UN IV Committee: EU Statement on Agenda Item 33: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects

UN 61st Session; IV Committee, Agenda Item 33: Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects,

New York, 20 October 2006

Statement by H.E. Ms. Kirsti Lintonen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union

Mr Chairman,

I have the honour of delivering this statement on behalf of the European Union.

The acceding countries Bulgaria and Romania, the candidate countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, align themselves with this statement.

The European Union has a significant role in peacekeeping and we intend to further intensify our involvement with the United Nations, which stands as one of the cornerstones in EU's external relations, in line with the European Security Strategy. We highly appreciate the fruitful nature of this co-operation and look forward to developing it further.

The high degree of European Union Member States’ willingness to support United Nations-peacekeeping is a matter in which we take great pride. Member States of the European Union collectively contribute nearly 40% of the peacekeeping budget. EU members are also quickly developing their role as troop contributors and should soon provide more than 10,000 peacekeepers to UN peacekeeping operations all over the world. To further improve the credibility and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping, we must not remain static, but rather address issues and difficulties with open minds.

United Nations peace operations will in the near future require increasing amounts of personnel from virtually all areas of the Secretariat, as well as qualified staff for multidimensional peacekeeping. The total standing of personnel in the field is reaching 93,000; the largest number of all time and the cost of peacekeeping has rapidly increased in recent years and currently the peacekeeping expenditure amounts to more than half of all United Nations spending. We must meet the challenges which stem from this new situation, because the adequacy of forces is not only measured in terms of numbers, but also in terms of professionalism, quality, equipment, doctrine and, above all, an effective command and control structure. Only by close co-operation with related partners can we maintain our effectiveness in peacekeeping and ensure that our troops have the tools they need to fulfil the tasks assigned to them. The United Nations is currently working at the limit of its capability concerning peacekeeping and the European Union welcomes the fact that regional organisations are increasingly involved in solving regional conflicts so far as they are conducted according to the UN framework and with the Security Council's support, and that the universal principles such as rule of law and human rights are respected.

We also look forward to assisting the United Nations in strengthening its operational peacekeeping capacity. The UN's merits in peacekeeping are overwhelming compared to any other organisation and the European Union recognizes and supports the United Nations' leadership in this field. We believe that by further streamlining the modus operandi of DPKO and by placing more consideration on the speedy deployment of peacekeeping troops and enhancing policies of lessons learned we would be able to further develop the performance of UN-peacekeeping operations.

This year the report from the Secretary General to the C34 set out DPKO's reform agenda for the next 5 years based on the 5 priority areas - partnerships, doctrine, personnel, organisation and resources. The EU stands ready to assist with this reform agenda and looks forward to hearing reports on its progress. The European Union also takes note with interest of the Secretary General's proposal within the Organization's new human resources framework to establish a cadre of 2,500 career civilian positions in UN-peace operations. We believe that this reform, which is still subject to approval by the General Assembly, will improve UN's ability to effectively manage peacekeeping operations at all the levels of procedure.

The EU is ready to continue exploring the different options for Enhanced Rapidly Deployable Capacities (ERDC) and develop modalities for use of regional capacities for ERDC. We strongly support further implementation of a standing police capacity. We also greet with satisfaction the development of the Integrated Mission Planning Process and are convinced that it will serve as a tool amid the complex network of different planning stages of peacekeeping operations.

The doctrine of peacekeeping has evolved considerably in recent years. The larger, multidimensional operation mandates of today incorporate concepts and responsibilities from a variety of fields such as conflict prevention, mediation, respect for human rights, rule of law, gender equality and humanitarian assistance. Operation doctrines have also increasingly come to include strategic oversight of post-conflict reconstruction and long-term development, thus connecting the chain of an efficient and holistic response in a peacekeeping situation.

Alongside traditional peacekeeping, we must adopt an understanding that the complex issues in the conflict-ridden areas of our contemporary world require a new and global concept of response. The EU combines in a unique way a wide range of long-term as well as short-term instruments of conflict management and prevention. During the last years, growing emphasis has been placed on the measures of both civilian and military crisis management within the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy. It is equally important to use available instruments in a more targeted and effective manner in order to address potential conflicts and promote conflict prevention, including improved civil-military coordination. It is also important to consider the coherent use of EU's other instruments and the need for planning, including also aspects of development, reconstruction and human rights. At this point, I also want to mention that the EU considers the comprehensive implementation of UNSCR 1325 on women, peace and security as a key element in its efforts to further develop and optimize its crisis management tools.

With a view to Security Sector Reform, there is an increasing awareness within the EU that this topic is of paramount importance in conflict prevention, post-conflict peace-building and democratisation, not to mention sustainable development. These issues have of course also been addressed in the creation of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) and the European Union fully endorses these objectives.

The Peacebuilding Commission will undoubtedly further deepen concerted action inside the United Nations for the benefit of peacekeeping as a whole and the European Union intends to fully assist the PBC in its crucial work. We encourage the Peacebuilding Support Office to work in close partnership with DPKO in the ongoing development of the integrated planning system.

