UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING REMAINS CRUCIAL, IN VIEW OF EFFECTS OF CONFLICTS ON NEIGHBOURING STATES, FOURTH COMMITTEE TOLD
Press Release
GA/SPD/118
UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING REMAINS CRUCIAL, IN VIEW OF EFFECTS OF CONFLICTS ON NEIGHBOURING STATES, FOURTH COMMITTEE TOLD
19971110 Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Cites Far-Reaching Role Played by Organization's OperationsDuring the past year, the United Nations played a far-reaching role in peacekeeping, helping to bring peace to Liberia while planning for possible operations in Sierra Leone and other areas, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations said this morning, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) began its review of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects.
Contingency planning had been carried out for three missions in the Great Lakes region of Africa, and 66 Member States had joined the Multinational Stand-By Forces High Readiness Brigade, Under-Secretary-General Bernard Miyet told the Committee. Although there was a recent tendency in the media to downplay peacekeeping activities, they remained crucial, particularly in view of the grave implications of today's conflicts for neighbouring countries.
While attaching importance to peacekeeping operations, the United Nations should also give priority to lifting developing countries out of poverty, so as to ensure long-term global stability and peace, the representative of China said. Similarly, the representative of India said that lasting peace required the elimination of inequalities and inequities; peacekeeping operations could not replace economic growth and development.
As a result of the failure by some Member States to pay their peacekeeping dues, many troop-contributing countries, including Nigeria, were owed substantial arrears in reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the United Nations, that country's representative said. That situation must be corrected. The representative of Luxembourg, speaking for the European Union, agreed. A total of $800 million was owed to troop-contributing countries, he stressed, and half of that to members of the Union.
Statements were also made by the representatives of Canada, Thailand (for the Non-Aligned Movement), Jordan, Niger, Ghana and Iran. The representative of Egypt, as Rapporteur of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, introduced that body's report.
The Fourth Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. tomorrow, 11 November, to continue its consideration of peacekeeping operations.
Committee Work Programme
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning to begin its consideration of the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations. It had before it the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (document A/52/209) which covers that body's 1997 session and presents a number of observations and recommendations on recent operations.
While noting recent trends, including the decrease in the establishment of new peacekeeping operations, the total number of personnel involved in them and the average size of operations, the Special Committee considers it essential for the United Nations to continue to maintain international peace and security by effectively planning, deploying and managing current and future peacekeeping operations.
Peacekeeping is used to prevent conflict situations from escalating while ways to resolve them peacefully are being pursued, but that is not a preferred method of containing conflicts, the report states. The Special Committee, therefore, continues to attach great importance to the prevention and early resolution of conflict, which can reduce the need for the establishment of new and costly peacekeeping operations. It urges the United Nations and the parties concerned to continue to explore ways to do more to that end in accordance with Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter.
The Special Committee stresses the importance of consistent application of the principles and standards it has set forth for the establishment and conduct of peacekeeping operations. It emphasizes the need to continue to consider those principles, as well as peacekeeping definitions, in a systematic fashion and in the light of the lessons learned from peacekeeping operations.
It is important that peacekeeping operations be provided with clearly defined mandates, objectives, command structures and secure financing, the report states. It stresses the need to ensure, in the formulation and implementation of mandates, congruity between mandates, resources and objectives. It emphasize further that, when changes are made to existing mandates, commensurate changes should be made in the resources available to the operations to carry out its new mandate. It also stresses the requirement for consultations between the troop contributors and the Security Council.
To ensure that operations are led and managed by the best available personnel, the Special Committee asks the Secretary-General to consider the possibility of improving the method of selecting and preparing senior military commanders, in the light of the increasingly difficult and dangerous conditions in which peacekeeping operations are conducted. It further recommends that he consider strengthening the selection and preparation procedures for chief administrative officers.
With respect to the organization, planning and coordination of operations, the Special Committee welcomes the Secretary-General's intention to
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continue his efforts to improve the structure and organization of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and encourages him to intensify them. It considers that those efforts should include the development of appropriate structures, at Headquarters and in the field, for periods of both low- and high-intensity activity in United Nations peacekeeping. The Secretariat is encouraged to continue to enhance the transparency, efficiency and responsiveness of its procurement procedures.
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations is urged to develop a coherent strategy for logistic support of peacekeeping operations, according to the report. In view of the cost to Member States of poorly managed peacekeeping assets, as detailed in reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the Special Committee states that comprehensive and clearly stated matériel management policy should be instituted to guide the development of a workable inventory and matériel control system.
The Special Committee expresses grave concern at the continuing attacks and acts of violence against United Nations and associated personnel. It urges all Member States, which have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, to bring about its entry into force at the earliest date. With respect to the training of peacekeeping personnel, it reaffirms that such training is essentially the responsibility of Member States but also affirms the United Nations role in assisting in such training.
