2018: A Year of Renewal
Excellencies, distinguished delegates, dear colleagues,
It is a great pleasure to be with you today for the opening of this general debate of the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly on peacekeeping operations. This debate follows a truly transformative year for the United Nations and one of its flagship instruments: peacekeeping operations.
The year 2018 has been marked by developments that contribute to the renewal of our Organization and particularly of peacekeeping. I know that the momentum that has propelled us this year will continue to drive us to action, and in this spirit, I am pleased to take part in this discussion with you this morning.
At the beginning of this year, the General Assembly approved the Secretary‑General’s reform agenda. When fully implemented across its three pillars, the agenda will create an environment conducive to the success of peacekeeping operations.
The restructuring of the peace and security architecture will help us develop responses to crises based on more integrated and regional analysis. It will also enable more strategic responses combining conflict prevention, crisis management, and peacebuilding.
The development reform will reposition sustainable development at the heart of the Organization.
And the management reform will foster a culture of initiative and accountability at all levels.
Peacekeeping will benefit from these reforms. Most Secretariat personnel participate in peacekeeping operations and operate on the front lines in difficult conditions. Their work is made more complex by the changing nature of conflict: internal conflicts intertwined with transnational armed actors and new technologies have created new forms of warfare and violence.
Weak governance and security‑only responses often fuel the cycle of violence and complicate efforts for peace. We are now confronted with longer-lasting conflicts with multiple dimensions, as seen in Mali, the DRC, and CAR.
Too often, peacekeepers are no longer protected by the UN flag. Too many have fallen while wearing UN colors. The attacks against MINUSMA in Timbuktu and Mopti last Saturday are a stark reminder of the sacrifices made. I pay tribute to them here today.
Action for Peacekeeping (A4P)
In response to these challenges, the Secretary‑General launched the “Action for Peacekeeping” initiative in March. A4P aims to refocus peacekeeping on realistic expectations; make operations stronger and safer; and mobilize greater support for political solutions and well‑trained, well‑equipped forces.
A4P has demonstrated extraordinary global political support.
- 150 Member States have endorsed the Declaration of Shared Commitments, including all Security Council members, the twenty largest troop and police contributors, and the ten largest financial contributors.
- The high‑level meeting last month saw about 50 Member States express strong support.
In a time of significant global challenges, this level of backing is a positive affirmation of multilateralism and the central role of UN peacekeeping.
The A4P Declaration is designed to maximize peacekeeping’s contribution to durable peace. The commitments draw on established GA and SC mandates and are shared between the Secretariat and Member States—host governments, donors, T/PCCs, and the governing bodies.
We, in the Secretariat, have begun taking action. But to achieve the Declaration’s vision, we need each of you to fulfill your commitments.
This is a rare opportunity to create meaningful change in peacekeeping — we cannot afford to miss it.
Political Role of Peacekeeping
Let me highlight a few areas of the A4P commitments.
Strengthening Political Impact
Since late 2017, eight independent, external reviews of peacekeeping missions—including UNMISS, MINUSCA, and MINUSMA—have been conducted. We re‑examined mandates, strategies, and resource needs to ensure missions effectively use all tools of modern peacekeeping.
Key findings include:
- There is no single formula for peacekeeping success.
- Political will and support are essential.
- Peacekeepers’ presence has intrinsic value in preventing and containing violence.
We will work toward:
- Commonly agreed political roadmaps
- Stronger information analysis within the new peace and security pillar
- Regional political strategies
- Smoother transitions and integrated peacebuilding perspectives
A4P calls on all of us to strengthen protection as both a priority task and a vital component of political efforts. Missions continue innovating—e.g., MONUSCO’s mobile posture, MINUSCA’s community dialogue support.
For these commitments to succeed, we look to Member States, the Security Council, regional actors, and the UN system for unified and robust backing.
Host states are central partners. We rely on the Security Council and General Assembly for decisions to operationalize A4P. We also look to Member States to align policies with mandates, address mandate‑resource gaps, and strengthen triangular consultations.
Safety, Security, and Performance
A key priority—and central motivation for A4P—is the safety and security of peacekeepers.
Peacekeeping fatalities have reached a generational high. Even one death is too many.
The Secretariat developed an Action Plan based on the report “Improving the Security of UN Peacekeepers.” It aims to strengthen operational readiness, improve training, provide necessary equipment, and increase accountability and medical support.
The Office of Peacekeeping Strategic Partnership (OPSP) is steering implementation with DFS and partners. An interdisciplinary Implementation Support Team (IST) operates at HQ and in five high‑risk missions: MINUSCA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, UNAMID, and UNMISS.
Positive signs:
From 1 January to 30 September 2018:
- 17 peacekeepers died from acts of violence
- Compared to 30 in the same period in 2017
- A 43% decrease — though each loss is still unacceptable
Training, performance, leadership enhancement, and better use of intelligence remain core priorities.
We are:
- Implementing the 2018 training plan
- Expanding triangular initiatives
- Strengthening medical standards, air assets, and technology
- Enhancing leadership development
- Increasing accountability and improving investigations
Performance is a collective mission responsibility. We are scaling up systematic performance assessments, including through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment System (CPAS), pre‑deployment evaluations, and OPSP investigations.
We rely on Member States to:
- Provide voluntary support
- Contribute training and equipment
- Identify and communicate caveats
- Contribute more troops, police, and critical capabilities (helicopters, IED response, rapid reaction forces, situational awareness, medical units)
Partnerships
Partnerships are essential for peacekeeping success.
African Union
The Secretariat is strengthening strategic cooperation with the AU:
- Joint field visits to CAR, Sudan, and South Sudan
- Support for AU compliance frameworks in IHL, human rights, conduct and discipline, and financial accountability
- Advocacy for predictable funding of AU peace operations
UN‑AU cooperation is expanding across capacity-building and field partnerships.
European Union
UN‑EU shared priorities for 2019–2021 demonstrate strong collective action in crisis management and peace operations.
We also seek stronger collaboration with other regional and subregional organizations.
Women, Peace, and Security
Another central pillar of A4P is the role of women in peacekeeping.
Despite progress, women remain only 21% of uniformed and civilian personnel. Yet more women in peacekeeping improves operational effectiveness.
The Secretariat is doubling efforts to increase women in key roles. Progress includes:
- Women now represent 18% of officers in the Office of Military Affairs.
Member States must:
- Support Secretariat efforts
- Encourage women’s participation in national contingents
- Promote women to leadership roles
- Increase contributions of women peacekeepers
Earlier this month, we joined the AU and UN Women in a historic joint mission to South Sudan to promote inclusive peace processes and women’s participation.
Conclusion
Excellencies, colleagues,
2018 marks the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. Though global conflict has evolved dramatically since 1948, peacekeeping remains essential.
The future of peacekeeping depends on collective action — the core principle of A4P.
With the support of 150 Member States, the A4P Declaration gives us a clear roadmap for strengthening peacekeeping.
I invite all Member States who have not yet endorsed the Declaration to do so.
As we move into implementation, the Secretariat counts on the support of the General Assembly — both the Fourth and Fifth Committees.
To conclude, the Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to fulfilling its pledges and looks forward to working with you to fulfill yours in this critical year.
Together, we can ensure that UN peacekeeping remains principled, effective, and worthy of the sacrifices made in pursuit of peace.
Thank you.