Statement by Ambassador Nabeel Munir, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan at the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations on "Improving triangular cooperation between the Security Council, T/PCCs and the Secretariat" (10 November 2017)

Excellencies, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

As the Chair of the Working Group, Senegal has ably led discussions on various subjects of importance to Troop and Police Contributing Countries. I would like to begin by thanking Senegal for its leadership, and for convening today’s discussion on the issue of triangular cooperation.

As a former Chair of the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, we fully appreciate the important bridge building role that this mechanism plays.

Mr. Chairman,

Pakistan considers effective communication and consultation amongst the three main stakeholders, the Security Council, the Secretariat and the T/PCCs as critical to effective and result oriented peacekeeping.

Being one of those stakeholders, it is imperative that TCCs are able to voice their concerns on issues relating to peacekeeping and, more importantly, their views are accorded the credence they deserve. The ongoing reform of the peace and security architecture and the upcoming strategic reviews of peacekeeping missions provide us another opportunity to correct past mistakes, and work on a stronger consultative process.

While all stakeholders agree to the efficacy of triangular cooperation, when it comes to the brass-tacks – creation of new mandates, mandate renewals and implementation, filling the knowledge gap, testing new ideas and implementing new polices and frameworks - it remains grossly underutilized

Numerous Security Council resolutions and PRSTs, the HIPPO report, other publications and research papers have focused on the need to institutionalize a framework to engage troop and police contributing countries and the Secretariat early in the process. We all agree on the need to improve the existing structures and to make them work. The question, how to do it however, is being debated for years.

Triangular cooperation also generates intense interest during the C34 negotiations every year, with a whole chapter dedicated to this issue.

This year, in an effort to come up with concrete and practical recommendations for improvement, Pakistan and the United Kingdom have led informal consultations on the subject. We are encouraged by the frank discussions, and hope to have concrete recommendations by the end of this year to feed into the C-34 process.

During our informal consultations four broad discussion points emerged:

I would like to put before you some of the ideas that emanated from these informal consultations. While not consensual, these ideas do reflect the views of the wider membership of the C34.

Mr. Chairman,

Troop and police contributing countries place their best resources and expertise at the UN's disposal, and have a huge stake in the success of these peacekeeping missions. They are an essential source of knowledge regarding realities on the ground and can provide credible and relevant information to decision-makers in capitals and the UN headquarters.

The Security Council or the Secretariat cannot work in isolation from the implementers of peacekeeping mission mandates. Our deployment decisions have to be based on consultation, preparation and knowledge of the ground situation. Triangular cooperation is critical for all three.

I thank you!