Also in the report, the Special Committee urges the Secretary-General to continue his efforts to strengthen the Civilian Police Unit within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It also expresses the belief that the United Nations should be able to promptly deploy a peacekeeping operation on the adoption of an authorizing mandate by the Security Council and encourages the Secretariat to intensify its efforts to address that issue.
The Secretary-General is urged to accord high priority to the processing of pending claims, including those for troops and equipment provided by Member States to operations whose mandates have concluded. He is asked, as a matter of priority, to address the operational and financial liquidation of completed operations, with a view to finding mutually agreed arrangements with the troop- and equipment-contributing Member States concerned.
In addition, the Special Committee encourages the strengthening of cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements and agencies, within their respective mandates, scope and composition, to enhance the capabilities of the international community in the maintenance of international peace and security. It appreciates the possibility of practical realization of such cooperation at the regional and subregional levels.
In considering the question of peacekeeping operations, the Committee had before it a six-power draft resolution (document A/C.4/52/L.9), by which the Assembly would endorse the proposals, recommendations and conclusions in the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and urge Member
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States, the Secretariat and relevant organs of the United Nations to take all necessary steps to implement them.
Also by the text, the Assembly would reiterate that those States that become personnel contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations in years to come or participate in the future of the Special Committee for three consecutive years as observers would, upon request in writing to the Chairman of the Committee, become members at its following session.
The Assembly would also decide that the Special Committee shall continue its efforts for a comprehensive review of peacekeeping operations, review the implementation of its previous proposals, and consider new proposals so as to enhance the peacekeeping capacity of the United Nations.
The draft resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Japan, Nigeria and Poland.
Statements
HOSSAM ZAKI (Egypt), Rapporteur of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, introduced that body's report.
BERNARD MIYET, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that during the past year the United Nations had continued to play a varied and far-reaching role in peacekeeping. Some 19,000 soldiers were currently taking part in 15 missions around the world. The United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) had helped to bring peace to Liberia. Other missions had also been successful. The international community could take pride in that success.
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations was planning on preparing for a possible intervention in Sierra Leone and was bolstering its missions in Tajikistan and Western Sahara, he said. Contingency planning for three missions had been carried out in the Great Lakes region of Africa. While those missions had not been deployed, they represented a great deal of work. He said the Department had a humanitarian role and also involved itself in the enhancing the long-term capacity to respond to future conflict, carrying out simulation exercises in such places as Brazil and Zimbabwe. In addition, 66 Member States had joined the Multinational Stand-By Forces High Readiness Brigade, which was being organized in Denmark. The planning element had already been adopted and plans were being developed for a unit headquarters.
Although there had been a tendency in the media recently to downplay the United Nations peacekeeping activities, the Department's efforts remained far- ranging and crucial. In view of the grave implications of today's conflicts for neighbouring countries, inaction was not an option. The mandate of United Nations peacekeeping operations must be clear.
He drew attention to the Secretary-General's reform measure which stipulated that gratis personnel in peacekeeping operations would be phased out. That measure would offer long-term benefits only if it served to
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consolidate operations. In the short- or medium-term, however, the reduction of gratis personnel would pose problems. Since March, 134 gratis personnel had been serving in the Department; its budget provided for only 17 personnel. Adequate funds must be provided for the Department's work.
IBRAHIM A. GAMBARI (Nigeria) said experience had shown that the timeliness of response to conflicts was crucial to the success of peace-keeping operations. His delegation had followed closely recent initiatives to formulate a mechanism to help the United Nations respond quickly to crises, aimed at drastically reducing the time between the authorization of an operation and its actual deployment. Such proposals regarding rapid deployment should be made in the context of the existing stand-by arrangements. Any activity for the maintenance of international peace and security must enjoy as wide a geographical spread in personnel composition as possible, without prejudice to its effectiveness and achievement of maximum results.
He called on all Member States to live up to their obligations by paying their dues in full, on time and without conditions. The sound financial health of the United Nations would not only ensure the adequate pursuit of collective security, but also restore the confidence of Member States which, had made the necessary sacrifice for the maintenance of international peace and security, despite their weak economies. As a direct result of the failure by some Member States to pay their dues, many troop-contributing countries, including Nigeria, were owed substantial arrears in reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the United Nations. That situation must be corrected.
He said Nigeria supported fully the United Nations constant search for meaningful cooperation with regional organizations. Its cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group in tackling the Liberian conflict had worked very well, and the same spirit prevailed in resolving the situation in Sierra Leone. While regional organizations and other arrangements should work closely with the United Nations, the cooperation framework should be carefully spelled out to avoid misunderstanding.
