UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOURTH COMMITTEE: COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS
30 October 2023
Statement by H.E. Mr James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations, on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand (CANZ)
Chair
I am honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own country Australia.
Let me begin by paying tribute to the women and men who serve in peacekeeping operations around the world.
Peace operations are one of the most visible and impactful elements of the UN’s work to preserve and promote peace.
Where blue helmets are deployed, civilians are safer, peacebuilding outcomes stronger and the prospects for a durable peace improve.
And yet, in the past year peace operations have faced mounting challenges and difficult dynamics. In some contexts, such as Mali, we have witnessed a complete breakdown in host country consent.
As the Secretary General said in his New Agenda for Peace, now is the time to reflect on the limits and future of peacekeeping.
CANZ sees the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, the C34, as a key part of this conversation.
The C34’s consensus-based work makes a critical contribution to the future policy direction of peace operations.
We were pleased that the Committee adopted a substantive report this year and will do our part to support a positive outcome in the 2024 session.
As we consider how to shape peacekeeping for the better, I will outline a few priorities for CANZ.
These priorities aim to make peace operations more effective, inclusive and accountable.
First, stronger partnerships. Canada, Australia and New Zealand strive to be trusted and innovative partners on peacekeeping.
We prioritise diverse partnerships with all stakeholders, from civil society, to fellow Troop and Police contributing countries, and importantly Regional Organisations.
And, as we look to the future of peacekeeping, it will be important to consider a range of tools that break down silos and enhance partnerships with a variety of actors, including key regional partners.
CANZ looks forward to the development of an AU peace support operations framework resolution in the Security Council, and reiterates the importance of upholding oversight, standards and compliance measures, consistent with UN Peacekeeping missions.
Second, the Women Peace and Security Agenda.
Chair, 23 years of progress and international consensus on the Women, Peace and Security agenda is backsliding.
As we marked the anniversary of resolution 1325 last week, we heard from women peacebuilders on the frontlines in Sudan, Afghanistan, and the DRC, just how much is at stake.
UN peace operations are doing important work to advance the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, in all aspects of peace and security.
Their mandates and convening power support women’s leadership in peace and political processes, protect against reprisals, and strengthen accountability for conflict-related sexual violence.
But progress towards gender parity has been far too slow - especially in leadership positions.
And we have more work to do to create a safe and enabling environment within peacekeeping missions.
Now is not the time to lose momentum.
This is why CANZ partners are so firmly committed to the Elsie Initiative Fund.
This innovative financial instrument supports troop and police contributing countries identify, and overcome, barriers to the recruitment and deployment of women.
We look forward to welcoming more partners as the Elsie initiative continues to grow.
Chair,
Peacekeeping missions must have adequate resources to implement mandates to protect civilians from violence.
It is our collective responsibility that all peacekeeping operations are properly equipped, trained, and supported to effectively respond to threats.
Nowhere is this more important than the protection of children.
Peacekeeping operations are essential to safeguarding the rights of children in armed conflict.
CANZ has endorsed the Vancouver Principles and remains focused on implementation. We call on all member states to join us.
CANZ also remains concerned about the prevalence of sexual exploitation and abuse allegations.
We urge continued efforts to implement the Secretary-General’s zero-tolerance policy and to mainstream a survivor-centred approach; focused on prevention, accountability, and support for survivors.
Today’s peacekeepers face the most complex threat environment in history.
Those who pose a threat to our Blue Helmets are already weaponizing sophisticated, low-cost technologies to disrupt operations, spread misinformation and hate speech.
We cannot afford to treat technology and innovation as optional.
And here, our actions speak louder than words.
CANZ is investing through extra-budgetary funding, training and capacity building to ensure that innovation in peacekeeping is integrated by design.
We want to make data driven decision-making the norm across all peace operations.
And ensure we harness the best available systems to monitor conflict trends, strengthen situational awareness and boost early warning and rapid response mechanisms.
These tools are essential to the protection of civilians.
Chair, colleagues,
Peacekeeping needs to continually adapt. And it must keep reconciliation and peacebuilding objectives at its core.
CANZ will share ideas, build consensus, and close implementation gaps to ensure peace operations are fit for the future.
Thank you.