Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Alexander Repkin at a UNSC Briefing on Peacekeeping Operations
Mr. President,
We thank the French presidency for organizing the traditional Security Council debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations. We have closely listened to the Secretary-General’s assessment of the situation in this area.
Today, when the lines between war and peace are becoming increasingly blurred, and long-term conflict resolution is often being replaced by stopgap measures, when armed groups have gained access to technologies once considered the privilege of only certain powers, the United Nations’ adaptation to contemporary realities is particularly relevant. We see a commendable effort to begin the process of rethinking approaches to UN peacekeeping in the recently published Review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations, which we already had the opportunity to discuss in August during the Danish presidency of the Council.
Peacekeeping is going through difficult times. The number of missions and Blue Helmets is decreasing. The reasons are many and diverse: the liquidity crisis directly linked to the failure of certain Member States to meet their budgetary obligations, declining trust on the part of host countries, and, in some cases, shifting geopolitical dynamics. The fact that not a single peacekeeping mission has been deployed since 2014 is not a sign that there are issues with the effectiveness of the United Nations in this area, but rather the result of a whole range of factors not always directly related to UN activities. We deem it appropriate to focus the discussion on what can realistically be changed in the work of peacekeeping missions to adapt them to current realities.
First and foremost, we should definitively abandon the paradigm, which has proven to be ineffective, whereby peacekeeping missions are viewed as a tool used to transform the host country in accordance with certain international standards. As rightly noted in the Review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations, the purpose of peace operations is to facilitate the peace process or create conditions for a political settlement. Any assistance in state-building, however, must be provided at the request of the host State, with strict respect for national sovereignty.
This brings us to one of the Review’s key recommendations for effective peace operations regarding the fundamental importance of consent and cooperation with the host country, which bears primary responsibility for the security of its people. This also means being receptive to fair criticism from national authorities and the local population, which should be taken as a kind of guidance for action. It is important to understand that disinformation – the need to combat which is something often discussed in this chamber – is only powerful when it is at least partially based on the truth.
We would also like to note the pressing need for serious efforts to focus the mandates of peacekeeping missions on priority tasks directly related to security and politics. Amid the ongoing liquidity crisis, when thousands of peacekeepers are returning home solely for financial reasons, such functions as monitoring human rights, promoting women’s participation in local government, or observing climate change have become an unaffordable luxury. We are confident that the specialized UN agencies will handle this perfectly well, provided there is a request from the host country. As a responsible permanent member of the Security Council, Russia will continue its practical work toward the establishment of clear and realistic mandates aimed at promoting political settlement and achieving national reconciliation by leveraging the unique advantages of Blue Helmets, which any other forms of UN presence simply lack. Above all, this concerns the doctrinal characteristics of UN peacekeeping, which are rooted in the UN Charter and three fundamental principles, namely consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. Only this enables Blue Helmets to play a unique role in creating the conditions necessary for the sustainable resolution of conflicts.
Mr. President,
We have consistently maintained that the UNGA Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C34), whose strength lies in the principle of consensus, has been and remains the best platform for major trends in peacekeeping (and their discussion). It is the Member States that must have the final say when it comes to reforms in this area. Attempts to substitute the decisions of Member States with some kind of creative initiatives – including those from the UN Secretariat, such as its “Action for Peacekeeping” initiative and its further iterations – are unacceptable.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, we would like to reaffirm our commitment to active participation in UN peacekeeping activities. Fifty-four Russian nationals are serving in UN missions in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Cyprus. Russia is among the top ten major contributors to peacekeeping operations’ budgets. We regularly train both Russian and foreign multidisciplinary specialists, including women and personnel from defense and law enforcement agencies, at the centers of the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation that are certified by the United Nations Secretariat.
Thank you.
