour, I intend, with the concurrence of the members of the Council, to suspend the meeting until 3 p.m.