[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.7″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” admin_label=”Text” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Chair,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Distinguished delegates,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is an honor to join you for the Annual Debate of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n UN Peacekeeping operations are one of the global community\u2019s most effective tools in the promotion and maintenance of international peace and security<\/span>.<\/span> It supports political processes, protects civilians<\/span>, <\/span>helps curb violence, and supports<\/span> efforts in peacebuilding, the protection of human rights, and the pursuit of sustainable development.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would like to thank all those Member States who have supported UN Peacekeeping operations, both through resources support as well as through personnel on the ground. Likewise, we are indebted to the women and men who are serving in some of the most challenging places on earth and risking their own lives to protect others and fulfill the mandates set by the international community. They deserve our sincere admiration and gratitude<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies, I welcome the significant progress that has been made to reduce the number of fatalities amongst UN peacekeepers; to establish robust systems to manage the risks of misconduct, including sexual exploitation and abuse<\/span>; <\/span>and to improve the environmental risk management and performance of Peacekeeping operations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That said, we must always be in pursuit of better, particularly when it comes to the lives and well-being of peacekeeping personnel. More needs to be done to ensure the safety and security of peacekeepers and to improve the performance of peacekeeping operations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We must also continue our efforts to prioritize gender equality across peacekeeping operations. One of my priorities for the 76th Session is gender equality, and I am therefore a strong supporter of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda<\/span>,<\/span> and the pledge for gender parity amongst the staff deployed to UN peacekeeping missions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Relatedly, I will be organizing a Holhuashi Dialogue on the Women, Peace and Security agenda in March and am already looking forward to the fruitful discussions on how to facilitate action to enhance women\u2019s full, equal, and meaningful participation in peace processes and political solutions<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I am pleased, that women\u2019s participation in peacekeeping operations has been expanded and the targets from the Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy have all been surpassed, except for military contingents. More women in peacekeeping means more effective peacekeeping.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here too there is room for improvement. For example, capacities of the protection of civilians, including early warning, civilian harm mitigation, training, and community engagement must be strengthened. The use of technology in peacekeeping should also be enhanced. Moreover, greater partnership between all peacekeeping stakeholders, including troop and police contributing countries, host countries and regional organizations should also be strengthened.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There are clear positive interlinkages between peacekeeping, peacebuilding<\/span>,<\/span> and sustaining peace. And I welcome the conceptual shift to peacebuilding and sustaining peace as one of the most significant outcomes of recent UN reforms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While peace operations lay the foundations for peacebuilding in host countries, on many occasions the peacekeepers perform specific peacebuilding related tasks aimed at sustaining peace.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prevention should be the foundation of building and sustaining peace. The root causes of conflicts and crises often lie in poverty, exclusion, inequality, discrimination, and serious violations of human rights<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is a reason that the UN was built on the three pillars of human rights, development and peace and security. Our peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations can and must further strengthen these pillars.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The 2030 Agenda and its blueprint to sustainable, inclusive development is one of the world\u2019s best preventive tools against violent conflict and instability.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And this must be backed by sustained political engagement, national leadership and ownership, strong partnerships, and financing. Here is where the discussion today and the work of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations becomes so crucial.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To streamline and strengthen the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, I call on all stakeholders to fulfil their commitments<\/span> outlined in the Declaration of Shared Commitments on Action for Peacekeeping.<\/span> And I welcome the Secretary-General\u2019s Action for Peace Plus (A4P+) as means to accelerate the implementation of the Declaration<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies, the work of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations has a direct impact on the direction of peacekeeping policy, priorities, practice, and training. I wish the Committee successful negotiations during its substantive session.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Thank you.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Annual Debate of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":361,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Excellencies, colleagues,<\/p> I welcome you all to our second meeting and our first interaction following the resumed part of the session.<\/p> Before I begin, I would like to recognize the loss of our dear friend and esteemed colleague, Ms. Gail Farngalo.<\/p> A Liberian national, Gail was my Team Leader for Human Rights and was active on gender during both the 75th<\/sup> and 76th<\/sup> sessions. She leaves behind a legacy of achievements and a groundswell of respect and affection from across the UN and diplomatic communities. Her presence is certainly felt here today.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> When I took on this Presidency of Hope, I pledged to make gender equality a priority area for the 76th<\/sup> session. I continue to look to the board for its wisdom and expertise, as I endeavour to fulfil that pledge.<\/p> In this regard, I have already benefited from the board\u2019s advice, from when we met on October 28th<\/sup> last year.<\/p> Acting on that advice, I committed to ensuring that all my five rays of hope, and all my major initiatives, are approached with a gender lens.<\/p> I made sure that the composition of my office is gender-balanced.<\/p> I have committed to participating only in panels that have equal gender representation.<\/p> Throughout my official interactions and travels, I have endeavoured to meet with women, including heads of states and governments, scientists, civil society representatives, and youth.<\/p> And I am proud to inform you that five young women have been recruited into the Fellowship for HOPE<\/em> that my office recently launched. The Fellowship as you are well aware is targeted at benefiting young diplomats from underrepresented countries, pursuing careers in diplomacy or public service.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> While recognizing that we have a long way to go in the battle for gender-equality, I am proud of what my team has been able to accomplish within the past few months.<\/p> Our work continues.<\/p> We will continue to raise our voices on issues disproportionately impacting women, such as domestic violence and work place harassment. We will continue to push the importance of gender-equal work spaces.<\/p> And we will continue to find new paths to empower young women with ambitious professional aspirations.<\/p> Now is not the time to rest on our laurels.<\/p> With the board\u2019s guidance and support, we must use the many opportunities over the coming months to further empower women and girls, and dismantle discriminatory practices against them.<\/p> There are several upcoming events that will provide us such opportunities. I look forward to the board\u2019s suggestions on how we can best utilize them.<\/p> As an example, the International Day of Women and Girls in science is fast approaching. We must recognize that women\u2019s contributions in science and technology have helped us cure diseases; discover new horizons in space; and develop technologies that have vastly improved our quality of life.<\/p> As we celebrate their achievements, we must also open pathways for young girls who aspire to follow in the footsteps of pioneers in science and technology.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Let us also reflect that the theme chosen by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for this year is on \u201cachieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls in the context of climate change, environmental and disaster risk reduction policies and programmes\u201d.<\/p> As we strive to meet our obligations to the planet, let us recognize the important work done by women and girls at the forefront of the climate crisis, and whose humanitarian work in disaster-stricken areas has helped save lives and rebuild communities. We owe it to them to not only celebrate their work but to support them.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> Our programme of work for the months ahead has been circulated to members prior to the meeting, for consideration and feedback. Please note that the events we have planned are not exhaustive. I welcome further suggestions from the board on the content and format of future events and activities.<\/p> Colleagues,<\/p> We have made much progress within a short while. And with the board\u2019s support and guidance, I am sure that we can keep up this strong momentum.<\/p> I look forward to working alongside all of you to achieve our vision of a gender-equal world.<\/p> Thank you.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[550,604,583,556,601,553],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-257980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","tag-ga","tag-oca","tag-our-common-agenda","tag-pga","tag-sg","tag-shahid","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n