UNGA79: FOURTH COMMITTEE - COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF SPECIAL POLITICAL MISSIONS (ITEM 52)
STATEMENT DELIVERED BY ALICE VOLKOV, POLITICAL ADVISER, AUSTRALIAN PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS ON BEHALF OF CANADA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND (CANZ)
12 November 2024
Thank you Chair,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own country, Australia.
Thanks to Mexico and Finland for their inclusive and well-organised co-facilitation of the resolution on the ‘Comprehensive review of special political missions’.
We also thank ASG Buttheim and ASG Jenča for briefing the Committee on the achievements and challenges of Special Political Missions.
Chair,
CANZ countries were pleased to co-sponsor this important resolution.
Special Political Missions are one of the UN’s key tools for the maintenance of international peace and security.
As we face a world with the highest levels of conflict since WWII, this objective is more critical than ever.
That is why CANZ countries want to ensure the tools we have are properly calibrated to effectively address contemporary challenges.
Chair,
It is often the role of Special Political Missions to support host states to implement peace agreements.
They do this by convening political actors and facilitating dialogue.
Full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes is critical.
There is significant evidence demonstrating that, when women lead and participate in political and peace processes, the results are more sustainable, and there is less risk of a relapse into conflict.
And women are often the most effective at mobilising local communities for peace.
We must remove the barriers that inhibit women from taking leadership roles in political transitions.
CANZ countries were pleased that Member States were able to reach consensus on this important point.
Chair,
Several Special Political Missions have started to draw down over the past year.
CANZ countries believe that drawdowns should be managed carefully, with transition processes embedded as early as possible, not just in the drawdown stages of a mission.
Outstanding aspects of mandates should be transitioned to the host government, supported by the Resident Coordinator system.
There needs to be early consideration of transitions so that the drawdown of a mission does not risk reversing peace gains and undermining the steps taken towards sustainable peace.
Chair,
We welcome references to important milestones in this resolution, including the Pact for the Future, and the General Assembly resolution on Investing in Prevention and Peacebuilding.
We look forward to the Secretary-General’s review of peace operations, mandated in the Pact, and particularly his recommendations regarding Special Political Missions.
We are disappointed that the UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions adopted by consensus in 2020, which mandated a comprehensive review of the peacebuilding architecture in 2025, were not referenced in the operative paragraphs of the current resolution.
CANZ countries look forward to engaging in the 2025 review, where we will work with all Member States to strengthen collaboration and coordination between Special Political Missions and the UN’s peacebuilding architecture.
Thank you.