Agenda Item 34

Statement by Ambassador Munir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan in the Special Political and Decolonization (4th) Committee on Agenda Item 34: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects 1 November 2007

Mr. Chairman,

1. On behalf of the Pakistan delegation, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Jean-Marie Guehenno for his comprehensive briefing yesterday. We appreciate the efforts by Mr. Guehenno and his colleagues in the Secretariat to advance our objectives with regard to UN peacekeeping.
2. Pakistan supports the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. As a major participant in UN peacekeeping, NAM has a vital interest in the policy formulation and effective implementation of peacekeeping mandates. We expect the views of this vast majority of member states will be seriously considered in our collective work.
3. Pakistan believes in the value of multilateralism. The United Nations has an irreplaceable and central role in effectively addressing the global challenges of peace and security. Pakistan's participation in UN peacekeeping operations over the years is the most tangible demonstration of our commitment to the success of the United Nations. It is a practical reaffirmation of our abiding faith in the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.
4. Pakistan has been one of the largest and most consistent contributors of troops to UN peacekeeping missions. We have participated in 33 UN peacekeeping missions to-date. Pakistan has also been the leading troop contributor since the onset of the surge in 2003. Our current contribution is over 10,600 personnel in 12 missions.. We are also amongst the top providers of police and military observers. I am pleased to note that Pakistan has also recently started deploying women in our peacekeeping contingents.
5. Pakistan has been in the vanguard of peacekeeping efforts in Africa. 95% of our peacekeepers are currently deployed in 8 missions in Africa, including 4 integrated operations in the DRC, the Sudan, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. Earlier, Pakistani troops played a major role in the success of UN Missions in Sierra Leone and Burundi. Our contribution to peace and security in Africa is part of our traditional and long-term policy of support and friendship with Africa, which encompasses cooperation in diverse fields with particular emphasis on training, human resource development and institutional capacity building.

Mr. Chairman,

6. Peacekeeping has been termed the flagship activity of the United Nations. Success of UN peacekeeping in recent years and the continuing surge in demand are testimony of the growing confidence of the international community in the United Nations. With this trust also come enormous challenges - of reform, rationalization and strengthening of the UN peacekeeping capacity - to adapt to the changing requirements and to ensure continued success through better and effective management of peacekeeping operations. From the 2001 Brahimi Report to Peace Operations-2010 to the reform proposals presented by the Secretary General earlier this year, member states have remained engaged, dedicating time, energy and resources to this priority objective. As Mr. Guehenno mentioned yesterday, while much has been achieved, a lot remains to be done. It may be time therefore for a strategic assessment of the challenges of peacekeeping and our response. I would like to offer a few broad comments in that regard:
7. First, it must be recognized that sustained effort, additional resources and greater political will are needed for the success of UN peacekeeping over the long term.
8. Second, there should be a common strategic vision of UN peacekeeping. Peacekeeping is most effective where there is peace to keep. Efforts to confuse UN peacekeeping missions with other kinds of peace operations led by non-UN entities, such as peace enforcement missions, even though authorized by the Security Council, should be avoided. This distinction is essential to preserve the advantages emanating from the neutrality and legitimacy of the United Nations.
9. Third, notwithstanding the changing nature of conflict and the corresponding evolution in peacekeeping, there is a general agreement on adhering to the basic principles of peacekeeping, i.e. impartiality, consent of the parties, and non-use of force except in self-defense. This is necessary to maintain, even to reinforce, the confidence and trust in the United Nations action. It is unacceptable that what has been agreed and reaffirmed time and again at intergovernmental level can be altered by some other process or mechanism which lack ownership of the member states. We agree with the views of the NAM on the doctrine document. In our view this document should be apolitical, focusing on operational and practical aspects and avoiding contentious issues on which there is no consensus among member states.
10. Fourth, a truly comprehensive approach, spanning all stages - from pre-conflict to peacekeeping to post-conflict peace-building should be operationalized. Greater emphasis must be placed on conflict prevention, pacific settlement of disputes and addressing the underlying causes of conflict. Without this we cannot ensure durable peace. The cost of civil wars and restoring peace runs into hundreds of billions of dollars, apart from the tragedy of thousands dead or displaced, most of them innocent civilians. It is time to invest in conflict prevention which is far cheaper and effective than conflict management. Since the majority of the conflicts occur in the developing world, there must be a greater effort to promote development as the best means of preventing conflict.
11. The Security Council has increasingly addressed intra-state conflicts, with good effect, especially in Africa. This action should be carried out in full respect for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the concerned States. In accordance with its Charter responsibilities, the Council must also do more to promote durable solutions to the inter-state conflicts that continue to endanger international peace and security. The UN's record in resolving inter-State conflicts remains unimpressive.
12. Fifth, the implementation of mandates of peacekeeping missions has to be comprehensive, aimed not just at keeping peace but also sustaining peace. As a rule, no exit strategy should be contemplated without achieving this goal. In intra-state conflicts, considerable headway has been made in promoting comprehensive approaches, especially through the integrated missions. Greater interaction and coherence between peacekeeping and peace-building mechanisms is required for more effective conflict prevention and resolution. In this regard, the full potential of the Peace-building Commission should be exploited.
13. Sixth, we need a sustainable response to the growing requirement for professional and well-equipped peacekeepers. The developed countries must show greater political will to respond to this requirement. There should also be an increased focus on training and capacity building. The fact that UN peacekeeping is the most cost-effective as compared to other options should encourage member states to invest in this enterprise.
14. Seventh, the strategic review of the capacity to carry out the basic activities which determine the success and credibility of peacekeeping missions is required. These include: proper planning and concept of operation, coordination and resource mobilization, intelligence gathering, speedy and effective deployment, adequate logistic support, force projection and credible deterrence, effective command and control, uniform application of rules of engagement, clear and realistic mandates, provision of adequate resources to effectively carry out those mandates, periodic review against well-defined benchmarks and last, but not least, clear exit strategies that ensure durable peace. Of particular interest to the troop contributing countries is the issue of safety and security of UN peacekeepers.
15. The application of lessons learned and best practices also need to be enhanced. Given the problems being encountered in the deployment of the hybrid mission in Darfur, it is evident that there is a disconnect between the objectives espoused by the Security Council and the constraints posed by the ground realities and the availability of resources for their realization within the stipulated timeframes. Decisions dictated by political considerations should not lead to eroding the credibility of the UN and its peacekeeping record.
16. There is an urgent need to strengthen operational capacity, specially for rapid reaction. Pakistan supports the views expressed by NAM on Enhanced Rapidly Deployable Capacities (ERDC). To ensure proper implementation, policy on this issue should be formulated and finalized by member states in an inclusive and transparent process in the working group.