The European Union-United Nations Joint Declaration on Co-operation in Crisis Management signed in September 2003 remains as the core of EU-UN co-operation. From the Declaration stem four areas of action for far-reaching co-operation: planning, training, communication and best practice. Through this co-operation we are able to share the burden with the UN in peacekeeping. For instance, the EU could, if requested to do so by the UN, decide to deploy military assets such as an EU Battlegroup in the framework of an EU-led crisis management operation in order to assist and support the United Nations in meeting the global challenges concerning peace and security. In this context; I would also like to mention the development of a rapid deployment capability in the field of EU civilian crisis management through the Civilian Response Teams, which should reach operational readiness by January 2007. 

Mr Chairman,

The challenging situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains as a high-priority issue for the European Union. Two civilian crisis management operations, mission EUPOL Kinshasa and the security sector reform mission EUSEC RD Congo, were launched in 2005. In the spirit of the 2003 Artemis-operation, the EU responded determinedly earlier this year to help secure the election process in DRC by launching an EU-operation under SC Resolution 1671. The operation, EUFOR RD Congo, has proceeded well in challenging conditions and it continues to co-operate closely with MONUC during the historical election process in DRC. The UN-EU co-operation has increased trust in the impartiality of both organizations in DRC and it has potential to set an example for future UN-EU-co-operation as well.

The primary implementation of objectives and adoption into practical use of global response concepts, which I mentioned earlier results in the EU's interest in deepening its partnership with the African Union as it clearly performs the duties of an important peacekeeping actor on the continent. The European Union supports the implementation of a ten year plan for capacity building with AU as was stated in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.

The European Union's recent determination to ensure a rapid implementation of SC Resolution 1701 demonstrates our high commitment to support the United Nations as it proceeds with the stabilization process of southern Lebanon. The Extraordinary meeting of the EU foreign ministers with participation of Secretary General Kofi Annan held in Brussels, on 25 August 2006 resulted in tangible results as the EU demonstrated resolve in gathering a total of nearly 7000 troops as the backbone to strengthen UNIFIL and also send a clear signal of  EU's ability to act expeditiously.

The institution of a Strategic Military Cell within DPKO for UNIFIL, as an effective instrument of strategic direction and as an actual strengthening of the UN chain of command, is a significant step which could also be implemented in other missions, once sufficient lessons learned have been acquired.

The input of a highly trained and motivated staff lies at the core of any successful peacekeeping operation and the EU commends the courage and commitment of those who take part in peacekeeping operations, often at great personal risk. The EU is gravely concerned about the precarious security environment prevailing in many field missions and, in that context, calls upon Member States, especially the host States, together with the Secretariat to give the utmost priority to enhancing the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel in the field. It condemns in the strongest terms the killing of United Nations peacekeeping personnel in several missions and recognizes that those continuous attacks and other acts of violence against United Nations peacekeeping personnel constitute a major challenge to United Nations field operations.

However thoroughly we prepare our troops for deployment to an area of operation, under international law the primary responsibility for the security of peacekeepers lies with the Government hosting a United Nations operation. We demand that all parties involved in armed conflicts meet their obligations under the Geneva Convention and ensure adequate levels of security and protection for all peacekeeping personnel and that Governments hold accountable those responsible for violent acts against peacekeeping personnel and ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice in accordance with international law. We also call for unconditional respect for the inviolability of United Nations premises, regardless of the prevailing circumstances in an operation zone.

We are equally concerned about gender based violence and crimes against humanity. Perpetrators of such heinous crimes should not be allowed to believe that they can operate with impunity. The European Union is firmly committed to ending impunity for such crimes, which are of major concern to the international community.

The EU also reaffirms the need to ensure that all personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations function in a manner that preserves the image, credibility, impartiality, and integrity of the United Nations. The EU emphasises that misconduct is unacceptable and has a detrimental effect on the fulfilment of mandates, in particular in the relations of United Nations peacekeeping personnel with the population of host countries. We also intend to find further ways of rooting out sexual exploitation and abuse by holding another meeting of the ad hoc working group on the matter in December.

The EU greets with satisfaction the report of the Secretary-General on the safety, security and protection of United Nations Personnel (A/60/223). The seamless co-operation between Department of Safety and Security and DPKO enables the safe delivery of the UN’s mandate and this co-operation will certainly enhance the possibility to increase knowledge on security threats to peacekeeping personnel.

Peacekeeping operations function in increasingly difficult surroundings and are exposed to handling issues concerning safety of civilians in an operation zone. We encourage the use of peacekeeping capacity in protecting populations against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. We acknowledge the fact that the implementation of human rights in a peacekeeping situation does not come with ease. The European Union reiterates its commitment to incorporate the issue of human rights more efficiently in peacekeeping.

Thank you, Mr Chairman

*Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.