The United Nations had primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and must not be relegated to the background by any regional or multilateral arrangement, no matter how powerful, he said. On the other hand, regional organizations and arrangements which had demonstrated sufficient resolve in managing a particular crisis and which required international assistance through the United Nations deserved every encouragement.
MICHEL DUVAL (Canada) said Special Committee's efforts had contributed to substantive progress on such important issues as death and disability compensation and implementation of the field assets control system. It had consulted with Peacekeeping Department on such issues, including the dispatch of civilian police teams to assist in the pre-deployment evaluation of national police contingents, and in the deployment of training assistance teams to conduct seminars for national peacekeeping trainers.
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Nevertheless, there was a lack of progress in other important areas, including the ongoing backlog in peacekeeping reimbursements caused by the non- payment of peacekeeping assessments, he said. In its future work, the Special Committee could focus on such crucial issues as determining the future structure and organization of the Department and considering how the necessary financial resources could be provided to underpin its operations. It had been encouraging the Department to identify its core functions and to develop an organizational structure capable of the efficient management of operations.
The level of United Nations peacekeeping activity had declined substantially over the past three years, and no new missions had been authorized for nearly two years, he said. Some held that the sun had set on United Nations peacekeeping and that such activity could be better undertaken by either regional organizations or by so-called "coalitions of the willing". Canada did not share that view. His country continued to favour broad-based United Nations operations over such coalitions, for reasons of impartiality, political management and resources.
CHARIVAT SANTAPUTRA (Thailand), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said United Nations peacekeeping operations represented an important element in the maintenance of international peace and security. Today, 6,753 troops from the Non-Aligned Movement were being deployed under the United Nations flag around the world. However, while such operations could contribute to solving conflicts, they should not be permanent measures.
Recently, progress had been made on peacekeeping issues relating to gratis personnel and rate of compensation for death and disability, he said. Nevertheless, many issues remained which required further consideration and scrutiny. Those included the questions of reimbursement to troop-contributing countries, the financing of peacekeeping operations, procurement practices, consultations, the United Nations rapid deployment capacity, and demining.
Mr. MIYET, Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that all United Nations demining programmes would be strengthened and maintained. The presence of the United Nations would be enhanced, while respect for the countries concerned would be maintained. With respect to stand-by initiatives, all possible proposals would be considered with no exclusionary tone. The greatest possible support by Member States was requested. As for gratis personnel, the Department was dedicated to reducing their use. Nevertheless, it was necessary to avoid seriously undermining the Department's capacity.
Prince ZEID RA'AD ZEID AL-HUSSEIN (Jordan) said the most striking feature about United Nations peacekeeping today might be its declining popularity. Despite the recent pre-operation planning which took place with respect to at least two potential missions, it had been two years since the last comprehensive operation was established. There was currently a crisis of confidence among Member States regarding peacekeeping operations.
Jordan was the first Member State to have signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations on the Multinational United Nations
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Stand-By Forces High Readiness Brigade. His country believed wholeheartedly that the United Nations must continue to improve its preparedness for any future contingency. The efforts of Under-Secretary-General to that end were, therefore, welcome.
MARC BALTES (Luxembourg), speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that United Nations peacekeeping operations must be seen in the light of the Organization's precarious financial situation. Owing to recurrent non-payment of arrears, $2.3 billion was owed to the United Nations as at July 1997, including $1.6 billion for peacekeeping. As of March 1997, the Organization owed a total of $800 million to troop-contributing countries -- half of that to Member States of the European Union. That situation could not go on indefinitely. Member States must honour their obligations in full, on time and without conditions.
He said the Union had asked the Peacekeeping Department to effect a revision of its organizational structure, in order to permit a progressive reduction of gratis personnel. It also asked the department to develop an interim plan to balance that reduction with the formation of new posts financed by the United Nations, in order to maintain operational capacity.
It was important to reinforce the participation of troop-contributing countries and to involve them more closely in the Security Council's decision- making process. The importance of regular consultations between the Council and troop-contributing countries was emphasized.
In order for the United Nations to respond better to crisis situations, it was crucial that Member States have the capacity to deploy their troops more rapidly and to establish a credible presence before a conflict became impossible to control, he said. Many European Union member States had, individually and collectively, made proposals with a view to increasing such rapid-deployment capacity through stand-by forces arrangements. The Stand-by High Readiness Brigade would substantially increase the United Nations peacekeeping abilities.
He said the Union supported the Secretary-General's proposals aimed at widening the participation of African countries in the structure of stand-by forces by implementing partnerships and intensifying cooperation with the Organization of African Unity (OAU). It also supported the initiative taken by certain Member States to promote a force, under the aegis of the United Nations and the OAU aimed at coordinating the international community's efforts to improve Africa's peacekeeping capability.
