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New York, 03 November, 2018
Pakistan told the UN that its peacekeeping missions needed sufficient human and material resources and arbitrary cuts in funding would jeopardise their future.
Speaking in the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly on Peacekeeping, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN insisted that shrinking budgets would diminish the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations.
Focus, she said, should be on enhancing capabilities, not on across the board cuts in the peacekeeping budget.
“We should not lose sight of the fact that peace costs less than war”, Ambassador Lodhi asserted, and pointed to the huge gap between the world’s spending on war and global investments on peacekeeping which she said should “serve as a stark reminder of our misplaced priorities”.
“Peacekeeping”, she underscored, “needs to be strengthened by supporting political solutions and mediation processes”. “Similarly, there can be no lasting peace without addressing the root causes of conflict”, she added.
Stressing the importance of troop contributing countries, Ambassador Lodhi said that they are important stakeholders who should be included in discussions on formation and changes in mandates.
She also highlighted the distinguished role played by Pakistani Peacekeepers in some of the most vulnerable conflict zones around the world.
“Pakistan”, Ambassador Lodhi said, “has contributed over 200,000 men and women to UN peacekeeping, who have served in over 46 Missions with honour, professionalism and distinction”.
Reminding the world body that Pakistan had lost 156 brave soldiers while serving international peace and security, Ambassador Lodhi said that working for peace in conflict zones comes at a heavy price. “This”, she stressed, “is a reminder that while many give some to peace, some give all”.
Ambassador Lodhi also informed the Committee that Pakistan was among the first batch of countries to sign Secretary General’s Compact for Elimination of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse in peacekeeping Missions.
Pakistan, she stressed, has a zero-tolerance policy on this issue.
Ambassador Lodhi concluded by saying that blue helmets are a source of pride for the UN as well as for all troop contributing countries.
She said that those caught up in conflict zones see them as a lifeline and source of hope for a secure and bright future.