Mr. President,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country Finland.
UN peace operations are at the core of UN action for international peace and security. Despite challenging circumstances, most UN operations have been successful in saving civilian lives and improving the situation on the ground.
A key issue is the ability of the Security Council to take decisions and maintain its support to the operations. The Nordic Countries expect the Security Council to act as the principal UN organ for peace and security, as envisioned in the Charter.
The goal of any reform should be to strengthen the ability of the UN to maintain peace and security. Low-cost, downsized or limited number of peace operations is not an end in itself – the overarching end goal is peace. The UN has many instruments at its disposal. They could be used in more flexible and complementary ways, adapting the emphasis when needed. Coherent action based on shared strategic goal among the actors involved, is key.
Peace operations must continue to put people first. Protection of civilians is always central in mandates.
We strongly support the Women Peace and Security agenda and gender equality. Integrating gender and Youth Peace and Security components in peace operations are needed to enchance peace operations’ effectiveness.
There must be zero tolerance to any wrongdoing, including harassment, gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. Compromised integrity may put the reputation of an entire operation in question.
Host nations need to commit to effective implementation of operations. Achievable mandates matched by adequate resources and political support are important to avoid discrepancy between expectations and outcomes. Exit strategies must ensure necessary capacities for host countries to take over.
The life cycle costs of UN operations need to be recognized. A robustly mandated and well-resourced operation may be more cost-effective than one with limited resources, dragging on for a long time. Preventive impact could sometimes be achieved with a small input.
Financing modalities for peace operations should be reviewed, ensuring a greater degree of flexibility, such as using resources of operations to finance peacebuilding efforts in mission drawdown settings.
Comprehensive reform of UN peacekeeping would also require reviewing its Command & Control structures, including ensuring operational planning capability, and the availability of operational enablers.
Countering mis- and disinformation is key. Capacity needs to be built to tackle this.
The role and the need to reform UN Police needs attention. UN Police plays several important roles in peace operations, which require cooperation, collaboration and coordination with other UN-entities to ensure sustainable results also after a peace operation has ended.
UN80 and the Pact for the Future offer a fresh opportunity to assess UN peace operations and make sure that they remain fit-for-purpose-purpose tool for a fit-for-purpose United Nations.
I thank you.