Mr. MIYET, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said the Department was actively discussing and implementing proposals put forward on the question of gratis personnel. It was trying to solve the matter quickly, while taking the realities into account. A plan to replace gratis personnel without creating a vacuum would be proposed to Member States by next spring. The question of rapid deployment staff, which had been hampered by a lack of sufficient resources, would also be presented next spring as part of an overall
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proposal.
QIN HUASUN (China) said that although peacekeeping operations had increasingly dealt with countries' internal conflicts in recent years, that should not be used as an excuse to interfere in the internal affairs of those countries. The Security Council should strengthen its guidance and supervision over multinational forces, to prevent and stop any act that went beyond the mandate given by the Council and jeopardized the reputation and image of the United Nations.
A necessary and stable financial basis was essential to the success of any peacekeeping operation, he said. The withholding of peacekeeping assessments by Member States, in particular some major contributors, had seriously dampened the enthusiasm of troop-contributing countries. Concerned countries were called upon to rapidly clear their arrears, in full and without conditions.
Enhancing the rapid-deployment capacity of peacekeeping operations was important in effectively implementing the relevant resolutions of the Council and preventing situations from getting out of control, he said. China supported the United Nations efforts to enhance stand-by arrangements and had announced its readiness to participate in them. The recent measures taken by the Peacekeeping Department to improve the efficiency of operations were also appreciated. He said the Special Committee's decision to apply uniform death and disability compensation to personnel from developing countries was welcome and should be executed by the Secretariat at an early date. However, the continued use of gratis personnel in peacekeeping operations was regretted. It was hoped that the Secretary-General's plan to phase out their use would be introduced soon.
Peace and development were the two major issues in today's world, he said. While attaching importance to peacekeeping operations, the United Nations should also attach importance to lifting developing countries out of poverty. That was the only way to prevent conflicts and secure a global environment of long-term stability and peace.
AMADOU SOUNNA (Niger) said that since the end of the cold war, United Nations peacekeeping activities had increased. Between 1988 and 1992, there had been 12 new operations involving the dispatch of peacekeeping troops -- as many as there had been over the preceding 40 years. That reflected the effectiveness and credibility of the Organization.
Niger had always offered its services in alleviating tense situations throughout the entire world, he said. In 1991, a contingent from Niger had participated in Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia. Its military observers had also been sent to Burundi. Nevertheless, lasting and sustainable peace would be achieved through economic and political development.
BHUVNESH CHATURVEDI (India) said his country's commitment to United Nations peacekeeping was an act of faith. Nevertheless, durable peace required
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the elimination of inequalities and inequities. Peacekeeping operations could not replace sustained economic growth and development. Peacekeepers neither made peace nor did they enforce it. Rather, they kept the peace. Therefore, peacekeeping mandates were predicated on the consent of the parties and the need to be non-intrusive and non-interventionist. They could substitute for negotiated political settlements.
The proposed expeditious phasing out of gratis personnel was welcome, he said. It was hoped that the anomalous situation which had prevailed during the past few years was now forever a thing of the past. Also appreciated was General Assembly resolution 51/128, which provided for uniform death and disability compensation for United Nations troops. Security Council resolution 1121 (1997), which established the Dag Hammarskjold Medal for all who have lost their lives while serving in peacekeeping operations, was also an historic step.
YAKUBU ABDULAI (Ghana) said that despite concerns expressed over the past few years, the unwholesome practice of borrowing from the peacekeeping account had not abated. Ghana hoped that the General Assembly, in considering the reform proposals, would seriously address that question. "Without belabouring the point, I wish to reiterate our calls on the chronically delinquent States, particularly those with the means to do so, to help move United Nations reform forward by acquitting themselves of their financial obligations to the peacekeeping and general budgets, on time and without preconditions."
He said that troop-contributing countries should be given priority in the awarding of contracts for goods and services, particularly in relation to their own personnel and without prejudice to efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Ghana's attention had been drawn to the alleged participation of "phoney airlines" in bidding for the provision of air services to the United Nations. It was hoped the Secretariat would take urgent steps to address that problem, both for the safety of United Nations peacekeepers and for the promotion of genuinely competitive bidding.
JAVAD AMIN-MANSOUR (Iran) said that non-payment of contributions, particularly by major contributors, had an adverse effect on various aspects of peacekeeping, particularly with respect to the payment of reimbursements to those States which contributed troops and equipment, including the developing countries. The special scale of peacekeeping assessments, which was established by the General Assembly in 1973 and took into account the special responsibilities of the five permanent members of the Security Council and of certain economic Powers, must be observed.
There was no denying the positive role that could be played by troop- contributing States and neighbouring States in bringing about ceasefires and restoring peace in war-ravaged regions, he said. Those States must be actively involved in the related consultations and discussions conducted by the Security Council. Institutionalization of that concept and the expansion of transparency in the Council's work encouraged non-members of that organ to redouble their efforts for the maintenance of international peace and security.
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