Mr. Chairman,

17. It should be clear that reform of the peacekeeping capacity is a process. It should be based on continuity and long-term objectives. The exercise should involve all relevant actors and partners, particularly the troop contributing countries which are the backbone of peacekeeping missions. They must be consulted at all stages and represented at the decision-making and senior managerial levels both in the field and at headquarters. We endorse the view that the Department of Field Support should be headed by a candidate from the developing countries.
18. Any reform of UN peacekeeping must ensure basic principles of unity of command, integration, strengthening of qualified peacekeeping capacity, accountability and safety and security of personnel. With regard to the re-alignment of the headquarters, particularly the decision to establish a separate Department of Field Support headed by an Under-Secretary General, some of the concerns we had raised are being proven already. The visible absence of coherence and unified directions has increased the burden on troop contributing countries to coordinate issues with two different departments. It remains to be seen how effectively the new structure will operate once both departments are headed at the same level. We look forward to the mid-term review planned for June 2008.
19. The UN's primary partners are member states. The trilateral cooperation between the Security Council, the troop contributing countries and the Secretariat should be further strengthened on a practical basis. There is also scope for enhancing cooperation with the regional arrangements in accordance with Chapter VIII of the Charter. This must be done making full use of the comparative advantages of the regional arrangements and the United Nations but without absolving the latter of its primary responsibility for international peace and security. The principle of unified command and control under the United Nations must apply to all UN Missions, including the new breed of missions in Darfur, Chad and CAR. We would like to emphasize that any discrimination and unequal treatment between missions, in terms of structures and resource allocations, would seriously undermine our collective efforts to strengthen UN peacekeeping. It is also our understanding that hybrid operations can only be an exception, not the rule. It would be important for the C-34 to consider and examine closely these operations in all their aspects. We would also recommend that the draft Doctrine document also be discussed in the C-34.

Mr. Chairman,

20. At headquarters, we make policies and design mandates. But our success eventually depends on those thousands of peacekeepers who implement these mandates. It is their presence on ground that makes the real difference between war and peace. We would like to take this opportunity to pay our sincere respect and gratitude to the professionalism, dedication and self-less devotion to duty of our peacekeepers, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of peace.
21. In conclusion, I would like to say that the maintenance of international peace and security is the leitmotif of the United Nations. To make the right and timely decisions, it is important for all concerned to have the level of maturity, understanding and political will to promote the objectives of collective security, through multilateral mechanisms, in accordance with the Charter, and to eschew unilateral actions and interventions that can erode rather than strengthen regional and international peace and security.

    Thank you.